Purpose

The School of Graduate Studies Graduate Supervision Awards aim to recognize active faculty members at the University of Toronto who demonstrate outstanding performance in the multiple roles associated with graduate student supervision.

Six awards are granted annually across three categories:

• JJ Berry Smith Doctoral Supervision Award
• NEW for 2026: Mid-Career Supervision Award
• Early Career Supervision Award

Two awards are issued in each category: one in the Humanities/Social Sciences and one in the Physical/Life Sciences.

Each award recipient receives an SGS Supervision Award certificate, an SGS Research Travel or Conference Grant (up to $5000) for a current student to support their research travel or conference presentation. Award winners have their names inscribed on a plaque housed at the School of Graduate Studies

Eligibility criteria

JJ Berry Smith Doctoral Supervision Award

Nominees must be active graduate faculty members at the University of Toronto, having supervised doctoral students for a minimum of 15 years.

New: SGS Mid-Career Supervision Award

Nominees must be active graduate faculty members at the University of Toronto, having supervised doctoral students for a minimum of 7 years and no more than 14 years.

Early Career Supervision Award

Nominees must be tenure-stream or status-only graduate faculty members at the University of Toronto within the first six years of acquiring a graduate faculty appointment, having engaged in supervision of graduate students (master’s degree or doctoral degree) in committee member, co-supervisor or sole supervisor roles.

Selection criteria

Nominations will be evaluated based on how well the candidates have demonstrated excellence in supervision at the University of Toronto by meeting and exceeding each selection criteria below:

1. Inspiring and guiding students to achieve excellence in scholarship, fostering a strong sense of academic integrity;
2. Providing an environment that is supportive with particular attention to mental health and work life balance, while stimulating and tailored to their individual learning styles, needs, and career/future aspirations;
3. Enabling students to learn the essential methodologies, concepts and cultures of their discipline;
4. Introducing students to the wider context of the discipline and relevant communities of scholars; and
5. Promoting student participation in professional development and activities that position them for future careers within and outside academia;
6. Leading a research environment that is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

In an effort to assist Faculties in reviewing their local nominations, an SGS Scoring Sheet is available for selection committees to use, and may be shared with nominators / nominees.

Important dates

• Deadline: Date set locally by graduate unit / faculty
• Faculty Nomination to SGS: April 1, 2026
• Results: June 2026

Nomination process

Faculty nominations are submitted by the Divisional/Faculty Dean or Vice/Associate Dean, Graduate to the Dean, School of Graduate Studies and Vice-Provost, Graduate Research and Education.

Students, faculty members and staff wishing to submit a nomination package for consideration by their Faculty should contact their home graduate unit to inquire about the selection process and local deadlines.

Faculties may nominate one candidate in each of the four SGS divisions (Humanities, Social Sciences, Physical Science, and Life Science) and in each of the three award categories, i.e. 12 (twelve) maximum if a Faculty has representation from all four SGS divisions in all three categories. The appropriate SGS division for the nomination is determined by the nominating Faculty; typically, the nominees’ SGS division aligns with the SGS division of the graduate unit where they hold their graduate faculty membership.

Requests for an additional quota may be considered by SGS where a Faculty has two exceptional candidates from within the same division.

Please retain the original application materials until December 31, 2026. In the event that a candidate is being put forth for other supervision/ mentorship awards, faculty offices will be contacted to provide documents in MS Word format. For example, winners of the JJ Berry Smith Supervision Awards may be invited to be nominated for the annual CAGS and NAGS Mentorship awards.

Nomination package

Each nomination package is to be submitted electronically by each Division/Faculty’s Dean or Vice/Associate Dean, Graduate’s Office using the online 2026 SGS Supervision Award Nomination Form as three (3) separate files (1 PDF, 2 Excel spreadsheets). 

The nomination package provides evidence that the nominee has met the above six criteria as demonstrated through the following components:

1. A substantial Faculty letter of recommendation from the Dean / Vice-Dean, Graduate (2 pages), which clearly sets out the basis for the nomination. Letter should provide context for the discipline: e.g. clearly address the supervisory norms (including expectations for publishing and presenting with supervised students), types of students (e.g. placement in academia vs. industry), publication norms (especially for early career nominees), and how the nominee stands out among peers in the same discipline;
2. Letters of nomination (letters may be from an individual or group):
   • A letter from the department chair, current or former colleague(s); and
   • Two to five letters from current or former students(s) – group letters are encouraged;
3. A statement written by the candidate (2-3 pages, suitable for public release):
   • Addressing the candidate’s graduate mentoring / supervision philosophy, and
   • Describing the candidate’s personal approach or strategies for mentoring/supervision;
4. Abbreviated Curriculum Vitae (max. 8 pages) addressing the following categories, as applicable:
   • Academic Appointment(s)
   • Mentoring or Supervision awards
   • Awards for joint work with graduate students
   • Funded or unfunded grants with graduate students
   • ­All publications within the last 5 years with notations* to indicate those co-published with graduate students:
     • Additionally, list only co-publications with graduate students beyond the last five years and:
       • Within the last 15 years for JJ Berry Smith Award;
       • Within the last 14 years for the Mid-Career Award; or
       • Within last 6 years for Early Career Award
   • ­Co-presentations with graduate students
     • Within the last 15 years for JJ Berry Smith Award;
     • Within the last 14 years for the Mid-Career Award; or
     • Within the last 6 years for Early Career Award
   • ­Past and current graduate advisory roles (in a non-supervisory capacity, e.g. thesis committee member)
   • External appraisals of doctoral dissertations, which includes:
     1. Appraisal of a thesis or dissertation completed at a university where the nominee was not a faculty member; and
     2. Appraisal of a thesis or dissertation completed at the same university as the nominee and supervised by a committee that did not include the nominee. 
   • Service related to graduate student support, supervision or mentoring
   • Other activities or accomplishments relevant to graduate student supervision and mentorship.
5. A completed Table A: List of nominators in Excel format; and
6. A completed Table B: listing all current and former graduate (master’s and doctoral) students including their degree information, current positions, etc.

* Please indicate publications with current or former graduate student co-authors using the following notations: highlighting the publication in yellow; and underlining the names of graduate students within each publication.

Components 1 through 4 should be combined into a single PDF file in the designated sequence, using the file naming convention “Last name, First name – 2026 SGS Supervision JJBerry/MidCareer/EarlyCareer)”

Components 5 and 6 should be submitted as separate excel spreadsheets, using the file naming convention “Last name, First name – 2026 SGS Supervision Table A (or B)”.