From 2001 to 2013, the NSERC Howard Alper Postdoctoral Prize was awarded to the most outstanding candidate in NSERC's postdoctoral fellowship competition. Valued at $20,000, the prize recognized academic excellence, existing and potential research contributions, interpersonal and communication skills, and leadership abilities. It had been established by Howard Alper, recipient of the 2000 Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering.