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
Foster, Johan Associate Professor Faculty of Applied Science Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering
Abdin, Yasmine Assistant Professor Faculty of Applied Science Department of Materials Engineering
Abughannam, Rana Assistant Professor Faculty of Applied Science School of Architecture & Landscape Architecture
Browne, Annette Professor Faculty of Applied Science School of Nursing
Lampe, Lutz Professor Faculty of Applied Science Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
Gopaluni, Bhushan Professor Faculty of Applied Science Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering
Schajer, Gary Professor Faculty of Applied Science Department of Mechanical Engineering
Lawrence, Gregory Professor Faculty of Applied Science Department of Civil Engineering
Ellis, Naoko Professor Faculty of Applied Science Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering
Van Duzer, Leslie Professor Faculty of Applied Science School of Architecture & Landscape Architecture
Madiseh, Ali Associate Professor Faculty of Applied Science Norman B. Keevil Institute of Mining Engineering
Haase, Kristen Assistant Professor Faculty of Applied Science School of Nursing
Bi, Xiaotao Professor Faculty of Applied Science Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering
Yang, Tsung-Yuan Professor Faculty of Applied Science Department of Civil Engineering
Bigazzi, Alex Associate Professor Faculty of Applied Science Department of Civil Engineering
Lence, Barbara Jean Professor Faculty of Applied Science Department of Civil Engineering
Angeles, Leonora Professor Faculty of Applied Science School of Community and Regional Planning, Institute for Gender, Race, Sex and Social Justice
Ordonez, Martin Professor Faculty of Applied Science Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
Beznosov, Konstantin Professor Faculty of Applied Science Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
Roecker, Inge Associate Professor Faculty of Applied Science School of Architecture & Landscape Architecture
Ripeanu, Matei Professor Faculty of Applied Science Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
Rogak, Steven Professor Faculty of Applied Science Department of Mechanical Engineering
Molina Hutt, Carlos Associate Professor Faculty of Applied Science Department of Civil Engineering
Tak, Thena Assistant Professor Faculty of Applied Science School of Architecture & Landscape Architecture
Mesbah, Ali Professor Faculty of Applied Science Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
Senbel, Maged Associate Professor Faculty of Applied Science School of Community and Regional Planning
Boschma, Geertje Professor Faculty of Applied Science School of Nursing
Kamat, Vinay Ramnath Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Anthropology
Pratt, Geraldine Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Geography
Mansoor, Jaleh Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Art History, Visual Art & Theory
le Billon, Philippe Professor Faculty of Arts School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, Department of Geography
Hewitt, Paul Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Psychology
Beaudry, Paul Professor Faculty of Arts Vancouver School of Economics
Laroussi, Farid Professor Faculty of Arts Department of French, Hispanic & Italian Studies
Hamlin, Kiley Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Psychology
Donner, Simon Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Geography, Institute for Resources, Environment & Sustainability, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries
Mostow, Joshua Scott Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Asian Studies
Devereux, Michael Professor Faculty of Arts Vancouver School of Economics
Richardson, Lindsey Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Sociology
Sharon, Rena Professor Faculty of Arts School of Music
Lee, Steven Hugh Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Department of History
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
Kim, Eric Assistant Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Psychology
Piechocki, Katharina Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Department of French, Hispanic & Italian Studies
Effros, Bonnie Professor Faculty of Arts Department of History

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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.