Supervision Award for Faculty Members
Important Dates
- Deadline: Date set locally by graduate unit / faculty
- Faculty Nomination to SGS: April 1, 2024
- Results and Presentation of Award: May 2024
Previous Winners
Prof. Brenda Cossman and Prof. Jon Abbatt are the 2023 recipients of the JJ Berry Smith Doctoral Supervision Award, which recognizes outstanding performance in the multiple roles associated with doctoral (PhD, EdD, DMA, SJD) supervision.
Brenda Cossman is the Goodman-Schipper Chair and Professor of Law at the University of Toronto. Her teaching and scholarly interests focus on the legal regulation of gender, sexuality and family. Since 2003, Prof. Cossman has supervised 8 LLM students and 14 SJD students, an unusually high number for the Faculty of Law, which typically admits fewer than 50 graduate students a year. She sees her role as a supervisor as not simply providing intellectual guidance, but as fostering community, providing professional mentoring, and supporting students to develop their own unique academic voice.
Jon Abbatt is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry with a special focus on atmospheric and environmental chemistry. Since 2000, Prof. Abbatt has supervised 16 PhD students and 12 master’s students, and in the past five years alone, has co-authored 45 publications with his students. In his supervision, he aims to provide an enriching environment, introduce students to the wider scientific discipline, support professional development, encourage a work-life balance, and embrace diversity in the broadest possible terms.
Professor Scott Prudham honoured for a career of stellar student supervision (Faculty of Arts & Science)
Prof. Scott Prudham, Department of Geography & Planning
A professor in the Faculty of Arts & Science’s Department of Geography & Planning, cross-appointed to the School of the Environment, Prudham’s research is situated at the intersection of environmental politics, environmental change and political economy. He is especially interested in the intersecting dynamics of social justice, environmental change, and the commodification of nature, including in natural resource and extractive industries and in certain branches of agriculture.
Prudham’s course, “Capitalist Nature” has long been a “must take” among geography students. Just as popular is the student-driven and now longstanding working group on political economy and ecology that he created that’s simply known as “PE2.” Since 2001, across the social sciences and specifically geography and environmental studies, Prudham has acted as the sole or co-supervisor of 17 master’s students and a further 15 PhD students.
Scott is also the author of the 2005 Routledge book Knock on Wood: Nature as Commodity in Douglas-fir Country, and co-editor of the 2007 Routledge collection Neoliberal Environments: False Promises and Unnatural Consequences. He is a former editor of the journal Geoforum and a past-president of the University of Toronto Faculty Association. At present, Prudham is a visiting scholar for 2023 in the Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE) at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Montpellier, France.
University Professor Marla Sokolowski honoured for a career of inspiring and guiding students (Faculty of Arts & Science)
Dr. Marla Sokolowski, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Marla B. Sokolowski is a University Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Genetics and Behavioural Neurology. A pioneer in the field of behaviour genetics, Sokolowski has conducted foundational research into the interaction between genes and the environment, and how genetic tendencies are affected by the environment and experience. Her ground breaking investigations into the genetic and molecular basis of individual differences in behaviour include the discovery of the foraging gene in Drosophila melanogaster, or fruit flies.
Over her career, Sokolowski has supervised 22 postdoctoral fellows, 23 PhD students and 15 master’s students. Of the 168 refereed papers published by her research laboratory, 112 have included graduate student co-authors. Six of her former PhD students have gone on to faculty positions at the University of Toronto, Washington University of St Louis and Brown University. As a testament to her role in their careers, her students organized a special issue of the Journal of Neurogenetics in her honour.
Marla is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and a recipient of the Society’s Flavelle Medal for her contributions to biological science. She is also a fellow and former co-director of the Child & Brain Development Program of CIFAR, as well as the recipient of the Genetics Society of Canada’s Award of Excellence, the International Behaviour and Neurogenetics Society’s Distinguished Investigator Award, and the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal.
Dr. Daphne Tan and Dr. Kevin Golovin are the 2023 recipients of the Early Career Supervision Award, which recognizes pre-tenure faculty members who have demonstrated excellence in the various roles associated with graduate supervision.
Daphne Tan and Kevin Golovin recognized with Early Career Supervision Award
(SGS News)
Daphne Tan is an Assistant Professor of Music Theory in the Faculty of Music. Her research explores questions about music and the mind, with methodologies and perspectives from the history of music theory and cognitive science. Since joining U of T in 2017, she has supervised four doctoral theses (two completed) and co-supervised a fifth, supervised seven master’s independent projects, and served as an advisory committee member on nine doctoral theses.
Daphne Tan and Kevin Golovin recognized with Early Career Supervision Award
(SGS News)
Kevin Golovin is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering at the University of Toronto. He is the principal investigator of the Durable Repellent Advanced Engineering Materials (DREAM) Laboratory, and together with his group – whom he affectionately calls the DREAM Team – investigates coatings, surface modification, the mechanics of interfaces, and sustainable methods for achieving solid and liquid repellency. Prof. Golovin joined U of T in 2021 and currently supervises 10 PhD students and three master’s students.
Nada Moumtaz receives Early Career Supervision Award (Faculty of Arts & Science)
Dr. Nada Moumtaz, Department of Near & Middle Eastern Civilizations and Department for the Study of Religion
Nada Moumtaz received her PhD in Cultural Anthropology from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. Her research, which stands at the intersection of anthropology, history, and Islamic legal studies, looks at how Islamic tradition has transformed since the nineteenth century while continuing to challenge and provide alternatives to dominant sensibilities, conceptions, and institutions of the modern world. She is the author of the 2021 book, God’s Property: Islam, Charity, and the Modern State, which examines the contemporary Islamic revival of the charitable practice of pious endowment in Beirut to shed new light on the secularization of religion through the lens of its separation from “the economy.”
Since joining the University of Toronto as an Assistant Professor in 2016, Moumtaz has worked in a close and ongoing way with at least 20 students, in addition to serving as a member of nine PhD committees (twice as internal examiner) and as examiner for six separate sets of comprehensive exams. Though it is extremely unusual for pre-tenure faculty in her field to take on sole supervision, Moumtaz has already supervised two Master’s students and one PhD student while also serving as co-supervisor for another doctoral student.
Nada is also well known for her efforts to promote EDI initiatives in her department. She has served on the Indigenous Pedagogy Working Group, the Anti-racism, Diversity and Equity committee and provided volunteer faculty support to students’ efforts to advance racial equity.
Sophie Rousseaux recognized with Early Career Supervision Award (Faculty of Arts & Science)
Dr. Sophie Rousseaux, Department of Chemistry
Sophie Rousseaux is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry and a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Organic Chemistry. Her research group’s interests include organic synthesis, catalysis, organometallic chemistry and supramolecular chemistry.
Professor Rousseaux has an impressive number and range of supervisory experiences: 12 PhD students (three of whom have completed), six Master’s students (all completed), one post-doctoral fellow, 14 undergraduates, and even a high school co-op student. She has also co-authored and published 18 articles with her students.
Sophie’s approach to mentorship is highly personalized, with special attention to her trainees’ long-term goals. Her students often commend her for her commitment to their mental health, overall wellbeing, and work-life balance. She also actively encourages her students to develop a commitment to equity and inclusion by leading an EDI-based Journal Club. The initiative, which Rousseaux convened in 2020, continues to meet regularly to discuss the latest literature on making science equitable.
Purpose
The School of Graduate Studies Supervision Awards aim to recognize outstanding performance in the multiple roles associated with graduate student supervision. Each year, two JJ Berry Smith Doctoral Supervision Awards and two SGS Early Career Supervision Awards will be offered to successful nominees: one of each award in the Humanities / Social Sciences and in the Physical / Life Sciences.
Each Award recipient receives an SGS Supervision Award certificate, an SGS 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
The annual SGS Graduate Student Supervision Awards honour active faculty members who, over a minimum of a 15-year period (JJ Berry Smith Doctoral Supervision Award) or up to 6 years (SGS Early Career Supervision Award), have demonstrated excellence in supervision at the University of Toronto by:
- inspiring and guiding students to reach excellence in scholarship, fostering a strong sense of academic integrity;
- providing an environment that is supportive with particular attention to mental health and work life balance;
- enabling students to learn the essential methodologies, concepts and cultures of their discipline;
- introducing students to the wider content of the discipline and relevant communities of scholars;
- promoting student participation in professional development and activities that position them for future careers both within and outside academia; and
- leading a research environment that is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Eligibility Criteria
JJ Berry Smith Doctoral Supervision Award:
Nominees must be active graduate faculty members at the University of Toronto, having supervised doctoral students (PhD, EdD, DMA, SJD) for a minimum of 15 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:
- Inspiring and guiding students to achieve excellence in scholarship, fostering a strong sense of academic integrity;
- 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;
- Enabling students to learn the essential methodologies, concepts and cultures of their discipline;
- Introducing students to the wider context of the discipline and relevant communities of scholars; and
- Promoting student participation in professional development and activities that position them for future careers within and outside academia;
- Leading a research environment that is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
In an effort to assist Faculties in reviewing their nominations, an SGS Scoring Sheet is available for Faculties’ internal selection committee use, and may be shared with nominators/nominees.
Nomination Package
The nomination package provides evidence that the nominee has met the above six criteria as demonstrated through the following components:
Components 1 through 5 should be submitted as separate PDF files, using the file naming convention “Last name, First name – 2024 SGS Supervision [Item Name]”.
Components 6 and 7 should be submitted as separate excel spreadsheets, using the file naming convention “Last name, First name – 2024 SGS Supervision A (or B)”.
- Completed Nomination Form;
- 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;
- 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;
- 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;
- 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; or
- Within last 6 years for Early Career Award
- Additionally, list only co-publications with graduate students beyond the last five years and:
- Co-presentations with graduate students
- Within the last 15 years for JJ Berry Smith Award; or
- Within the last 6 years for Early Career Award
- Updated: Past and current graduate advisory roles (in a non-supervisory capacity, e.g. thesis committee member)
- External appraisals of doctoral dissertations, which includes:
- Appraisal of a thesis or dissertation completed at a university where the nominee was not a faculty member; and
- 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.
- A completed Table A: List of nominators in Excel format; and
- 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.
Nomination Process
Faculty nominations are due to the Dean of Graduate Studies and Vice-Provost, Graduate Research and Education through the Faculty Dean or Vice Dean Graduate Office.
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, Life Science) to a maximum of four nominees per award, i.e., up to four nominees for the JJ Berry Smith Award and up to four nominees for the Early Career Supervisor Award. The divisional category of nomination is up to the discretion of the nominating faculty; normally the nominee would fall into the SGS division of the graduate unit where they hold 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. Each nomination package is to be submitted electronically as 7 separate files (5 PDFs, 2 Excel spreadsheets).
Please retain the original application materials until December 31, 2024. 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.
Nominations are due to SGS from Faculties by April 1, 2024
Dean of Graduate Studies and Vice-Provost, Graduate Research and Education
c/o Graduate Awards Office
School of Graduate Studies
Tel: 416-978-2205
Email: staceym.kwan@utoronto.ca
Contacts & Resources
Stacey Kwan, Graduate Awards Officer
School of Graduate Studies
416-978-2205
Email: staceym.kwan@utoronto.ca