2022-2023 Faculty Graduate Mentoring Awards
On March 21, 2023, six faculty members were presented with a Faculty Graduate Mentoring Award (FGMA). These awards recognize faculty who render exceptional service to graduate students as supervisors and research mentors. Sponsored by the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs and the Office of the Vice-President (Research and International), these awards reflect the impact excellent mentoring can have on graduate students.
Below are the winners (in alphabetical order), along with some edited quotes taken from their students’ nomination letters.
Mojtaba Ahmadi, Professor in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
- “Mojtaba is an expert in the field of robotics, rehabilitation, mechatronics and control. As a researcher, I am always looking up to him and trying to learn from him.”
- “He is always open to help his students not only regarding their studies but also in terms of their personal lives. He does not hesitate to sacrifice even his weekends to set up a meeting with his students to discuss their projects and provide them great ideas about their research.”
- “My knowledge of machine learning and electromyography can be wholly-attributed to his ideas. Though we are engineers, his mentoring is not limited to technical topics. He has helped me navigate the world of academia.”
Edana Cassol, Health Sciences Associate Professor, Interim Graduate Advisor, and Co-Director of the Tissue Engineering and Applied Materials (TEAM) Hub
- “Through all the hardships throughout my PhD and in my current position as a Post-Doc, Edana has been there to support and assist me every step of the way. I truly believe that I would not be in the position that I am in today if I was under the guidance of another faculty member. Edana represents the best of Carleton and what I would like to be as a leader and mentor one day.”
- “Edana pushed me to join the Girls SysTEM mentorship team where I now mentor young girls interested in science which is a very rewarding experience for me. Edana has also gone out of her way to get me involved in unique teaching opportunities.”
- “From our first chat, Dr. Cassol’s love and excitement for her research drew me in. She prioritizes making a well-rounded, enriching learning experience for graduate students by exposing them to various lab techniques. She has always maintained an open dialogue about my research progress and problems, challenging me to think critically of my research findings.”
Adelle Forth, Professor & Associate Chair at the Department of Psychology and Director of the Psychopathy Research Lab
- “Forth’s research is so impactful and important to our field of forensic psychology and working with her has been full of fulfillment and excitement. I have taken a forensic assessment class with her, which I believe to be one of the most interesting and impactful courses I have every taken in my higher education career. Her knowledge mobilization skills, ability to engage a classroom, and vast connections in the field have made my time at Carleton even greater than I could have imagined.”
- “Her approachability, candor and warmth make her a place of calm and steadiness in the stress of graduate school. I appreciate that Adelle will always go to bat for her students, and will put all else aside to guide us through each of our own difficult times. She is always available for honest advice, for brainstorming sessions about research, or for a coffee.”
- “She has high standards and an excellent worth ethic, which is infectious and inspires us in her work.”
Jason Jaskolka, Department of Systems and Computer Engineering Associate Professor and Director of Carleton’s Cyber Security Evaluation and Assurance Research (CyberSEA) Lab
- “The CyberSEA Lab would not be as welcoming or helpful as it is without someone as organized and knowledgeable as Dr. Jaskolka at the helm. The fact that he has time to run our lab, teach courses and manage TAs, all while being able to suggest papers and directions for future research is mind-blowing.”
- “Professor Jaskolka gave me my first taste of cyber security and ignited my interest in a field I had never even considered pursuing.”
- “His unwavering support and willingness to provide the freedom and resources needed to succeed in my work helped me publish five research publications, two open-source tools and a first-of-its-kind toolkit in addition to my thesis within a two-year time period. It is a testament to how well Dr. Jaskolka can bring out the strengths of an individual while guiding, encouraging and empowering the areas that I needed to work on.”
Luciara Nardon, Professor of International Business and Co-Director of the Centre for Research on Inclusion at Work at Sprott
- “Professor Nardon has had a profound impact on my life, positively influencing my interest in pursuing a career in academia and my PhD. She has repeatedly gone above and beyond to provide me with various opportunities that have helped quench my thirst for knowledge and advance my career within academia.”
- “I really would not have been able to accomplish the word that I did in my MSc in Management program without Luciara. Her guidance, insights, mentorship and coaching throughout my master’s experience was one of the most, if not the most, invaluable experience that I gained throughout this program.”
- “I am grateful for the personal time Luciara invests in meeting with me. These meetings are so meaningful to me as they motivate me and hold me accountable in achieving my goals.”
Alex Wilner, Associate Professor at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs
- “Wilner guided me throughout my PhD, provided me with countless research opportunities, offered me invaluable advice both personal and professional, and became one of my closest friends. Dr. Wilner has had a profound impact on my life—more than any other professor or employer I’ve had—and I can confidently say I would not be where I am today if it weren’t for him.”
- “Professor Wilner is an outstanding faculty member and mentor because he repeatedly excels in three key areas: teaching, research output and care for students. Professor Wilner has been instrumental in shaping my dissertation research, and frankly, serves as an inspiration for the type of career and person I hope to be one day.”
- “I find him patient, helpful and kind—a model professor and mentor. He challenges me intellectually in the best possible way and I am learning a lot. Without question, Professor Wilner stands out.”
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!
Winners of the 2021-22 FGMA Awards
- Linda Duxbury – Sprott School of Business
- Martin Holcik – Health Sciences
- Minjoon Lee – Economics
- Robyn McQuaid – Neuroscience
- Justin Paulson – Sociology & Anthropology
- Omair Shafiq – Information Technology
- Benjamin Woo – Journalism & Communication
- Winnie Ye – Electronics
Winners of the 2020-21 FGMAs
- Onita Basu – Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Shelley Brown – Psychology
- Jennifer Bruin – Biology
- Mark Forbes – Biology
- Heath MacMillan – Biology
- Alexis Shotwell – Sociology & Anthropology
- Robert Teather – Information Technology
Winners of the 2019-20 FGMAs
- Kyle Biggar – Biology
- Susan Braedley – Social Work
- Janna Fox – Linguistics and Language Studies
- Audrey Girouard – Information Technology
- Julie Murray – English Language and Literature
- Brian Schmidt – Political Science
- Dale Spencer – Law and Legal Studies
Winners of the 2018-19 FGMAs
- Ali Arya – Information Technology
- Robert Biddle – Computer Science
- Marie-Eve Carrier-Moisan – Sociology & Anthropology
- Shulabh Gupta – Electronics
- Merlyna Lim – Journalism & Communication
- Ashraf Matrawy – Information Technology
- Marina Milyavskaya – Psychology
Winners of the 2017-2018 FGMAs
- James R. Green – Systems and Computer Engineering
- Irena Knezevic – Communication
- Jeremy Laliberte – Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
- Sreeraman Rajan – Systems and Computer Engineering
- Susan Whitney – History
- Alex Wong – Biology
- Jayne Yack – Biology
Winners of the 2016 FGMAs
- Adrian Chan – Systems and Computer Engineering
- Sonia Chiasson – Computer Science
- Ian Marsland – Systems and Computer Engineering
- Janet Siltanen – Sociology
- Myron Smith – Biology
- Dwayne Winseck – Communication
- Michael Wohl – Psychology
Winners of the 2015 FGMAs
- Natasha Artemeva – Linguistics and Applied Language
- Patricia Ballamingie – Geography and Environmental Studies
- Cheryl Harasymchuk – Psychology
- Andrea Howard – Psychology
- Hans-Martin Jaeger – Political Science
- Carol Payne – Art History
- Owen Rowland – Biology
- Jaffer Sheyholislami – Linguistics and Applied Language
Winners of the 2014 FGMAs
- Robert Coplan – Psychology
- Maria DeRosa – Chemistry
- Adelle Forth – Psychology
- Gerald Grant – Sprott School of Business
- James Opp – History
- Cristina Rojas – Political Science, NPSIA
- Marc St-Hilaire – Information Technology
- Garry Tarr – Electronics
- Sarah Todd – Social Work
- David Wood – Linguistics and Language Studies
Winners of the 2013 FGMAs
- Jit Bose – Computer Science
- Steven Cooke – Biology
- Matthew Holahan – Neuroscience
- Deepthi Kamawar – Cognitive Science and Psychology
- Evangelos Kranakis – Computer Science
- Evelyn Maeder – Criminology and Psychology
- Isaac Otchere – Business
- Joanna Pozzulo – Psychology
- Paul Van Geel – Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Paul Van Oorschot – Computer Science
Winners of the 2012 FGMAs
- Hymie Anisman –Neuroscience and Health Psychology, Canada Research Chair in Neuroscience
- Andrew Brook – Philosophy and Cognitive Science
- Aaron Doyle – Sociology & Anthropology, the Institute of Criminology and Criminal Justice & the Institute of Political Economy
- Linda Duxbury – Sprott School of Business
- Lenore Fahrig – Biology
- Matthew Johnson – Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering & Canada Research Chair in Energy and Combustion Generated Air Emissions
- Nicolas Papadopoulos – Sprott School of Business
- Timothy Pychyl – Psychology and the School of Linguistics and Language Studies
- Claire Samson – Earth Sciences
- Gabriel Wainer – Systems and Computer Engineering
Winners of the 2011 FGMAs
- Alfonso Abizaid – Neuroscience
- Susan Bertram – Biology and Assistant Dean, Faculty of Science
- Amir Banihashemi – Systems and Computer Science
- Lorraine Dyke – Sprott School of Business
- Uma Kumar – Sprott School of Business & Director, Research Center for Technology Management
- Jo-Anne LeFevre – Director, Institute of Cognitive Science
- Banu Örmeci – Canada Research Chair in Wastewater and Public Health Engineering & Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- David Rogers – Canada Research Chair in Medical Physics & Professor, Department of Physics
- Roland Thomas – Sprott School of Business
- Bill Willmore – Institute of Biochemistry, Departments of Biology and Chemistry
Winners of the Inaugural 2010 Faculty of Graduate Mentoring Awards
- Sue Aitken – Biology and Institute of Biochemistry
- Craig Bennell – Psychology
- Josh Greenberg – Journalism & Communication
- Sheryl Hamilton – Journalism & Communication
- Louise A. Heslop – Sprott School of Business
- Norman Hillmer – History
- Vinod Kumar – Sprott School of Business
- Thomas Kunz – Systems and Computer Engineering
- Ken Storey – Biology, Department of Chemistry and Institute of Biochemistry
- Halim Yanikomeroglu – Systems and Computer Engineering