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
McConnell, Kathryn Assistant Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Sociology
Rusk, Bruce Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Asian Studies
Simchen, Ori Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Philosophy
Fisher, Kevin Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies
Pailer, Gaby Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Central, Eastern & Northern European Studies
Winthrop-Young, Geoffrey Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Central, Eastern & Northern European Studies
Tracy, Jessica Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Psychology
Dalziel, Pamela Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Department of English Language and Literatures
Dancygier, Barbara Professor Faculty of Arts Department of English Language and Literatures
Stephens, Christopher Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Philosophy
Raibmon, Paige Professor Faculty of Arts Department of History
Anderson, Scott Allen Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Philosophy
Medved, Maureen Associate Professor Faculty of Arts School of Creative Writing
Martindale, Andrew Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Anthropology
Langager, Graeme Professor Faculty of Arts School of Music
Siu, Henry Professor Faculty of Arts Vancouver School of Economics
la Selva, Samuel Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Political Science
Cheek, Timothy Professor Faculty of Arts School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, Department of History
Barnes, Trevor Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Geography
Hansson, Gunnar Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Linguistics
Enns, James Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Psychology
Shakya, Tsering Associate Professor Faculty of Arts School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, Department of Asian Studies
Fisher, Alexander Professor Faculty of Arts School of Music
Antwi, Phanuel Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Department of English Language and Literatures
Sin, Nancy Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Psychology
Squires, Munir Assistant Professor Faculty of Arts Vancouver School of Economics
Palombo, Daniela Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Psychology
Shariff, Azim Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Psychology
Thauberger, Althea Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Art History, Visual Art & Theory
Lagresa-González, Elizabeth Assistant Professor Faculty of Arts Department of French, Hispanic & Italian Studies
Kia, Hannah Associate Professor Faculty of Arts School of Social Work
Wright, Matthew Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Political Science
Morris, Leora Assistant Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Theatre & Film
Bochnak, Ryan Assistant Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Linguistics
Van Handel, Leigh Associate Professor Faculty of Arts School of Music
Gramling, David Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Central, Eastern & Northern European Studies
Starling, Dan Assistant Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Art History, Visual Art & Theory
Emberson, Lauren Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Psychology
Fabris, Michael Assistant Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Geography
Mallipeddi, Ramesh Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Department of English Language and Literatures
Ayan, Irem Assistant Professor Faculty of Arts Department of French, Hispanic & Italian Studies
Zeweri, Helena Assistant Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Anthropology
Hall, Alycia Assistant Professor Faculty of Arts Department of History
Tomc, Sandra Professor Faculty of Arts Department of English Language and Literatures
Cameron, Maxwell Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Political Science, School of Public Policy and Global Affairs
Gu, Xiong Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Art History, Visual Art & Theory
Clark, Luke Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Psychology
Quayle, Moura Professor Faculty of Arts School of Public Policy and Global Affairs
Lahiri, Amartya Professor Faculty of Arts Vancouver School of Economics
Blackburn, Carole Associate Professor Faculty of Arts Department of Anthropology

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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.