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Awards and bursaries

The Keith Matthews Awards

These prestigious awards are named after the renowned maritime historian from Memorial University who was also a founder and first president of the CNRS. Keith Matthews died in 1984 and the first award in his name was made the following year.

There are two kinds of awards: one each recognizing a Best Book and a Best Article on a maritime subject published in the previous calendar year. At present there is no cash value to the awards.

The Matthews Awards Committee consists of three members of the Awards Committee selected by the Chair of the Awards Committee. Award Criteria & Terms of Reference.

1. The Keith Matthews Award for Best Book

The annual Keith Matthews Award is for the best book published on a Canadian nautical subject (the author does not have to be Canadian) or by a Canadian author on any maritime subject. Monographs and edited collections are eligible and subject matter can include oceanic and inland waters, naval or non-naval, from any discipline. The award is announced at the Society's annual meetings.

Winners of the Keith Matthews Award for Best Book.

2. The Keith Matthews Award for Best Scholarly Article

In 1986 the CNRS extended its Matthews Awards to include articles on nautical affairs published in scholarly journals or as essays or chapters in edited volumes. Beginning with awards made in 2000 it was decided to limit eligibility for this award to the best article by any author published in the Society's own refereed journal, The Northern Mariner/Le marin du nord. The best article will be selected by the Awards Committee in consultation with the journal Editor.

Winners of the Keith Matthews Award for Best Scholarly Article.

The CNRS Jacques Cartier MA Prize

To encourage graduate studies at the Master's level in Canadian universities and other institutes of higher learning, the Society awards a prize annually to a thesis of high achievement. The winner will receive an award of $500.

The award is named after Jacques Cartier, navigator of Saint-Malo, master mariner and explorer of France, who voyaged into the Gulf and River St. Lawrence which he named, and in three voyages traced details of a watery entry into the heart of a continent. Theses (including master's research projects/MRPs, cognate papers, or extended research papers) that demonstrate interdisciplinary approaches beyond history and the arts are encouraged.

The Chair of the Awards Committee will appoint two Members of the Society with academic teaching experience to serve as the Jacques Cartier Prize Committee. Award Criteria and Terms of Reference.

Winners of the Jacques Cartier MA Prize.

The James Pritchard Student Article Prize

The James Pritchard Student Article Prize was initiated in 2021 to be awarded annually for the best contribution written by a student and published in The Northern Mariner/Le marin du nord. The winner will receive an award of $300. Award Criteria and Terms of Reference.

James Pritchard, Professor Emeritus of Queen’s University, was President of the Society from 2002 to 2005, and was highly regarded as a maritime historian of the French navy and Canadian shipbuilding, and as a mentor of young scholars. He died in 2015 after a brief illness. For more information on James Pritchard please see the short article by W. A. B. Douglas on the CNRS website.

Winners of the James Pritchard Student Article Prize.

The Gerry Panting Award for New Scholars

Gerald E. 'Gerry' Panting was a founder of the CNRS, and as a longtime faculty member at the Memorial University of Newfoundland (1959-93) was a mentor of young scholars. This award in his name is a bursary of not more than $1,000 CDN to assist a new scholar in the field of nautical research to present a paper (in English or French) at the CNRS annual conference. The person(s) selected should be in the early stages of their career in the field of maritime research.

The Panting Award committee will comprise the President of the Society and members of the annual conference organising committee. Award Criteria and Terms of Reference.

Winners of the Gerry Panting Award for New Scholars.

The Alec Douglas Award for Contributions to Maritime History

This is an occasional award by which the Society acknowledges excellence in contributions to maritime history across the broad range of such activity. It is applicable to individuals or institutions such as museums, archives or educational organizations.  There is no cash value associated with the award. Award Criteria and Terms of Reference.

W.A.B. 'Alec' Douglas is a scholar-sailor of international stature. Building on a career as a sea-going officer in the Royal Canadian Navy, he was Director (1973-1993) and then the Director General (1993-94), of the Directorate of History, National Defence Headquarters (Canada). He was a founding member of the CNRS. The re-naming of the CNRS Merit Award is very much in spirit with his leadership in the promotion of Canadian maritime history at home and abroad.

The President of the Society advised by Council will serve as the Merit Award Committee.

Winners of the Alec Douglas Award for Contributions to Maritime History.

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