This award is made as a legacy of E. Lisa Panayotidis (1960-2016), who did so much to promote the Foundations of Education in Canada, in particular, the study of educational history. The award honours a doctoral graduate whose dissertation improves educational processes in the study of Educational Foundations, or adds to the field’s body of knowledge through research or scholarly inquiry.

It is presented by the Canadian Association of Foundations of Education (CAFE) to the person who has submitted the best doctoral dissertation for which a degree has been granted in Canada during the calendar year prior to the annual CAFE conference. Authors must be members of CAFE at time of submission.

The dissertation must focus on an issue of relevance to the Foundations of Education in Canada. Broadly defined, this includes scholarship related to the study of History, Philosophy or Sociology of Education. All research methodologies will be considered on an equal basis.

Eligibility Requirements:

The dissertation must be completed and successfully defended in the calendar year previous (January 1 – December 31) to each annual CAFE Conference.

Submission Procedures:

The application, sent via e-mail to the chair of the awards committee, must include:

1. A copy of the dissertation, in PDF format
2. A letter of application from the candidate which includes a description of the dissertation not to exceed 120 words. The candidate is to include a separate cover sheet that includes the candidate’s contact information, including work and home address, telephone numbers, and email address.
3. A substantive recommendation from the candidate’s faculty supervisor as a member of CAFE, outlining why this dissertation should be considered for the award, sent as an attachment by email from the email address of the academic institution.

Adjudication Criteria:

Submitted works will be judged using the following criteria: significance to the field; clarity of purpose; originality; quality of the research; clarity of organization; clarity of argument /presentation of evidence; and clarity of writing. All materials must be in English or French. The committee reserves the right not to issue the award should none of the submissions be deemed worthy.

Process:

Once the nomination package has been sent, the Chair of the Awards Committee will respond to the candidate and the candidate’s faculty supervisor confirming receipt. If you do not receive confirmation, please contact the Chair. Incomplete or late submissions will not be considered.

The award winner will receive:

• Commemorative plaque presented at the awards ceremony during the annual CAFE conference.
• A guest position at the annual CAFE banquet.
• $100 cash prize.
• Designated place on the annual CAFE conference program to present the dissertation research.
• Announcement of the award on the CAFE Website.
• A hand-written letter of congratulations from Lisa’s husband, Paul Stortz, outlining the prestige of the award and what the namesake of the award stood for in her work and writing.
• All nominees will receive a 1-year paid membership in CAFE (but regret this does not extend to include a CSSE membership).