Mike Hildebrand

Associate Vice-Provost (Graduate Student Affairs)

Mike Hildebrand is responsible for graduate student affairs in the Office of Graduate Studies. This includes working with, and on behalf of, individual graduate students facing challenges that rise beyond the departmental level, developing and refining graduate policies and procedures, and overseeing non-coursework graduate milestones such as theses defenses.

Mike has held several leadership positions at Carleton University, including serving as the Associate Dean (Student and Postdoctoral) in the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs, Graduate Supervisor in the Department of Neuroscience, and member of the Graduate Faculty Board Executive Council. Mike has also served as an internal reviewer in Carleton’s Quality Assurance Evaluation processes as well as on several departmental committees. On a national level, Mike was a Director and Chair of the Scientific Program Committee for the Canadian Pain Society.

Mike is also a neurophysiologist and pain researcher. He completed his PhD in neurophysiology at UBC, followed by an industrial R&D fellowship at NeuroMed Pharmaceuticals in Vancouver. After this, Mike completed an academic postdoctoral fellowship at Sick Kids Hospital. Mike is now leading a translational pain research program as a Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at Carleton University and as an Affiliate Investigator at The Ottawa Hospital. His dynamic team of undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral researchers are studying mechanisms and potential treatment targets for pain using a combination of animal models and pioneering human spinal cord preclinical assays. This biomedical research aimed at addressing the societal problem of poorly managed chronic pain is funded by NSERC, CIHR, MITACS and industrial partners.

Mike provides support in the following areas:

1. Supporting graduate students in crisis: act as a mediator outside of student’s home Faculty, working alongside other relevant groups such as Graduate Registrar, Ombuds Services, Student Affairs, the Care and Support Team, International Student Services Office, the Graduate Students’ Association and Financial Services.
2. Provide oversight, support and approval in thesis defence processes: review and approve the composition of thesis examination committees for upcoming PhD defences; ensure that PhD defences proceed smoothly; work with the Library to seek customized solutions for students that need an embargo on their thesis; consult on supervisory committee composition and MSc defence procedures.
3. Review, Update and Refine Graduate Student Policies, Procedures and Graduate Calendar Regulations: actively review, assess and update graduate policies, procedures, and regulations, such as those that relate to graduate student supervision, thesis formats, committee composition, and defence procedures, program extensions, grade appeal processes, cotutelle agreements and fast-tracking guidelines etc.
4. Academic Integrity (Non-course Milestones): Research supervisor and/or grad supervisor brings allegations of academic integrity violations forward to Mike (for example: plagiarism in comprehensive exams or thesis document) and Mike will consult with relevant faculty and student to determine if proceeding through the formal allegation procedure is required and appropriate. Click here to access details of Academic Integrity Violation procedures.