{"id":100696,"date":"2025-04-11T13:04:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-11T17:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/?p=100696"},"modified":"2025-05-02T12:05:34","modified_gmt":"2025-05-02T16:05:34","slug":"recognizing-grad-student-research-with-reach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/2025\/04\/recognizing-grad-student-research-with-reach\/","title":{"rendered":"Recognizing grad student research with reach"},"content":{"rendered":"

From developments in neurodegenerative disease studies to critical explorations of social media\u2019s impact on gender, graduate student research at Brock is making waves in many fields.<\/p>\n

The impact of interdisciplinary research by master’s and PhD students was celebrated Wednesday, April 9 during\u00a0the 20th annual Mapping New Knowledges (MNK) Research Conference and Faculty of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (FGPSA) awards ceremony.<\/p>\n

\u201cMNK is one of our most exciting events of the year. It\u2019s where we see the energy, creativity and hard work of our graduate students come to life,\u201d says Suzanne Curtin, FGPSA Vice-Provost and Dean.\u00a0\u201cWe\u2019re proud to celebrate its 20th year as it\u2019s a vital part of building a culture of academic exchange and recognizing the leadership and innovation that our graduate community brings to the university and beyond.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Aerial

Suzanne Curtin, Vice-Provost and Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs and Debbie Inglis, Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute Director, chatted about knowledge mobilization during MNK\u2019s first fireside chat.<\/p><\/div>\n

The conference opened in a packed Goodman Atrium with opening remarks and an awards ceremony highlighting outstanding contributions within Brock\u2019s graduate community.<\/p>\n

The morning also featured the first fireside chat on knowledge mobilization with Curtin and Debbie Inglis, Director of Brock\u2019s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI), that highlighted practical applications of graduate research.<\/p>\n

The day continued with a series of research presentations, breakout sessions featuring specialized research topics and interactive discussions designed to foster collaboration among researchers from a wide array of disciplines. Graduate researchers also had opportunities to share their work with the community through poster presentations, with more than 50 students participating.<\/p>\n

The FGSPA awards ceremony saw 14 graduate students and mentors honoured.<\/p>\n

PhD in Psychology student Oya Pakkal was recognized with the Marilyn Rose Graduate Leadership Award for her exemplary leadership and contributions to the advancement of graduate studies at Brock.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am so honoured to receive the Marilyn Rose Graduate Leadership Award. To have my work in advancing equity for marginalized students recognized in this way feels incredibly meaningful,\u201d says Pakkal.<\/p>\n

The award is presented annually to a student, staff member or faculty member who has demonstrated exceptional leadership within Brock\u2019s graduate community.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me, leadership is about showing up for others and working to build academic spaces where everyone feels valued and supported,\u201d Pakkal says. \u201cI’m especially grateful to my supervisor Dr. Liz Shulman, as well as Dr. Rajiv Jhangiani and Dr. Naomi Andrews, for nominating me for this recognition and for their unwavering support throughout my advocacy and leadership journey in academia.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 2025 FGSPA award<\/a> winners include:<\/p>\n

Marilyn Rose Graduate Leadership Award<\/p>\n