Mineralogical Association of Canada Foundation

History and Organization

The Mineralogical Association of Canada Foundation (MACF) was established as a further expression of the status of the Mineral Association of Canada as a non-profit scientific organization dedicated to the promotion and advancement of the disciplines of mineralogy, crystallography, petrology, geochemistry and mineral deposits. To retain our status as a charitable organization we are required by Revenue Canada to utilize some of our funds for diverse educational and charitable endeavours. These activities can include: the organization of short courses and symposia; the funding of conferences; support of graduate research through scholarship; and travel grants for students.

The finance committee of the Mineralogical Association of Canada (MAC) recommended in 1996 the establishment of a charitable foundation whose principal activity would be to raise and disburse funds for the support of scholarships and other activities to assist students in their research work. As a result of this recommendation the Mineralogical Association of Canada Foundation was incorporated under the Canada Corporations Act by the issuance of Letters Patent on March 7, 1997. The objectives of the Corporation as set out in the Letters Patent are:

"To receive or maintain a fund or funds and to transfer from time to time all or part thereof or the income therefrom to the Mineralogical Association of Canada/Association Minéralogique du Canada"

The Mineralogical Association of Canada Foundation (MACF) currently operates as a “mirror board” to MAC Council, that is all of the current members of MAC council are automatically members of MACF. Other persons, who are not members of MAC council may also be appointed to the Foundation as required. The President and officers of the Foundation are elected by the MACF board members at the annual general meeting of MACF. It is not required that the President of MAC be the Chairman of MACF. Copies of By-Law No.1, the general by-law, which governs the operations of the Foundation may be obtained from the MAC Coordinator.

In May 1998, MAC Council authorized the transfer of seed capital from MAC to MACF. Interest from these funds invested by MACF are, on an ad hoc basis, transferred back to MAC to fund the MACF Scholarship and other activities. The actual disbursement of funds is thus from MAC and not MACF.

Charitable donations to MACF by individuals or corporations are always welcome. Please consider giving tax-deductible to MACF in support of the advancement of science and support of the next generation of geoscientists. Information regarding donations can be obtained from the MAC Coordinator.

Current Activities

MACF Scholarship

The annual MACF Scholarship was established to support graduate students engaged in research in any of the fields currently supported by MAC. The current value of this major Scholarship is $10,000 (CDN). Students who are eligible for this scholarship must be entering their second year of an M.Sc. Program or the second or third year of a Ph.D. program at any Canadian University in the year of the application. In addition students who are Canadian citizens attending a university located outside of Canada are eligible to apply for this award. Note that MACF scholarships are not intended to be replacements for other scholarships or teaching assistantships, and students should not be financially penalised should they receive a MACF Scholarship in addition to their other sources of funding.

The closing date for applications is April 30 of the current application year. Applicants should be notified of the result of their application prior to September 1st of that year.

Application forms can be downloaded from this web-site or tcan be obtained from the MAC Coordinator. Applications should be submitted to the Chairman of MACF.

Applications for the MACF Scholarship are assessed by a committee consisting of three members of MAC Council chaired by the Chairman of MACF (non-voting). Each application is considered with respect to the novelty of the work being undertaken by the applicant.

MAC reserves the right not to award a MACF Scholarship in any given year should the assessment committee consider that none of the applications meets the required criteria or standard of work.

Recipients of the MACF Scholarship also receive funding to attend the annual MAC Awards Luncheon and to present their research at the associated conference.

Previous recipients of the MACF Scholarship are :

Ernesto Pecoits, 2008
Siobhan A. (Sasha) Wilson, 2006
Jason Mackenzie, 2005
Murray Allan, 2004
Jacob Hanley, 2003
Daniel Layton-Matthews, 2002
Andrew Locock, 2001
Martin Stewart, 2000
Shannon Farrell, 1999


Travel grants-in-aid

MACF provides on an ad hoc and annual basis grants-in-aid for travel to, and attendance at, major conferences.

(I) The ad hoc grants are available for infrequently-held major international conferences such as the International Mineralogical Association meetings held every four years. In the year prior to the meeting MAC council will determine the number and value of grants-in-aid to be distributed for that meeting. To be eligible for this grant the student must be giving an oral or poster presentation at the conference.

Application forms and procedures for the next round of ad hoc grants-in-aid will be announced on this web site.

Recipients of MACF travel grants to the 18th Meeting of the International Mineralogical Association held in Edinburgh (2002) are :

Jennifer Anderson
Andrea Cade
Joel Gagnon
Karrie-Anne Hughes
Andrew Locock

(II) MACF supports one annual travel bursary of $1200 for a student to present the results of their research work at a major annual conference (GAC/MAC; Goldschmidt; GSA etc).

To be eligible for this grant the student must be giving an oral or poster presentation at the conference. Applicants can be senior undergraduates presenting the results of their thesis work or graduate students in any year of a masters or doctoral program.

Applications for the annual travel bursary must be received by the Chairman of MACF by January 2 of the year in which the conference shall take place. The application form must be accompanied by an abstract of the talk to be presented and a brief statement by the applicant explaining the novelty of the work and the scientific reasons why the support is requested.

The applications will be assessed by a committee consisting of three members of MAC council chaired by the Chairman of MACF (non-voting). Applicants should be notified of the success or failure of their application within approximately one month of the closing date for applications.

MAC Foundation President
Peter C. Burns
Department Chair, Civil Engr/Geological Sciences
160 Fitzpatrick Hall
Notre Dame, IN 46556
UNITED STATES
Phone: (574) 631-7380
Fax: (574) 631-9236
E-mail: pburns@nd.edu

MAC Foundation Secretary
David A. Fowle
Assistant Professor
Department of Geology
University of Kansas
1475 Jayhawk Bl., Rm 120 Lindley Hall
Lawrence, KS 66045
UNITED STATES
Phone: (785) 864-1955
Fax: (785) 864-5276
E-mail: fowle@ku.edu