Behind Brock’s successful graduate students are exceptional graduate faculty supervisors, and on April 14, one of those supervisors will be rewarded for his or her work.

The Mapping the New Knowledges Graduate Student Research Conference will pay special tribute to the role of Brock’s graduate faculty supervisors with the presentation of the University’s first-ever award for excellence in graduate student supervision and mentorship.

All Brock graduate students have been invited to submit nominations for the Graduate Mentorship Award recently established by the Mapping the New Knowledges steering committee.

Nominations are open until April 4.

“One of the best things about being a graduate student at Brock is the one-to-one attention and support that you receive from your supervisor,” said Ellen Robb, a Brock Vanier Scholar, a PhD candidate in Biological Sciences, and a student representative on the steering committee. “I know that many graduate students will welcome this opportunity to honour the person who has made such a big difference in his or her development as a researcher and in pursuing future academic and professional careers.”

The Senate Graduate Studies Sub-Committee on Awards will select a winner. The presentation of the award will be made on April 14 during a full day of graduate student oral and poster presentations on the fourth floor of the Plaza building.

Marilyn Rose

“Brock has many, many exceptional graduate supervisors who deserve to be recognized,” said Marilyn Rose, Dean, Faculty of Graduate Studies and chair of the conference steering committee. “We are delighted to introduce this award as it will increase the awareness of the tremendous value that graduate supervisors bring to the graduate experience at Brock.

“Graduate supervisors are like coaches. They are dedicated to working alongside graduate students and putting them through their paces, so to speak, as partners in exciting research and scholarship activities. Graduate supervisors take students under their wings to inspire, encourage and support excellence and success.”

The award carries a $1,000 prize that will be given to the winner to assist with graduate mentorship. That funding will be put to many good uses, Rose said.

“Ask any graduate supervisor about how best to spend this money and he or she will have a long list of good ideas,” Rose said. “Some examples include offsetting the cost of travelling to conferences or visiting labs to work with research colleagues, supporting the purchase of research equipment, supplies and specialized software, and helping students with other expenses involved in preparing posters for conferences and presentations.”