School of Graduate Studies
2 01 3-2014
PROGRESS REPORT
CONTENTS INTRODUCTION Mandate Message from the dean Message from the associate dean
GRADUATE STUDIES BY THE NUMBERS
ON THE COVER 03 04 05 06
ACHIEVEMENTS Highlights of the year Enrolment management Student awards New programs and courses Awards
11 11 12 13 13
GRADUATE STUDENTS Kirk Luther Francesca Boschetti Justin King MBA case team
14 15 16 17
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
18
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
19
INTERNATIONALIZATION
20
SGS FACULTY/STAFF PROFILE Dr. Faye Murrin, dean pro tempore Dr. Katherine Side, interim associate dean School of Graduate Studies staff (2013-2014)
02 SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES 2013-2014 PROGRESS REPORT
21 21 22
Rajib Dey is a current graduate student completing a PhD in Geotechnical (Civil) Engineering, in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science.
MANDATE the school of graduate studies (SGS) was established in 1975 under the first dean, Dr. Frederick A.
Aldrich. A total of 830 graduate students enrolled in the 51 programs offered at the time. SGS now offers over 100 programs to over 3,500 graduate students and oversees more than 60 postdoctoral fellows at the university. It is a central agency responsible for the collection, maintenance, and distribution of materials concerning all graduate students at Memorial. It maintains graduate files and administers graduate admissions, records, comprehensive examinations, thesis examinations, and doctoral defences. SGS is also responsible for registrarial functions, graduate enrolment management, and administration of graduate student funding including assistantships, external and internal scholarships, baseline fellowships, supervisor support, and Tricouncil global payments. The School assists academic units in developing new program proposals and administers their approval. Through its Academic Council, SGS also provides a forum for representatives from all faculties, schools, and the Graduate Students’ Union to discuss matters pertaining to graduate education and to ensure standards across all graduate programs.
SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES 2013-2014 PROGRESS REPORT 03
MESSAGE
FROM THE DEAN
We are proud to present the LATEST annual
report for the School of Graduate Studies which highlights the ongoing positive trajectory of our enrolment, program growth, and progress in other key indicators for the 2013-2014 academic year. We have worked very hard at promoting Memorial as an amazing place to pursue a graduate degree and at helping improve services for those who have chosen to come here. Against all odds, and bucking national trends, our student numbers continued to increase steadily, with increases in number of students from the Province, from other parts of Canada and from countries all around the world. From 2009 to 2013, our graduate enrolment has increased by 33% with international student enrolment almost doubling during that time. And indeed this is an amazing place. Particularly in research-based programs, supervisors are key to student success. This year, Dr. Lisa Rankin was awarded the President’s Award for Outstanding Graduate Student Supervision for her exemplary work with students in archaeology working on the interactions among Aboriginal cultures of coastal Labrador. We are very proud of the calibre of supervisors here and know that they contribute significantly in many different ways. In the coming year we plan to identify additional supports for supervisors, all of whom face new challenges in an increasingly complex environment.
04 SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES 2013-2014 PROGRESS REPORT
Of course our graduate students are amazing. You will be introduced to a few of their success stories in the following pages - the tip of the iceberg! I would like to mention two others here. This year at convocation we saw the very first graduates of our Interdisciplinary PhD program walk across the stage to receive their degrees: Dr. Kristen Lowitt and Dr. Pam Hall. Working locally but applying their knowledge in a global context, they produced ground-breaking work on community food security and on art as a knowledge practice, respectively. Both presently hold exciting postdoctoral positions, furthering the research completed here. Their work is important in helping us rethink, in the years to come, what a doctoral degree can and should be. Our success also relies on the professionalism and good humour of staff here at the School of Graduate Studies, who are second to none. We have continued to win awards for our work and are happy to brag about them in this report. However, most meaningful are the words of the students, faculty, and staff from other offices, who have taken the time to express their appreciation for the work done here and the manner in which it is done. I am pretty sure Dr. Fred Aldrich, our first, most illustrious Dean of Graduate Studies, would be very proud too. D r . Fay e M urrin D ean p r o t e m p o r e
MESSAGE
F R O M T H E A S S O C I AT E D E A N
In the School of Graduate Studies, we often
get to hear about the exciting research that is being undertaken by graduate students. But, more and more often, graduate students are realizing the importance of being able to explain their research and its significance to others. Graduate student researchers in Canada have long been requested to write research proposals in clear, non-specialized language, and to clearly communicate its importance. But, recently, the audiences to whom graduate students are speaking, about their research and its significance, are expanding even further. This is partly due to the innovation of the Three Minute Thesis Competition (3MT). Held on university campuses all across Canada, and in fact across the globe, these competitions provide graduate students with an opportunity to explain their research to others in just three minutes – a challenging time frame! It’s a formidable challenge, but one that graduate students at Memorial University have embraced. It is pretty impressive to listen to what they’re researching and why their research is so important. At Memorial University’s inaugural 3MT in 2013, graduate students explained how they’re using information provided by nonscientists to help track plants and wildlife for scientific use, how they are determining the effects of moose density on forest regrowth with implications for the forest industry,
and how they are genetically linking families in rural areas across the province to improve their heart health. After winning Memorial University’s first-ever 3MT, Kirk Luther, a doctoral student in forensic psychology, went onto win the Eastern Regional competition in 2014, and then picked up the People’s Choice Award at the national competition. He was also the recipient of the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada’s Talent Award, a national award that recognizes future leaders and researchers. All of the graduate students who have participated in these friendly competitions are already well on their way to developing sound communication skills that will ensure their ability to fit into all kinds of workplaces and communities, and that showcase the skills they’ve acquired while graduate students at Memorial University. This is in addition to the programs that are already offered by the School of Graduate Studies, in areas related to career and professional skills development. As the number of graduate students at Memorial University increases, we’re looking forward to even more opportunities to hear about their research and the ways in which it will benefit all of us. D r . K atherine S ide I nterim A ssociate D ean
SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES 2013-2014 PROGRESS REPORT 05
GRaduate students b y the num b ers
Memorial University continues to increase the number of graduate students enrolling in and completing our graduate programs. Since 2009, there has been an overall increase of 33% in graduate enrolment at Memorial.
Our graduate student population continues to increase across all demographics. Since 2009 there has been a 10 per cent, 48 per cent, and 95 per cent increase in students from Newfoundland and Labrador, out-of-province Canadians, and international locations, respectively.
ta b l e 1 — g r a d u at e e n r ol m e n t b y f a c u lt y / s c h ool / Ca m p u s Change
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2013 / 2009
Arts
398
402
379
398
439
10%
Business Administration
138
157
161
148
130
6%
Education
691
798
850
919
893
29%
Engineering & Applied Science
FACULTY / SCHOOL / c a m p u s
274
328
376
459
488
78%
Graduate Studies — Interdisciplinary*
66
72
85
93
86
30%
Human Kinetics & Recreation
89
108
119
125
113
27%
Marine Institute
19
36
80
92
128
574%
Medicine
224
233
239
270
293
31%
Music
20
22
19
21
25
25%
Nursing
86
93
93
107
129
50%
7
8
6
3
7
0%
572
603
615
657
713
25%
85
91
97
94
106
25%
Grenfell
0
0
0
0
15
—
Unspecified
4
1
0
0
0
—
2,673
2,952
3,119
3,386
3,565
33%
Pharmacy Science Social Work
T O TA L * i n c l u d e s M AE d , M ER , IDP h D
06 SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES 2013-2014 PROGRESS REPORT
ta b l e 2 — g r a d u at e e n r ol m e n t b y R e g i o n FALL
province
Nova Scotia
2009
2010
FALL
2011
FALL
FALL
2012
2013
FALL
2013 / 2009
Change
58%
111
148
190
193
175
Prince Edward Island
28
19
21
25
28
0%
New Brunswick
46
56
52
51
64
39% -58%
Quebec
26
31
22
17
11
Ontario
162
179
228
246
278
72%
Manitoba
12
15
13
17
24
100%
Saskatchewan
12
13
13
15
14
17%
Alberta
39
45
49
76
85
118%
British Columbia
44
42
49
61
72
64%
Northwest Territiories
8
8
7
6
6
-25%
Nunavut
5
4
5
6
7
40%
Yukon
2
5
4
4
2
0%
89
93
86
85
96
8%
SU B - TOTAL
584
658
739
802
862
48%
INTERNATIONAL SU B - TOTAL
465
530
646
791
909
95%
Other* O u t- o f - P r o v i n c e
NEWFOUNDLAND & LA B RADOR SU B - TOTAL
1,624
1,764
1,734
1,793
1,764
10%
T O TA L
2,673
2,952
3,119
3,386
3,565
33%
* Canadian citizens applying with an international address
SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES 2013-2014 PROGRESS REPORT 07
GRaduate students b y the num b ers
FIGURE 1 — IN T ERN A T I O N A L g r a d u at e e n r ol m e n t b y C i t i z e n S h i p 2,000
NUMBER O F S T UDEN T S
1,800 1,600 1,400
I n t e r n at i o n al
1,200 NE W F O UND L A ND & L A BR A D O R
1,000 800
O u t- o f - P r o v i n c e Ca n a d i a n
600 400 200 0
2009
2011
2010
2012
2013
F A L L SEMES T ER
ta b l e 3 — IN T ERN A T I O N A L g r a d u at e e n r ol m e n t b y C i t i z e n S h i p
Asia
Change
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2013 / 2009
258
286
377
454
513
99%
Europe
47
50
53
55
62
32%
Latin America / Caribbean
19
25
18
24
30
58%
Middle East & North Africa
85
98
113
145
177
108%
North America
40
44
52
53
56
40%
Pacific Oceania Sub-Saharan Africa T O TA L
08 SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES 2013-2014 PROGRESS REPORT
2
3
2
1
2
0%
14
24
31
59
69
393%
465
530
646
791
909
95%
There was an overall i n c r e a s e of 33 per cent in the
number of graduate degrees awarded at the Convocation ceremonies in 2013. Memorial awarded a total of 828 graduate degrees in 2013 compared to 623 in 2009.
NUMBER O F S T UDEN T S
FIGURE 2 — IN T ERN A T I O N A L g r a d u at e e n r ol m e n t
1,000
909 791
800 600
646 465
530
2009
2010
400 200 0
2011
2012
2013
F A L L SEMES T ER
ta b l e 4 — g r a d u at e d i p lo m a / d e g r e e s c o n f e r r e d b y d i s c i p l i n e 2013 / 2009
12
9
10
-29%
—
—
2
—
29
24
21
24
26%
25
23
34
28
-3%
62
71
59
64
64
3%
97
89
91
80
81
-16%
2011
Arts
14
17
Graduate Studies — Interdisciplinary*
—
—
Professional
19
Sciences
29
SU B - TOTAL
Arts
Doctoral
Master’s
2013
2010
f a c u lt y
Graduate Studies — Interdisciplinary*
Change
2012
2009
DE g r e e
17
9
14
31
14
-18%
352
394
489
523
553
57%
84
63
91
89
101
20%
SU B - TOTAL
550
555
685
723
749
36%
—
11
19
23
15
—
total
623
645
767
799
828
33%
Professional Sciences Graduate Diploma
* i n c l u d e s M AE d , M ER , IDP h D SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES 2013-2014 PROGRESS REPORT 09
GRaduate students b y the num b ers
FIGURE 3 — d o c to r al d e g r e e s c o n f e r r e d b y d i s c i p l i n e
NUMBER O F c o n f e r r e d
40 arts
35 30
interdisciplinary
25 20
p r o f e s s i o n al
15 10
Sciences
5 0
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
YE A R
NUMBER O F c o n f e r r e d
FIGURE 4 — m a s t e r ’ s d e g r e e s c o n f e r r e d b y d i s c i p l i n e
600
arts
500 400
interdisciplinary
300 200
p r o f e s s i o n al
100 0
Sciences 2009
2010
2011 YE A R
10 SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES 2013-2014 PROGRESS REPORT
2012
2013
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR Graduate student enrolment increased by 33 per cent from Fall 2009 to Fall 2013. More than $20 million in financial support was provided to graduate students from internal and external sources. Memorial provided financial support to over 1,500 graduate students. The School of Graduate Studies and its staff were awarded three esteemed awards: NAGAP Promotion of Excellence Award, C A CEE A w a r d f o r E x c e l l e n c e a n d I n n o v a t i o n i n S t u d e n t E n g a g e m e n t , a n d CC A E R i s i n g Star Award. M e m o r i a l ’s MB A c a s e t e a m w a s n a m e d t h e top Canadian team in the 33rd John Molson MB A I n t e r n a t i o n a l C a s e C o m p e t i t i o n a n d were awarded the inaugural Proctor and Gamble Cup.
Enrolment management SGS continued to oversee a comprehensive strategic enrolment management plan intended to increase the number of graduate students and improve conditions for student success. The plan has hinged on partnerships with multiple academic and service units across the institution. The outcomes have been exceptional and include the following:
To t a l n u m b e r o f g r a d u a t e s t u d e n t s g r e w b y 14% from 2011 to 2013 (percentage of total university enrolment also grew from 16% to 19% over same period). To t a l n u m b e r o f i n t e r n a t i o n a l s t u d e n t s g r e w by 41% from 2011 to 2013. To t a l n u m b e r o f e n r o l m e n t i n t h e s i s b a s e d m a s t e r ’s p r o g r a m s i n c r e a s e d b y 1 5 % f r o m 2011 to 2013. To t a l n u m b e r o f e n r o l m e n t i n d o c t o r a l p r o g r a m s increased by 21% from 2011 to 2013. To t a l n u m b e r o f f u l l - t i m e g r a d u a t e s t u d e n t s grew by 21% from 2011 to 2013. To t a l n u m b e r o f p a r t - t i m e g r a d u a t e s t u d e n t s grew by 6% from 2011 to 2013.
The Master of Science in Management was approved by Senate.
SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES 2013-2014 PROGRESS REPORT 11
STUDENT AWARDS Over $383,077 in internal scholarships were awarded in 2013-2014 to graduate students. Of the 134 awards and scholarships available for graduate students, 23 w e r e n e w l y c r e a t e d l a s t y e a r. Graduate students at Memorial continue to excel in external scholarship competitions. Some examples of this are as follows:
In 2013, Kat Lord, a doctoral student in Memorial’s Interdisciplinary PhD program, was awarded the prestigious Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship. The scholarship is valued at $50,000 a year for three years and was awarded to 156 doctoral students in Canada. Among science and engineering students, 15 master’s students were awarded the
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship – Master’s Scholarship valued at $17,500. One master’s recipient was also selected to receive the prestigious Julie Payette-NSERC Research Scholarship, valued at $25,000. Five doctoral students were awarded the NSERC Postgraduate Scholarships, valued at $21,000 per year for a maximum of three years. One recipient was also awarded the NSERC Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship – Doctoral Scholarship valued at $35,000 per year for a maximum of three years. In the social sciences and humanities fields, 18 master’s students were awarded Social
Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Joseph Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship – Master’s Scholarship, valued at $17,500. Four doctoral students were awarded the SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship, valued at $20,000 per year for a maximum of four years, and six doctoral students were awarded the SSHRC Joseph Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship – Doctoral Scholarship valued at $35,000 per year for a maximum of three years.
12 SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES 2013-2014 PROGRESS REPORT
New Programs and Courses One new graduate program, the Master of Science in Management, was approved by Senate in 2013-2014. Several enhancements were made to existing graduate programs offered by Memorial during this period. A large number of new programs across all of the major campuses are currently in development and expected to be available in the coming a c a d e m i c y e a r.
AWARDS In 2013, SGS was awarded the National Association of Graduate Admissions Professionals (NAGAP) Promotion of Excellence Award for its work in graduate enrolment management through strategic interdepartmental collaboration. NAGAP President James Crane noted the Association was impressed by Memorial’s ability to work together to achieve a common goal of internationalizing its graduate community. In 2013, SGS’s Entrepreneurship Training Program (ETP) for international graduate students
was awarded the Canadian Association of Career Educators and Employers (CACEE) Award for Excellence and Innovation in Student Engagement. This annual award recognizes the best information, program, or resource directed to students and considers program objectives, creativity, innovation, measured outcomes, and ease of replication. In 2013, Dr. Lisa Rankin, Associate Professor and Head, Department of Archaeology, was
awarded the President’s Award for Outstanding Graduate and Postgraduate Supervision. The award is presented to a graduate or postgraduate supervisor who demonstrates exemplary supervisory behaviours and serves as an outstanding role model for other supervisors to emulate. In 2014, Ashley Forristall, SGS’s Marketing Coordinator, was selected as one of two recipients of the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education (CCAE) Rising Star Award. Rising Stars are professionals who demonstrate achievements, accomplishments, early success, and commitment in the advancement field. Ashley was recognized for her work on various marketing campaigns and events that supported graduate student recruitment and success. In 2014, Annette Sullivan, Administrative Program Assistant, Department of Archaeology,
and Michelle Miskell, Manager of Academic Programs, Department of Earth Sciences, were selected as recipients of the School of Graduate Studies Dean’s Award for Service Excellence. The award recognizes the work and contributions of graduate staff members (administrative/ support and academic) that exceeds the expectations for those positions.
SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES 2013-2014 PROGRESS REPORT 13
graduate students K irk Luther Stephenville native Kirk Luther completed his undergraduate and master’s degree at Memorial – a BSc in psychology and a MSc in experimental psychology. He is currently completing a PhD in experimental psychology. Mr. Luther’s research involves testing the assumptions about human behaviour made by those working in the criminal justice system. “Our goal is to both advance scientific knowledge within the criminal justice system and to conduct research that improves the administration of justice. It involves examining police interviewing and interroga-
“ W e a r e s t r i v i n g to i m p r o v e [ t h e av e r a g e p e r s o n ’ s k n owl e d g e o f l e g al r i g h t s and practices] and ensure t h e i r r i g h t s a r e p r ot e c t e d ”
14 SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES 2013-2014 PROGRESS REPORT
tion techniques and how we can improve such practices,” explains Mr. Luther. He has also conducted a number of studies focused on the safeguarding of legal rights for youth and adults. “Our research has shown that people have a limited understanding of their rights when being questioned by the police. We are striving to improve this and ensure their rights are protected.” Receiving the SSHRC J. Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship (CGS) has provided Mr. Luther with greater freedom and financial stability during
his studies, allowing him to focus on his research. “The money I received has allowed me to attend conferences around the world, present my research, and network with leading academics in my field. In addition, I competed in the SSHRC Storytellers: Research for a Better Life competition and was eligible to apply for the SSHRC Talent award. Overall, the SSHRC-CGS has allowed me to increase my visibility as a researcher, which is an essential step for making sure my work reaches a wide audience.”
F rancesca Boschetti Originally from Piedmont in northern Italy, Francesca Boschetti fell in love with St. John’s and with Memorial after spending six months teaching in the then Division of Lifelong Learning. She is currently a PhD student in the Department of English after having earned an MA in that same department in 2013. Her area of specialization is Canadian literature. “I am considering novels written by Italian Canadian, South Asian Canadian, East Asian Canadian, and Caribbean Canadian writers, stressing the similarities between different Canadian immigrant communities
and how they enrich one another,” said Ms. Boschetti. It was her own status as an international student that caused her to develop a strong interest in immigration literature. “Just like the characters and identities I am focusing on, I also fluctuate between the two parts of the hyphen, and I find myself in between my Italian identity and my developing Canadian identity.” She hopes that her concentration on cultural diversity in literature will assist in accounting for the overall experience and literary production of the Canadian multicultural community.
Ms. Boschetti has received several scholarships including the Women’s Association of Memorial University Graduate Student Scholarship (in 2012-13 and in 2013-14), the International Student Resource Centre Scholarship Award (2013 and 2014), and Memorial’s Graduate Officer Award (2013). Her ultimate goal is to find a permanent teaching position where she can inspire students to believe in themselves and stay focused in order to succeed.
“ s i m i la r i t i e s b e tw e e n d i f f e r e n t Ca n a d i a n immigrant communities ... e n r i c h o n e a n ot h e r ”
SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES 2013-2014 PROGRESS REPORT 15
graduate students J ustin K ing Justin King is from Mount Pearl, Newfoundland and Labrador. He graduated with a BSc (honours) at Memorial University in 2012, with a major in biochemistry and minor in chemistry. Mr. King is currently a PhD student in the Faculty of Medicine, in the immunology and infectious diseases program under the supervision of Dr. Larijani. Mr. King is studying a family of DNA-mutating enzymes called APOBECs, which normally help our immune system by mutating invading viruses such as HIV, or by creating more efficient antibodies against pathogens. While critical for an optimal immune response, these enzymes can also run awry and lead to cancer. His research focuses on mapping out which structural regions
“[research] conferences h av e s t r e n g t h e n e d m y s c i e n t i f i c n e two r k i n g s k i ll s a n d s pa r k e d a d d i t i o n al i d e a s a b o u t our research.”
16 SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES 2013-2014 PROGRESS REPORT
of these enzymes are responsible for different functions. In 2014 Mr. King was the recipient of the Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Doctoral Fellowship from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), placing fourth nationally out of 750 applicants. He receives an annual research allowance, providing him with the opportunity to attend research conferences and to showcase and discuss his work with other experienced scientists. “In the past, these conferences have strengthened my scientific networking skills and sparked additional ideas about our research. They have also led to collaborative projects between other labs,” says Mr. King.
In addition to this prestigious fellowship, Mr. King has a long list of impressive accomplishments and awards including; the graduate fellowship from the Beatrice Hunter Cancer Institute (2012), a Poster Award from the Canadian Society for Immunology’s annual conference (summer 2012), the Dean M. Ian Bowmer Graduate Travel Award in Medicine, the Program Prize for Immunology and Infectious Diseases Award for the Best PhD presentation, the Canadian Society for Immunology Travel Award and the Terry Fox Research institute travel award. Mr. King hopes to complete his PhD in 2016 and continue on to a postdoctoral position.
MBA CASE TEAM
Memorial’s master of business administration (MBA) case team made its mark this year
finishing as the top Canadian team in a prestigious international competition and taking home the inaugural Procter and Gamble (P&G) Cup. The quartet of Janine Brophy, Amy Fisher, Daan Goossens, and David Winsor, coached by Dr. Peggy Coady, associate dean (course-based master’s), Faculty of Business Administration, claimed the division title at the 33rd John Molson MBA International Case Competition in Montreal, QC in January. The John Molson competition is the oldest and largest business case competition in the world with thirty-six teams taking part in 2014. The team was third overall and one of nine teams to qualify for the semi-finals after defeating teams from Germany, United States, and Brazil in the round robin. Memorial has been participating in the John Molson competition for almost 30 years and is one of the only schools to have won all three of the competition’s awards: the Concordia Cup, the Richard Outcault Spirit Award, and the Dr. J. Pierre Brunet Coach Award. Not content with that success, the Memorial team then entered the first P&G Cup at Ryerson University in March. The competition was launched to address the growing role of technological innovation in global management practices. Teams from across Canada were provided with a two-page problem by P&G and given one week to research and prepare a 20-minute presentation to be
delivered during the competition. The problem asked for new and innovative ways to collect consumer data without having to rely on retail data collection. The Memorial team focused on a new technology called liquid metal circuit printing that allows companies to print circuits at low cost. This focus on an innovative technology gave Memorial the edge. “We were the only team that recommended a technology that no one had heard of,” said Ms. Fisher after the competition, adding the team’s comprehensive presentation also looked at related legal and privacy issues in addition to new technologies. Memorial defeated 11 teams from across Canada to claim the P&G Cup, including the Ivey Business School at Western University, Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, Sobey School of Business at Saint Mary’s University, Alberta School of Business at the University of Alberta, and DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University. “We have a very diverse team: an engineer, a marketer, a strategist, and a professional accountant, which allows us to approach cases with different viewpoints and perspectives,” Ms. Fisher said. “We also just work really well together. We all respect one another’s opinions and recognize the value that each team member brings to the table. “It is really one of the best teams I have ever worked with.”
SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES 2013-2014 PROGRESS REPORT 17
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT By collaborating with academic and service
S er v ices & P rograms ETP C areer D e v elopment G rad S W E P TSEP O rientation W riting retreat
units, the School of Graduate Studies offers extensive professional programming for graduate students at Memorial. The Enhanced Development of the Graduate Experience (EDGE) is a comprehensive collection of professional development workshops and resources that provide students with the complementary skills required to be successful in their lives after graduate school. EDGE was initially launched in 2007 and retooled in 2013 after consulting various stakeholder groups and the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies (CAGS) discussion paper on “Professional Skills Development for Graduate Students.” EDGE fosters skills and knowledge around nine key themes that are closely associated with the skills identified in that discussion paper: Leadership and management Communication and interpersonal skills Critical and creative thinking Integrity and ethics Global and intercultural awareness Teaching skills Societal and civic responsibility Career development Research Among the more notable programs offered under EDGE are the following:
18 SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES 2013-2014 PROGRESS REPORT
The Entrepreneurship Training Program (ETP) is a 16-week program designed to raise awareness of
entrepreneurship and new venture create as viable career options among graduate students. The EPT aims to nurture stronger communication, analytical, leadership, organizational, and interpersonal skills that ultimately may lead to better labour market integration and success. Career development workshops are offered every semester to graduate students. Topics include resume/ CV writing, job searches, job interviews, self-promotion, and workplace expectations. The Graduate Student Work Experience Program (GradSWEP) provides Memorial’s graduate
students with the opportunity to participate in 75-hour job placemements, providing relevant career experience in the student’s area of study and connecting the student with a community organization for all or part of his/her hours worked. The Teaching Skills Enhancement Program (TSEP) is a two-semester, non-credit program that provides
graduate students with training and practice in teaching at the undergraduate level. The Thesis Writing Retreat is a one-week program
designed to help graduate students make significant progress on or complete their theses. The Retreat offers a dedicated time and space free from distractions to help graduate students write and provides them with a supportive and interdisciplinary intellectual community.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT F unding & Scholarships
F u n d i n g f r o m M e m o r i al U n i v e r s i t y s o u r c e s $ 6,823,529
Fellowships
$ 383,077
Scholarships
Memorial University continued to build on its success in accessing financial resources to help support graduate students and the research activities associated with their programs. Graduate students attending Memorial are becoming directly involved with some of these innovative and exciting opportunities. In 2013-14, financial support from all internal and external sources to Memorial graduate students surpassed $20 million. The external funding sources were received from a wide variety of areas in both public sector and private enterprises. The School of Graduate Studies continues is commitment to graduate financial support with funding programs catered towards attracting top doctoral students as well as travel funds for students to attend conferences.
$ 2,752,667
Departmental Funding (includes GAs)
$ 64,546
Student Conference Travel Assistance
$ 10,023,819
TOTAL I n t e r n a l S o u r c e s
F u n d i n g f r o m s o u r c e s e x t e r n al to M e m o r i al U n i v e r s i t y NSERC
$ 567,672
SSHRC
$ 948,678
Research and Development Corporation Scholarships
$ 810,009
Faculty Research Grants
$ 7,720,666
TOTAL EXT e r n a l S o u r c e s
$10,047,025
TOTAL FUNDING SOURCES
$20,070,844
D u r i n g 2 0 1 3 - 1 4 y e a r , Memorial provided financial support to 1,541 graduate students. The
breakdown of those funded includes 1,019 master’s students and 522 doctoral students. The funding sources include graduate assistantships, fellowships, departmental support, grant funding, and scholarships.
SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES 2013-2014 PROGRESS REPORT 19
INTERNATIONALIZATION
SGS c o n t i n u e d i t s w o r k i n 2 0 1 3 - 1 4 t o s u p p o r t M e m o r i a l ’ s b r o a d e r i n t e r n a t i o n a l i z a t i o n strategy by attracting international students and developing high-value support services and programs. Among the more notable achievements are the following: SGS’s international graduate recruitment strategy yielded impressive results. The use of a combination of e-marketing, webinars, foreign social media, and direct sales has helped increase the total number of international graduate students at Memorial by 41% from 2011 to 2013.
development; development of joint initiatives with partner institutions, including joint or collaborative degree programs; opportunities for fulldegree fee paying undergraduate/graduate study; and an exchange of publications, research materials or newsletters.
SGS participated in the 2013 PhD China Workshop in Beijing, soliciting over 100 graduate applications and accepting four new PhD students through a joint sponsorship agreement with the China Scholarship Council, the China Scholarship Council - Memorial University of Newfoundland Joint Funding Program. A similar strategy is underway in Vietnam where SGS has signed an MOU with the Vietnamese government to jointly support and train top PhD students.
SGS continues to work with Career Development and Experiential Learning (CDEL) to offer a range of career and professional skills programming for international graduate students. In 2013, the EDGE program was revamped to offer more relevant workshops and sessions for graduate students to make the transition to the labour market more seamless.
SGS continues to negotiate MOUs with high-potential partner institutions at various international education conferences. With funding from Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), SGS and the International Centre pursued several new institution-level agreements. The MOUs confirm intent between Memorial and its partners to undertake any number of activities, such as: the exchange of faculty members; undergraduate and graduate student mobility; joint research projects, teaching and faculty
20 SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES 2013-2014 PROGRESS REPORT
In 2013, SGS, CDEL, and the International Centre were awarded funding through ACOA’s Business Development Program to continue the ETP for international graduate students. Memorial’s first-of-its-kind program aims to develop both the entrepreneurial attitudes and behaviours as well as provide training in technical and managerial competencies necessary to create new ventures, and makes use of a combination of lectures, social events, special presentations, one-to-one advising, and mentorship.
SGS FACULTY facult y profile
D r . Faye Murrin dean p r o t e m p o r e Dr. Faye Murrin is dean pro tempore of the School of Graduate Studies and a faculty member in the Department of Biology. She completed her BSc (Hons.) at Memorial University, her MSc at Acadia University and her PhD at Queen’s University. Her research interests have always been focused on fungi, in particular the cell biology of insect pathogenic fungi and, more recently, the ecology of mycorrhizal mushrooms in the boreal forest. Dr. Murrin has
served in a number of positions on the Council of the Mycological Society of America and was awarded the title of MSA Fellow for her contributions. She was named a Women in Science and Engineering Lifetime Member as founding co-director of the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) Summer Program. Dr. Murrin participates in public lectures and workshops, and is a director on the board of Newfoundland Foray, Inc.
D r . Katherine Side interim associate dean Dr. Katherine Side is interim associate dean of the School of Graduate Studies and Associate Professor in the Department of Gender Studies. She completed graduate degrees in women’s studies at York University (PhD), at the University of Kent at Canterbury, UK (MA), and undergraduate degrees (BA, BPE) at McMaster University. A previous holder of the Margaret Laurence Visiting Scholar in Gender and Women’s Studies, Brandon Univer-
sity, she is a past President of Women’s and Gender Studies et Recherches Féministes. Her research examines contemporary conflict transfor mation in Northern Ireland; representations of conflict and conflict-instigated displacement; and relationships among gender, justice and reproductive rights in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES 2013-2014 PROGRESS REPORT 21
D r . No r e e n Gol f m a n Dean of Graduate Studies
SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES STAFF (2013-2014)
D r . Fa y e M u r r i n Associate Dean of Graduate Studies M s . Kat r i n a A r b u c k l e Fellowships Officer M s . R u b y Ba r r o n Programs Officer M s . J u l i e Bow e r i n g Senior Career Development Coordinator M s . Co n n i e B r e n to n Financial Assistant M r . Da n D i llo n Entrepreneurship Training Coordinator M r . Ma r k E n g l i s h Program Coordinator
22 SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES 2013-2014 PROGRESS REPORT
M s . Na n c y Fa g a n Assistant to the Dean
M r . St e v e L awlo r
M s . A s h l e y Fo r r i s tall Marketing Coordinator
M s . Val e r i e M e r c e r Applications Officer
M s . Ca s s a n d r a F e lt h a m Receptionist
M s . El i z a b e t h No s e wo r t h y
M s . H e at h e r Ha r r i s Programs Assistant
M s . K r i s ta S h e a Senior Clerk
Ms. Kim Hearn Admissions Officer
M s . D e n e n e W h e la n Applications Officer
M r . P e t e r K e r r i va n Committees Secretary
M s . A n n e tt e W i ll i a m s Secretary to the Deans
Mr. Andrew Kim Director, Graduate Enrolment Services
Ms. Sharon Winsor
Manager of Fellowships and Awards
Recruitment and Retention Coordinator
Records and Registration Officer
M s . Ga i l L a m k i n Scholarships Officer
SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES 2013-2014 PROGRESS REPORT 23
SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES M EM OR I A L U N I V E R S I T Y O F NEW F O U N D L A N D
ST. JOHN’S
NL
T. 709 864 2445
A1C 5S7
CANADA
F. 709 864 4702
www.mun.ca/sgs
sgs@mun.ca