Inaugural JJ Berry Smith Supervision Award Recipients

MEMORANDUM

TO:                  Graduate Chairs, Directors, Coordinators and Administrators:

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

CC:                  Council of Graduate Deans, School of Graduate Studies Staff

Date:                May 14, 2013

RE:                  Inaugural JJ Berry Smith Supervision Award Recipients

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I am pleased to announce that Professor Brenda J. Andrews and Professor Clifford Orwin are the inaugural recipients of the JJ Berry Smith Doctoral Supervision Award which recognizes outstanding performance in the multiple roles associated with doctoral (PhD, EdD, DMA, SJD) supervision.

The annual JJ Berry Smith Supervision Award honours active faculty members who, over a minimum of a fifteen-year period, have demonstrated excellence in supervision at the University of Toronto by:

•        inspiring and guiding students to reach excellence in scholarship;

•        providing an environment that is supportive and stimulating;

•        enabling students to learn the essential methodologies, concepts and cultures of their discipline;

•        introducing students to the wider content of the discipline and relevant communities of scholars;

•        positioning students for future careers both within and outside academe;

•        fostering a strong sense of academic integrity.

Professor Brenda J. Andrews has been a faculty member in the Department of Molecular Genetics since 1990, and is currently the Director of the Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular research. Prof. Andrew’s achievements are unparalleled as a scholar in life sciences and as a mentor of young scientists. During her time as a faculty member at the University of Toronto she has supervised 23 doctoral students, many of whom have gone on to careers in academia (University of British Columbia, University of Ottawa as well as University of Toronto) as well as outside academia (Senior Research Associates, Lab and Project Managers, Science writers). Nominators described Prof. Andrews as “an inspiring supervisor and mentor, a role model for all of her students…who has successfully balanced an outstanding career as a research scientist with major academic leadership role”. Former students noted that Prof. Andrews always makes time for her students and is a supervisor whose unique talents include turning “a student’s frustration and scientific exhaustion into a recharged fresh outlook”.

Professor Clifford Orwin has been a faculty member in the Department of Political Science for almost forty years. A supervisor whose style of mentorship is often referred to by his students as “tough love”, Prof. Orwin is greatly admired and appreciated for his “exacting standards”. Prof. Orwin has supervised 22 dissertations to completion and is currently serving as supervisor to 6 doctoral students. Prof. Orwin was praised for his commitment to the achievements of his students and their career progress as he guides them to positions both within and outside academe. His students have gone on to academic appointments at Western University, University of British Columbia, Yale University and Emory University; other students have gone on to careers outside the academe as writers, attorneys and policy analysts.  He was singled out by his nominators for his commitment to his students, noting that he is dedicated to “coaxing the very best work from each student”.

Recipients will receive a JJ Berry Smith Supervisory Award Certificate, their name on a plaque housed at the School of Graduate Studies, as well as a SGS Conference or Travel Grant to be awarded by the recipient to support a current doctoral student.

For further information, please contact: Kerri Huffman, Associate Director, SGS Student Services at: kerri.huffman@sgs.utoronto.ca