Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Supervision

Excellence in academic supervision is a hallmark of the Queen’s graduate student experience. Productive supervisory relationships promote a thriving university research culture where students are supported to make meaningful contributions to their field of specialization and address pressing challenges facing our communities and society.

The Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Supervision (AEGSS) recognizes those supervisors who demonstrate outstanding excellence in advising, monitoring and mentoring graduate students. Excellence is judged on the quality of supervision and mentorship in facilitating the acquisition of skills and resources needed for students to succeed as scholars and professionals. The criteria for the award reflect supervisors who inspire students to push scholarly boundaries, pursue their career and academic goals, offer quality feedback and guidance, and support broadly a culture of supervisory excellence within their School/Faculty and/or University. Preference will be given to faculty members who have displayed sustained mentorship activity over many years.

A selection committee will be convened, consisting of the Dean or delegate of the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (who will Chair the committee and be a non-voting member), two doctoral student representatives (one from the Social Sciences and Humanities and one from the Life Sciences, Natural Sciences and Engineering), two graduate faculty members (one from the Social Sciences and Humanities and one from the Life Sciences, Natural Sciences and Engineering), one Queen’s graduate alumni, and one member from the Centre for Teaching and Learning. Two awards will be presented at Spring Convocation: one in the Social Sciences and Humanities, and one in Life Sciences, Natural Sciences and Engineering. The recipients of the awards will be announced in September in Queen’s media (Gazette) and on the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs’ website.

The selection committee reserves the right to not give out these awards if suitable candidates are not found. Supervisors who have won this award within the past five years are not eligible to be considered.

The selection committee will base its decisions on the following criteria:

  • Enthusiasm for the pursuit of knowledge and the creation of an inspiring research culture that encourage students to push scholarly boundaries
  • Responsiveness to student needs and learning goals exemplified through offering valuable guidance and cultivating opportunities for academic development
  • Cultivates supervisory relationships predicated on mutual respect and that values the work of students to the discipline and University
  • Quality of feedback, including availability, timeliness, and quality of feedback to propel student scholarship forward
  • Attends to students’ professional aspirations by supporting career conversations and connections including opportunities to develop future career-related skills
  • Timely completion of theses

Supports, more broadly, a culture of supervisory excellence within the School/Faculty or University

The selection committee reserves the right to not give out these awards if suitable candidates are not found. Supervisors who have won this award within the past five years are not eligible to be considered.

The application process includes the following elements, which are to be uploaded as PDF documents using the form below by February 28, 2025.

  1. Completed Nomination Form

  1. A letter of support from the Department Head or Graduate Coordinator that includes a statement as to why the nominee qualifies for the Award, referring specifically to the Award criteria (do NOT include a CV). The statement must include information about each of the following:
    1. The essential and unique features of mentoring within the discipline in question;
    2. Timely completion of thesis requirements (i.e., comment specifically on the nominee’s capacity for timely completion of students within degree requirements)

  1. At least five letters of support from individuals who represent both current and former graduate students (Master’s or PhD) under the supervision of the nominee (can be a single or jointly submitted letter). Letters should explain why the nominee qualifies for the award, including aspects of their advising, monitoring, and mentoring. 

Important Notes

    1. All letters of support (i.e., Department Head/Coordinator and student/alumni) should reference aspects of the award criteria and provide concrete examples and evidence to substantiate claims. For example, letters should comment on student productivity as reflected by student-authored publications, conference papers, artistic performances and shows, and other scholarly accomplishments directly related to the research undertaken while under supervision, or the career-development opportunities supported by the supervisor. While letters of support from both master’s and doctoral students are welcomed, letters from current and former doctoral students may provide a more comprehensive perspective on supervisory practices and the quality of mentorship they have experienced, allowing them to share deeper insights into the impact and effectiveness of supervisory support, due to their extended period of study.

    1. Nomination packages should be addressed to the Vice-Provost and Dean, School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs.  The entire nomination package (including all letters) must not exceed 20 pages.

    1. Nomination package should be uploaded as one single PDF.  Should current or former students wish to keep their letter of support confidential, please upload individually or email directly to sgspa.admin@queensu.ca.

    1. It is the responsibility of the nominator to ensure the completeness and accuracy of the application. Incomplete applications will not be adjudicated.

    1. Once all application materials above have been submitted, the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs will reach out to each nominee to obtain a chronological listing of all students mentored by the nominee, when their degrees were conferred, and their career paths, if known. Nominators do not need to include this information in the submission package.

    1. Once all application materials above have been submitted, the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs will reach out to each nominee to obtain an abbreviated CV.  Nominators do not need to include this information in the submission package.

You can access the AEGSS nomination form here. (PDF, 779 KB)