Research Supervisors

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The supervisor is the key person in a thesis-based graduate degree program. The principal role of the supervisor is to help students achieve their scholastic potential and to chair the student’s Supervisory Committee. The Supervisor will provide reasonable commitment, accessibility, professionalism, stimulation, guidance, respect and consistent encouragement to the student. Learn more

Graduate programs have different expectations regarding prospective students contacting faculty members. Some require commitment of a faculty member as thesis supervisor prior to applying while others assign supervisors in the first year. Please review the requirements for each program in the degree listing under the heading "Admission Information & Requirements" in step 3 "Prepare Application" under "Thesis Supervision".

Advice on how to reach out to supervisors

 
Name Role Facultysort descending Academic Unit
Ramankutty, Navin Professor Faculty of Arts School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, Institute for Resources, Environment & Sustainability
Morton, David Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Department of History
Cavell, Richard Anthony Professor Faculty of Arts Department of English Language and Literatures
Lee, Christopher Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Department of English Language and Literatures
Moss, Laura Professor Faculty of Arts Department of English Language and Literatures
Lopes, Dominic Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Philosophy
Roosa, John Professor Faculty of Arts Department of History
Main, Jessica Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Asian Studies
Sinnamon, Luanne Silvia Associate Professor Faculty of Arts School of Information
Byrne, Jeffrey Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Department of History
McElduff, Siobhan Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies
Lemieux, Victoria Professor Faculty of Arts School of Information
Sundberg, Juanita Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Geography
Bedke, Matthew Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Philosophy
Beasley-Murray, Jon Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Department of French, Hispanic & Italian Studies
Rehavi, M. Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Vancouver School of Economics
Chen, Jinhua Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Asian Studies
Abdul-Mageed, Muhammad Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Linguistics
Orell, Julia Assistant Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Art History, Visual Art & Theory
Wylie, Alison Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Philosophy
Catungal, John Paul Assistant Professor Faculty of Arts Institute for Gender, Race, Sex and Social Justice
Hunt, Dallas Assistant Professor Faculty of Arts Department of English Language and Literatures
Perley, Bernard Professor Faculty of Arts Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies
Narayan, Priti Assistant Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Geography
Dadugblor, Stephen Assistant Professor Faculty of Arts School of Journalism, Writing, and Media
Fung, David Associate Professor Faculty of Arts School of Music
Usher, Camille Assistant Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Art History, Visual Art & Theory
Hopkins, Vincent Assistant Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Political Science
Borwein, Sophie Assistant Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Political Science
Koh, Germaine Assistant Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Art History, Visual Art & Theory
Tworek, Heidi Professor Faculty of Arts Department of History, School of Public Policy and Global Affairs
Farinha Luz, Vitor Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Vancouver School of Economics
Tiberghien, Yves Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Political Science
Hodgson, Elizabeth Professor Faculty of Arts Department of English Language and Literatures
McCarty, Matthew Assistant Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies
Shin, Leo Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Department of History, Department of Asian Studies
Chen, Frances Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Psychology
Alvarez Moreno, Raul Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Department of French, Hispanic & Italian Studies
Jenkins, Carrie Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Philosophy
Werker, Janet Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Psychology
Kramer, Jennifer Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Anthropology
Biesanz, Jeremy Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Psychology
Babel, Molly Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Linguistics
Hermiston, Nancy Jane Professor Faculty of Arts School of Music
Ducharme, Michel Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Department of History
Schabas, Margaret Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Philosophy
Vellutini, Claudio Associate Professor Faculty of Arts School of Music
Pennefather, Patrick Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Theatre & Film
Heatherington, Tracey Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Anthropology
Macfarlane, Allison Professor Faculty of Arts School of Public Policy and Global Affairs

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Reaching Out Tips

Complete these steps before you reach out to a faculty member!

Check requirements
  • Familiarize yourself with program requirements. You want to learn as much as possible from the information available to you before you reach out to a faculty member. Be sure to visit the graduate degree program listing and program-specific websites.
  • Check whether the program requires you to seek commitment from a supervisor prior to submitting an application. For some programs this is an essential step while others match successful applicants with faculty members within the first year of study. This is either indicated in the program profile under "Admission Information & Requirements" - "Prepare Application" - "Supervision" or on the program website.
Focus your search
  • Identify specific faculty members who are conducting research in your specific area of interest.
  • Establish that your research interests align with the faculty member’s research interests.
    • Read up on the faculty members in the program and the research being conducted in the department.
    • Familiarize yourself with their work, read their recent publications and past theses/dissertations that they supervised. Be certain that their research is indeed what you are hoping to study.
Make a good impression
  • Compose an error-free and grammatically correct email addressed to your specifically targeted faculty member, and remember to use their correct titles.
    • Do not send non-specific, mass emails to everyone in the department hoping for a match.
    • Address the faculty members by name. Your contact should be genuine rather than generic.
  • Include a brief outline of your academic background, why you are interested in working with the faculty member, and what experience you could bring to the department. The supervision enquiry form guides you with targeted questions. Ensure to craft compelling answers to these questions.
  • Highlight your achievements and why you are a top student. Faculty members receive dozens of requests from prospective students and you may have less than 30 seconds to pique someone’s interest.
  • Demonstrate that you are familiar with their research:
    • Convey the specific ways you are a good fit for the program.
    • Convey the specific ways the program/lab/faculty member is a good fit for the research you are interested in/already conducting.
  • Be enthusiastic, but don’t overdo it.
Attend an information session

G+PS regularly provides virtual sessions that focus on admission requirements and procedures and tips how to improve your application.