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David Thomson Award for Graduate Supervision and Teaching

Graduate supervision and teaching are the backbones of graduate student success.ÌýEach year, the Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies invites nominations for the David Thomson Award for Graduate Supervision and Teaching. This award acknowledges outstanding contributions to promoting graduate student excellence through supervision and teaching by a faculty member who hasÌýbeen supervising for 10 years or more.

Nomination Procedure

A nomination must include:

  • A completed Nomination Form
  • A substantial letter of support from the nominee's Department Chair/ Unit Director
  • Nominee's statement of graduate teaching philosophy and approach to graduate supervision (maximum 1 page)
  • Two letters of support from current graduate students
  • Two letters of support from former graduate students
  • An abridged curriculum vitae (CV) that includes:
    • A list of all students supervised to degree, with start and completion dates, and their current position
    • A list of all publications under the nominee's supervision to date (joint publications and solo publications by students)
    • A list of all graduate courses taught by the nominee with years courses were taught
    • A list of service commitments and/or accomplishments which promote excellence in graduate education or directly benefit graduate students (e.g., leading a new initiative, planning a departmental event for graduate students, etc.)

PLEASE NOTE: No more than the specified number of support letters will be accepted.

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Eligibility

To be eligible, a professor must:

  • have been eligible to supervise for 10 years or more
  • have been involved in graduate student training at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ for a minimum of three years

Criteria

Nominees will be evaluated based on their statement of teaching philosophy and graduate supervision, the CV, and the following information provided in letters of support:Ìý

The letter of support by the Department Chair/Unit Director should be a maximum of two pages long and address:Ìý

  • Evidence of the nominee's excellence in graduate supervision
  • Unit norms with respect to graduate supervision (i.e., average number of supervisees per professor, expectations regarding supervision, help with publications, etc.)
  • The nominee’s contribution(s) to the Unit’s graduate program (e.g., participation in departmental committees, innovative curriculum or course design, or projects dealing with graduate education)
  • The nominee’s teaching history (e.g., course evaluations, teaching methods/ approaches)

Letters of support by former and current graduate students should be a maximum of two pages long and may address the nominee’s:ÌýÌý

  • Ability to engage and challenge students to achieve excellence in graduate courses;
  • Ability to motivate and support students to achieve excellence in graduate-level research and make timely progress towards graduation;
  • Mentorship in developing academic and professional skills (e.g., critical thinking, independent research, grant writing, etc.);
  • Assistance and encouragement in publishing, presenting, and/or disseminating work;
  • Support for pursuing opportunities that expand students’ professional horizons within and beyond academia.

Deadline and submission process

Please send an electronic version (PDF) of the nomination form and supporting documents to communications.gps [at] mcgill.ca (GPS Communications).

The extended deadline for nominations is Monday, 20 January 2025 (late or incomplete submissions will not be accepted).

Selection Committee

The selection committee has the following composition:

  • The Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies or delegate (Chair)
  • Two academic representatives, including:
    • Former winner of the Award
  • Director of Teaching and Learning Services
  • One graduate student, selected by the Post-Graduate Students' SocietyÌý

Presentation

The award is presented at Spring Convocation. The recipient receives a plaque, and their name is inscribed on a permanent plaque in Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

Nominees and Winners may also be considered for external Supervision Awards.Ìý

Past Winners

Award Year Award Winner

2024

Nigel Roulet
Geography

2023

Nancy Heath
Educational & Counselling Psychology

2022

Elena Bennett
Natural Resource Sciences

2021

Fabien Gélinas
Law

2020

Robert E. Kearney
Biomedical Engineering

2019

Chantal Autexier
Anatomy and Cell Biology

2018

Juliet Johnson
Political Science

2017

Victoria Talwar
Educational Counselling and Psychology

2016

Joelle Pineau
School of Computer Science

2015

Julie Cumming
Schulich School of Music

2014

Robert Pihl
Dept. of Psychology

2013

Henri Darmon
Mathematics & Statistics

2011

Christine Ross
Dept. of Art History and Communication Studies

2010

Masad José Damha
Chemistry

2009

Bruce M. Shore
Educational and Counselling Psychology

2008

Alberto Pérez-Gómez
Architecture

2007

Vijaya Raghavan
Bioresource Engineering

2006

William Straw
Art History and Communication Studies

2005

Hong Guo
Physics

2004

John Galaty
Anthropology

2003

Lydia White
Linguistics

2002

Michael Makkai
Mathematics & Statistics

2001

Godfried Toussaint
Computer Science

2000

Lawrence A. Mysak
Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences

1999

Ian S. Butler
Chemistry

1998

Eric Mountjoy
Earth & Planetary Sciences

1997

Ronald Melzack
Psychology

1996

David Harpp
Chemistry

1995

Musa Kamal
Chemical Engineering

1994

A.E. Williams-Jones
Earth & Planetary Sciences

1994

Brian Collier
Pharmacology & Therapeutics

1994

Michael Bristol
English

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Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ University.

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