Graduate Supervision Conference | Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS)

Collaborative, Constructive, Considerate: Fostering Dialogue on Best Practices in Graduate Supervision in Canada

As part of our 60th-anniversary celebrations, the Faculty of Graduate Studies at York University, in partnership with Memorial University of Newfoundland, is pleased to announce a one-day fully online Graduate Supervision Conference geared specifically for graduate supervisors.

Date & Time: Friday, May 31^st, 2024 from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm (EST)

Location: Online (Zoom Webinar)

Registration is free, and is now open! Online RSVP Form

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Central to graduate student success and retention is the educative role of the supervisor and supervisory committee. Struck with a central task of inspiring, mining and refining graduate student scholarship, the act of graduate supervision involves key components of self-reflection, capacity-building efforts and attention to the relational. Strong supervisory efficacy is not innate, nor is it sufficiently acquired through an osmotic transfer from one’s own experience of being supervised. It benefits from a scholarship of teaching and learning (SOTL) approach, from intentional pedagogical practices, mutuality, and reflexivity and from the fostering of dialogue regarding best practices.

Developed with graduate supervisors in mind, York University’s 60th Anniversary Graduate Supervision Conference, in partnership with Memorial University of Newfoundland, seeks to foster dialogue amongst graduate supervisors regarding best practices in graduate supervision. Join us as we welcome experts regarding the pragmatics of supervision, mediating conflict and the requisite principles that are now guiding Ontario universities. Following a lunch break, we welcome two panels featuring award-winning supervisors reflecting on the themes of the conference in a Fireside chat, followed by a sampling of graduate supervisory supports across the Canadian university landscape. The conference will close with a go-forward plan to develop national principles for graduate supervision in Canada. We hope you’ll join us!

» Conference Agenda – Day of Event «

Speaker/Panelist(s):

Dr. Alice MacLachlan, Vice-Provost & Dean, Graduate Studies (York University)
Dr. Philippe-Edwin Bélanger, CAGS President & Director of Student Services at Institut national de la recherche scientifique INRS, Quebec City
Dr. Cheryl van Daalen-Smith, Associate Dean, Academic & Conference Chair, Graduate Studies (York University)

Dr. Alice MacLachlan

Vice-Provost & Dean, Graduate Studies (York University)

Alice MacLachlan is Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies at York University, where she is also a professor in the Department of Philosophy. She writes and teaches in moral, political, and feminist philosophy, focusing on philosophical issues arising in the aftermath of conflict, the complex politics of civility, and the changing nature of family. She is a founding co-editor of Feminist Philosophy Quarterly.

Dr. Philippe-Edwin Bélanger

CAGS President & Director of Student Services at Institut national de la recherche scientifique INRS, Quebec City

Philippe-Edwin Bélanger has served as Director of Graduate Studies and Student Success at the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) since 2012, where he is responsible for academic program management, administrative support for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars, the registrar’s office, student services, and financial support. In September 2023, he took on the role of Director of the International Office at INRS.

Trained in political science and public administration, Mr. Bélanger has conducted research on the impact of family policy in the province of Québec. From 2002 to 2012, he served at Fonds de recherche du Québec – Nature et technologies, overseeing the organization’s scholarship programs and partnerships between France and Québec. As a member of the Conseil supérieur de l’éducation du Québec’s commission on university education and research from 2008 to 2011, he contributed to Pour une vision actualisée des formations aux cycles supérieurs, an advisory opinion presented to Québec’s Minister of Higher Education highlighting various concerns associated with graduate studies.

A highly active member within Québec and Canadian professional associations, Philippe-Edwin Bélanger was president of the Association des administratrices et des administrateurs de recherche universitaire du Québec (Québec Association of University Research Administrators) in 2013. During that time, he defended the importance of maintaining public investment in university research. Between 2014 and 2018, he served as president of the Association des doyens des études supérieures au Québec (Québec Association of Deans of Graduate Studies). In this role, he collaborated with the Québec Ministry of Higher Education, the Research Funds of Québec, and the Francophone Association for the Advancement of Knowledge to create the first survey in the province of Québec on Ph.D. competencies for the purposes of enhancing programs, improving the professional integration of graduates, and highlighting the contribution of doctoral students to the development of society. Philippe-Edwin served as treasurer of the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies (CAGS) from 2017 to 2019, and he was elected president of the association in December 2022. In September 2021, he was honoured to receive the prestigious Career Achievement Award from the Université du Quebec in recognition of his longstanding contributions to the advancement of higher education.

Dr. Cheryl van Daalen-Smith

Associate Dean, Academic & Conference Chair, Graduate Studies (York University)

Cheryl van Daalen-Smith is an Associate Professor in the Schools of Nursing and Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies. She serves as the Associate Dean – Academic at York University’s Faculty of Graduate Studies. She is leading the development of a graduate supervision support hub at YorkU and is the conference chair.

Session Title: Connections to Quagmires: Setting Up for Successful Supervision. Presentation (.ppt)

Description: From the first consideration of a graduate supervisory relationship until the final dissertation defense (and beyond), there are dozens of opportunities to make the connection wonderful for both the advisor and the student, and for getting seriously bogged down, even without addressing the scholarly activity itself. This presentation shares examples and direct advice about how to create and sustain a rewarding supervisory connection for both persons. This presentation introduces 25 considerations from the wider context of supervision, from types of supervision and expectations that go with them, to timeliness of responses, socializing with students, changing supervisors, and conflicts of interest. A few will be elaborated in detail. A question-and-answer period will enable the exploration of additional topics. 

Speaker/Panelist(s):

Dr. Bruce Shore, BSc, TchDip, MA, PhD

Moderator: Dr. Cheryl van Daalen-Smith

Dr. Bruce Shore, BSc, TchDip, MA, PhD

Bruce M. Shore is an Emeritus Professor of Educational Psychology in the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology at McGill University, and former Department Chair and Dean of Students. His research is on inquiry-based learning at all levels of education, and academic and social characteristics of giftedness. He has been recognized for his graduate advising and other teaching by the Faculty of Education Distinguished Teaching Award, the university’s David Thomson Award for Excellence in Graduate Teaching and Supervision, the Principal’s Prize for Excellence in Teaching, and by the Canadian Committee for Graduate Students in Education Mentorship Award.

Bruce is the author of the conference’s key publication: The Graduate Advisor Handbook: A Student Centred Approach and we are thrilled to offer the handbook at a discounted price for conference registrants. Details below.

Book Discount Code

30% with code UCPNEW
Note: revised discount code.

How to Order

To order the book: The Graduate Advisor Handbook: A Student Centred Approach

Book Image

Session Title: When Grad Things Happen: Power, Pressure & Personalities.

Description: The combination of power, pressure, and personalities within the graduate supervisory relationship can result in constructive or at times destructive graduate school experiences and outcomes. In this session, Heather will share practical strategies for resolving concerns in the moment – strategies which can also help prevent conflict – based on her experiences responding to complaints and conflict in higher education. She will highlight some key graduate conflict hotspots and share advice to faculty from grad students, while challenging faculty to consider their role in managing grad school conflict.

Speaker/Panelist(s):

Heather McGhee Peggs, LLB

Moderator: Dr. Mary Goitom, Associate Professor and Graduate Program Director, Development Studies

Heather McGhee Peggs, LLB

Heather is an ombuds, a former litigator, and the author of Supervising Conflict: A Guide for Faculty (UTP, 2023) and companion online course When grad things happen: Conflict resolution training for faculty. She practiced law at Stikeman Elliott LLP in Toronto, served as Assistant Ombudsperson at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson), and developed the Graduate Conflict Resolution Center at the University of Toronto. Heather currently leads the front-line complaint services team at Patient Ombudsman – supporting informal resolution of complaints about healthcare experiences across Ontario. She is a passionate advocate for fairness and early resolution – helping individuals and organizations develop the capacity to resolve concerns earlier and more effectively.

Heather is the author of the book Supervising Conflict featured in the conference’s Keynote Session, and we are thrilled to offer the text and companion course to conference registrants at a discounted price. Details below.

Book Discount Code

25% off with code Peggs25

Course Discount Code

$100 off the course if you register before June 30, 2024, with code springresolution. Register at supervisingconflict.com

How to Order

To order the book University of Toronto Press – Supervising Conflict

Book Image

_Moderator

Dr. Mary Goitom

Associate Professor and Graduate Program Director, Development Studies

Mary Goitom is an Associate Professor at the School of Social Work, and Graduate Program Director for the Development Studies Program (DVST) at York University. Dr. Goitom’s research explores migration, mobilities, diasporic connections, transnational processes and social relations. Her work is centered on community-based research and is grounded in Ethiopian epistemologies and larger African traditional knowledge systems. Dr. Goitom’s work explores the nexus of identity and futurity (imagined world-building), transnational social fields in relation to the constitution of settlement, citizenship, well-being, agency, and resilience.

Session Title: Ontario’s Principles of Graduate Supervision: An Initiative and Strategy for Supporting Graduate Supervision // Principes d’encadrement des étudiant·e·s des cycles supérieurs d’Ontario : Une initiative et une stratégie en soutien à l’encadrement aux cycles supérieurs.

Session Materials:

Description: In 2023, the Ontario Council on Graduate Studies (OCGS) developed and adopted the Principles for Graduate Supervision at Ontario Universities, outlining our expectations for ensuring a positive and successful graduate student experience. In this session, we will discuss how the various institutions are implementing the principles, how this provincial-level document may help bring positive change in this space, and how we can now move towards generating and sharing provincial-level resources to support inclusive supervision and mentorship. This session will also provide an opportunity to learn from supervisors about the challenges and opportunities in instituting supervisory expectations and responsibilities.

Speaker/Panelist(s):

Dr. Suzanne Curtin, Dean, Graduate Studies (Brock University)
Dr. Jeff Casello, Associate Vice President, Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs (University of Waterloo)
Dr. André M. Beauchemin, Vice-Provost Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Professor (University of Ottawa)

Moderator: Dr. Ian Wereley, Executive Director, Canadian Association for Graduate Studies

Dr. Suzanne Curtin

Vice-Provost and Dean, Graduate Studies (Brock University)

Suzanne Curtin is currently the Vice-Provost and Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs at Brock University. Prior to this appointment, she was the Associate Dean, Students in the Faculty of Graduate Studies at the University of Calgary. During that time, she was responsible for New Supervisor Orientation, revised the Best Practices for Supervisors, Best Practices for Graduate Students, created Best Practices for Supervisory Committees, and a range of other guidelines, policies, and practices related to supervision. This past year, she chaired the OCGS working group that developed the Ontario Principles of Graduate Supervision.

Dr. Jeff Casello

Associate Vice President, Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs (University of Waterloo)

Professor Casello has been active in university leadership since 2010 when he was invited to serve as the Associate Dean Undergraduate Studies in the Faculty of Environment. Since 2016, Jeff has led the University’s graduate studies and postdoctoral portfolios, supporting the 90 graduate programs, 6,000 graduate students and 400 postdoctoral scholars.

As a professor, Jeff’s interests lie in urban transportation systems and their impacts on healthy and economically viable urban areas. As such, he teaches and conducts research on the planning, design and operation of systems that promote efficient, balanced transportation, enhance regional economic competitiveness and support social mobility. His research engages graduate students in applied projects that improve local transportation systems (in Waterloo, Kingston, Philadelphia and Mexico City), while providing the foundation for scholarly output. At Waterloo, Jeff received the Distinguished Teacher Award, the highest teaching honor at the University.

Dr. André M. Beauchemin

Vice-Provost Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Professor (University of Ottawa)

André Beauchemin joined the University of Ottawa in 2004 after receiving his PhD from the Université de Montréal and completing a NSERC postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University. He is a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, and Vice-Provost, Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies at the University of Ottawa since 2022. He also served as graduate program director and as Vice-Dean, Graduate Studies and Entrepreneurship prior to his current position. He has received both teaching and research awards. Currently, his research team includes ca. 10 PhD, MSc and BSc students, a research associate, with research projects focused toward biologically active nitrogen-containing molecules, aiming to facilitate the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals.

_Moderator

Dr. Ian Wereley

Executive Director, Canadian Association for Graduate Studies

Ian Wereley, PhD (he/him) serves as Executive Director of the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies (CAGS). He completed a PhD in History at Carleton University in 2018, and a Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Calgary Institute for Humanities from 2018-2019. Ian greatly enjoys being an Adjunct Research Professor in the Department of History at Carleton University, where he teaches an undergraduate course on the global history of oil. Since 2019 he has served as the Adjunct Curator of the History of Energy at the Canada Science and Technology Museum, Ottawa.

12:00 pm – 12:45 pm (EST) Lunch and Screen Break

Session Title: Collaborative, Constructive, Considerate: A National Fireside Chat with Graduate Supervisory Award Winners.

Description: In this fireside chat, join diverse supervision award winners from across the country where they will reflect upon their experiences, with a focus on ways in which their supervisory practices reflect collaborative, constructive and considerate supervision practices. Responding to thought-provoking questions including how these colleagues tailor their mentorship for International Students, what they wished they knew then that they know now and how supervision has changed them, this fireside chat intends to promote reflection of our own practices when standing beside graduate students. Time for questions will be built in.

Speaker/Panelist(s):

Dr Benjamin Berger (York University)
Dr. Brent Snook (Memorial University of Newfoundland)
Dr. Fanie Pelletier (Université de Sherbrooke)

Moderator: Dr. Rhonda Joy, Associate Dean, Graduate Programs and Research (Memorial University of Newfoundland)

Dr. Benjamin Berger

Professor and York Research Chair in Pluralism and Public Law at Osgoode Hall Law School

Benjamin L. Berger is Professor and York Research Chair in Pluralism and Public Law at Osgoode Hall Law School. Professor Berger served as Associate Dean (Students) from 2015-2018. After graduating from his LLB as the gold medallist, he served as a law clerk to the Rt. Honourable Beverley McLachlin, former Chief Justice of Canada.  He holds an LLM and JSD from Yale University, where he studied as a Fulbright Scholar. His areas of research and teaching specialization are law and religion, criminal and constitutional law and theory, and the law of evidence. He has published broadly in these fields and is the author or editor of multiple books. He is the recipient of multiple teaching awards and, in 2015, was awarded the Canadian Association of Law Teachers Prize for Academic Excellence, in recognition of his contributions to research and law teaching. Professor Berger is a Member of the College of the Royal Society of Canada and serves as Vice President of the Justice Studies Centre of the Americas.  

Dr. Brent Snook

Brent Snook is a University Research Professor in the Department of Psychology at Memorial University of Newfoundland. His research involves an examination of the reliability and validity of investigative practices. Currently, he is examining the most effective way to ensure adults and youth understand their interrogation rights and is developing and testing investigative interviewing techniques (e.g., note-taking). His applied work involves the implementation of the PEACE model of interviewing in North America. He also serves as an expert witness on interviewing and memory contamination in court and provides legal advice on the integrity of evidence derived from interviews and interrogations. He is the recipient of The Rennie Gaulton Undergraduate Teaching Award (student nominated, Department of Psychology), the President’s Award for Outstanding Graduate and Postgraduate Supervision and the Geoffrey Marshall Mentoring Award (Northeastern Association of Graduate Schools).  

Dr. Fanie Pelletier

Fanie Pelletier, Canada Research Chair in Human Impacts on Wildlife, is a Professor in the Department of Biology, Université de Sherbrooke. She is a fellow of the College of the Royal Society of Canada and has received several awards, including the prestigious NSERC E.W.R. Steacie award for early researchers in Science and Engineering. Her research focuses on the evolutionary ecology of vertebrates including life-history evolution, reproductive strategies, and population dynamics. She has used innovative methods to demonstrate how human activities affect wild populations. She is also a member of the terrestrial mammals specialist subcommittee for the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC), as well as the co-director of the Quebec Center for Biodiversity Science (QCBS).

_Moderator

Dr. Rhonda Joy

Associate Dean, Graduate Programs and Research (Memorial University of Newfoundland)

Rhonda Joy brings a wealth of experience and dedication to her roles as Associate Dean of Graduate Programs and Research, as well as Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at Memorial University. With a strong focus on graduate programs and research, Rhonda has made significant contributions within the faculty and beyond, engaging with the university and wider community. Her leadership within the counseling psychology program, including serving as chair, highlights her commitment to fostering academic excellence and student success. Drawing from over 20 years of experience as a guidance counselor and educational psychologist, Rhonda’s passion for supporting students at all stages of their development shines through in her teaching, research, and service endeavors. Particularly interested in career development, Rhonda integrates experiential learning and reflective practices into her teaching, enriching the educational experience for her students. Her involvement in innovative research projects, such as Career Integrated Learning (CIL), underscores her dedication to empowering students to recognize and articulate their competencies gained through classroom learning. Rhonda’s multifaceted contributions to academia and student development exemplify her unwavering commitment to excellence and growth within the educational landscape.

Session Title: Amuse-Bouche: Canadian Graduate Supervision Support Examples.

Description: Styled akin to an appetizer tasting, this lightning-round panel welcomes presentations from four universities regarding innovative supports that aim to foster best practices in graduate supervision. Links to resources are provided and time for questions will be built in.

Speaker/Panelist(s):

Andrew Kim (Memorial University of Newfoundland)
Aziza Kajan (University of Toronto – Centre for Graduate Supervision and Mentorship)
Susan Cox and Matthew Smithdeal (Rock the Boat – University of British Columbia | Rock the Boat Trailer)
Dr. Fanie Pelletier (Graduate Mentoring Committees – Université de Sherbrooke)

Moderator: Dr. John Peever, Vice-Dean, Students (School of Graduate Studies, University of Toronto)

Andrew Kim

Andrew Kim is Director, Graduate Enrolment Services for the School of Graduate Studies. He holds a BSc in biochemistry and an MBA, both from Memorial University. He is a past board member of the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies (CAGS) and of the Association for Graduate Enrollment Management (NAGAP), and is the founding President of NAGAP’s Canadian Chapter. Andrew’s work in graduate education and enrolment management is acknowledged through multiple industry awards, including the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) SEM Award of Excellence. He has published and presented widely on topics related to graduate student success.

Aziza Kajan

Aziza Kajan (she/her), Director of the Centre for Graduate Mentorship and Supervision (CGMS), is a Registered Social Worker and a University of Toronto alum. Prior to her role with the University of Toronto, her interest in the graduate community and the graduate experience began at York University in the Faculty of Graduate Studies. She has otherwise spent the majority of her career providing psychotherapy to various populations in diverse healthcare settings. Aziza’s work with CGMS is driven by several key philosophies and principles, including self-determination, informed choice making, and being person centered. 

Dr. Susan Cox

Susan Cox is a Professor and Director of the PhD and MSc Programs in the School of Population and Public Health. She also holds the Chair in Biomedical Ethics in The W Maurice Young Centre for Applied Ethics at UBC. Her current research focuses on inclusivity and well-being in the context of graduate supervisory relationships and living well with dementia. Both projects employ innovative and arts-based approaches to knowledge mobilization and exchange.  

Matthew Smithdeal

Matthew is a PhD candidate in the Department of Philosophy working in the philosophy of psychology and psychiatry. Their research focuses on understanding how biogenetic explanations of neurodivergence contribute to an increase in stereotyping and dehumanization of neurodivergent individuals, as well as exploring possible Research-based Theatre interventions to mitigate these negative beliefs and attitudes. They are also involved in a number of initiatives and projects related to the intersection of well-being and equity and diversity issues that graduate students encounter within academia. 

Dr. Fanie Pelletier

_Moderator

Dr. John Peever

Vice-Dean, Students (School of Graduate Studies, University of Toronto)

John Peever is a Professor in the Department of Cell and Systems Biology at the University of Toronto, the Vice-Dean, Students at the School of Graduate Studies and the President of the Canadian Sleep Society.  His research examines how and why we sleep with a particular focus on identifying the brain mechanisms that control REM sleep and how their dysfunction underlies neurological disorders such as narcolepsy and REM sleep behavior disorder. Dr. Peever is also a strong advocate for promoting the public awareness of sleep health and fostering the development of graduate education.  Outside of work he is a hobby farmer, beekeeper and horsemen.

Session Title: Envisioning National Principles on Graduate Supervision: A CAGS Working Group Initiative.

Description: In this go-forward closing discussion, join the incoming president of CAGS and CAGS’ executive director to envision mobilizing a working group initiative led by CAGS towards the establishment of Canadian graduate supervision principles. Consideration of the establishment of a national Supervision Community of Practice will be proposed.

Speaker/Panelist(s):

Dr. Fahim Quadir, Vice-Provost and Dean, School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (Queen’s University)
Dr. Ian Wereley, Executive Director, Canadian Association for Graduate Studies.

Moderator: Dr. Cheryl van Daalen-Smith

Dr. Fahim Quadir

Vice-Provost and Dean, School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (Queen’s University)

Fahim Quadir is Dean and Vice-Provost of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs as well as Professor of Global Development Studies and Political Studies at Queen’s University. Prior to Queen’s he served as the Interim Dean and Associate Vice-President Graduate in the Faculty of Graduate Studies at York University. The recipient of many awards and fellowships, including Fulbright, Killam, SSRC, and SSHRC, Dr. Quadir held academic positions at several other universities in the USA, Canada, and Bangladesh and has edited/co-edited five books and published extensively in various peer-reviewed journals on cosmopolitan citizenship, South-South cooperation, emerging donors, aid effectiveness, good governance, civil society, democratic consolidation, transnational social movements, human security and regional development. In 2007, he was presented with the York University-Wide Teaching Award for teaching excellence from the full-time faculty category. As recognition of his continued effort to evolve teaching and research into a transnational academic enterprise, he was given York University’s inaugural Internationalization award in 2003. He is President-Elect and Vice-President for the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies (CAGS). Dr. Quadir served as the chair of the Ontario Council of Graduate Studies (OCGS) and is currently serving on the Board of OCGS.