Research Supervisors

Canadian Immigration Updates

Review details about the recently announced changes to study and work permits that apply to master’s and doctoral degree students. Read more

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 Rolesort descending Faculty Academic Unit
Adebar, Perry Erwin Professor Faculty of Applied Science Department of Civil Engineering
MacDonald, David Professor Faculty of Dentistry Department of Oral Biological & Medical Sciences
Chang, Stephanie Professor Faculty of Applied Science School of Community and Regional Planning, Institute for Resources, Environment & Sustainability
Wiseman, Sam Michael Professor Faculty of Medicine Department of Surgery
Veenstra, Gerry Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Sociology
Yoshida, Eric Professor Faculty of Medicine Division of Gastroenterology
de Silva, Clarence Wilfred Professor Faculty of Applied Science Department of Mechanical Engineering
Hur, Nam-Lin Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Asian Studies
Hall, David Geoffrey Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Psychology
Carenini, Giuseppe Professor Faculty of Science Department of Computer Science
Mawani, Renisa Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Sociology
Frank, Adam Professor Faculty of Arts Department of English Language and Literatures
Angert, Amy Professor Faculty of Science Department of Botany, Department of Zoology
Roehr, Daniel Professor Faculty of Applied Science School of Architecture & Landscape Architecture
Shannon, Kate Professor Faculty of Medicine Division of Social Medicine
Kam, Christopher Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Political Science
Hickson, Paul Professor Faculty of Science Department of Physics & Astronomy
Berube, Pierre Professor Faculty of Applied Science Department of Civil Engineering
Taylor, Timothy Professor Faculty of Arts School of Creative Writing
Grecov, Dana Professor Faculty of Applied Science Department of Mechanical Engineering
Matthewson, Lisa Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Linguistics
Solymosi, Jozsef Professor Faculty of Science Department of Mathematics
Taylor, Alison Professor Faculty of Education Department of Educational Studies
Garlappi, Lorenzo Professor Faculty of Commerce and Business Administration Division of Finance
Schindler, Corinna Professor Faculty of Medicine Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Gsponer, Joerg Professor Faculty of Medicine Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Michael Smith Laboratories
Almeida, Fernanda Professor Faculty of Dentistry Department of Oral Health Sciences
Sinclair, Chadwick Professor Faculty of Applied Science Department of Materials Engineering
Williams, Jennifer Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Geography
Condon, Anne Professor Faculty of Science Department of Computer Science
Roskelley, Calvin Professor Faculty of Medicine Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, School of Biomedical Engineering
Militzer, Matthias Professor Faculty of Applied Science Department of Materials Engineering
Cranston, Emily Professor Faculty of Forestry Department of Wood Science, Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering
Miller, Freda Professor Faculty of Science Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Medical Genetics
Clifton, Kelly Professor Faculty of Applied Science School of Community and Regional Planning
Berciu, Mona Professor Faculty of Science Department of Physics & Astronomy
Zeng, Haishan Professor Faculty of Medicine Department of Dermatology & Skin Science
Cronk, Quentin Charles Professor Faculty of Science Department of Botany
Campbell, Kristin Professor Faculty of Medicine Department of Physical Therapy
Salcudean, Tim Professor Faculty of Applied Science Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, School of Biomedical Engineering
Dutz, Jan Peter Professor Faculty of Medicine Department of Dermatology & Skin Science
Jaeger, Nicolas A Professor Faculty of Applied Science Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
Scholte, Tom Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Theatre & Film
Hauert, Christoph Professor Faculty of Science Department of Mathematics
Freeman, Hugh James Professor Faculty of Medicine Division of Gastroenterology
Peters, Michael Professor Faculty of Arts Vancouver School of Economics
Gallipoli, Giovanni Professor Faculty of Arts Vancouver School of Economics
Taiebat, Mahdi Professor Faculty of Applied Science Department of Civil Engineering
Savage, Kerry Professor Faculty of Medicine Division of Medical Oncology
Gay, Colin Professor Faculty of Science Department of Physics & Astronomy

Pages

 

Other Researcher Directories

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.