SGS: Graduate Honors

M E M O R A N D U M

To:       Graduate Chairs, Directors, Graduate Co-ordinators

C.C.:    SGS Council of Graduate Deans, School of Graduate Studies

From:   Brian Corman, Dean of Graduate Studies and Vice-Provost Graduate Education

Date:    May 31,2012

Re:       Graduate Honors

At the School of Graduate Studies Awards and Fellowships Reception, held Wednesday, May 31 at the Faculty Club, I welcomed over 130 guests. In my remarks, I highlighted the achievements of this year's winners of the Governor General's Gold Medal, as well as over 500 newly named recipients of the NSERC (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council), SSHRC (Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council), and CIHR (Canadian Institutes of Health Research) graduate fellowships.

·        NSERC (including Canada Graduate Scholarships): The University of Toronto was allowed to submit 334 applications for the 2012-2013 NSERC PGS Competition and received 174 awards (97 Doctoral awards and 77 Master's awards).

·        SSHRC (including Canada Graduate Scholarships): The University of Toronto was allowed to submit 360 applications for the 2012-2013 SSHRC Competition and received 105 Doctoral awards.  The Master's awards results are not yet officially released.

·        CIHR Graduate Awards: U of T submitted 256 doctoral award applications.  We have received 33 Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarship-Doctoral Awards.  Most awards have yet to be announced.

GOVERNOR GENERAL'S GOLD MEDALS

The Governor General's Gold Medal was first awarded in 1873 by the Earl of Dufferin. This award has since become one of the most prestigious that a student at a Canadian educational institution may receive.  The Gold Medal is awarded to three students who achieve the highest academic standing at the graduate level.  This year SGS received 21 nominations.

The three gold medalists:

  *   Dr. Tonya Callaghan completed her doctoral work in the Department of Currriculum, Teaching & Learning in October 2011.  Her thesis is entitled "Holy Homophobia: Doctrinal Disciplining of Non-heterosexuals in Canadian Catholic Schools".  Dr. Callaghan also completed the Collaborative Program in Women and Gender Studies.

·        Dr. Faiyaz Notta completed his doctoral work in the Department of Molecular Genetics in May 2011 (convocated November 2011) under the supervision of Professor John E. Dick.  His thesis is entitled "Clonal Analysis of Normal and Malignant Human Hematopoietic Hierarchies".

·        Dr. Walter Swardfager completed his doctoral work in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology in November 2011 (conferred March 2012) under the supervision of Professor Krista Lanctôt.  His thesis is entitled "Cardiopulmonary Fitness, Depressive Symptoms and Cognitive Performance in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease: Phenomenology and Biomarkers".

Congratulations to everyone on their achievements!