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Graduate Studies

Graduate Council

The Graduate Council is a deliberative, administrative, and executive body responsible directly to Senate but otherwise autonomous. Its membership consists of the Chancellor, the President and Vice-Chancellor, the Provost and Vice-President (Academic), the Vice-Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies (Chair), the Associate Deans of Graduate Studies, the Faculty Deans, the University Librarian, the University Registrar, the University Secretary, the Vice-President (Research), the Associate Registrar and Graduate Secretary, eighteen faculty members (three from each faculty), and twelve graduate students (two from each faculty).

The responsibilities of the Graduate Council have been specified in some detail by Senate and are outlined in the By-laws of the Senate of McMaster University and the Senate Resolutions (Article X). The more significant ones may be summarized by noting that it regulates matters concerning graduate work of common concern to the entire University, acts upon recommendations concerning graduate work from each Faculty upon matters of particular concern to that Faculty, reports to Senate on graduate matters, recommends candidates for graduate degrees, stipulates conditions for the awarding of graduate scholarships, and stipulates the departments eligible to offer graduate work.

For more information about the governing bodies of McMaster University, please visit the Senate webpage.


2023-2024

Chair: Dr. Steve Hranilovic (deangrad), Vice-Provost & Dean of Graduate Studies

Deputy Chairs
Dr. Manish Verma (mverma)  Associate Dean of Graduate Studies & Research (Business)
Dr. Steve Hanna (adeanhsc), Associate Dean of Graduate Studies (Health Sciences)
Dr. Martin Horn (adeangrh), Associate Dean of Graduate Studies & Research (Humanities)
Dr. Melanie Heath (mheath, Associate Dean of Graduate Studies & Research (Social Sciences)
Dr. Michael Thompson (adeangse), Associate Dean of Graduate Studies (Engineering)
Dr. Bruce Newbold (adeangss), Associate Dean of Graduate Studies (Science)

Secretary (without vote):  Stephanie Baschiera (baschie)
Assistant Secretary (without vote):  Christina Bryce (cbryce)

Ex-officio Members
Dr. David Farrar, President & Vice-Chancellor
Ms. Santee Smith, Chancellor
Dr. Susan Tighe, Provost & VP (Academic)
Dr. Karen Mossman, Vice-President (Research)
Dr. Khaled Hassanein (deanbus), Dean of Business
Dr. Maureen MacDonald (deansci), Dean of Science
Dr. Pamela Swett (deanhum), Dean of Humanities
Dr. Paul O’Byrne (deanfhs), Dean & Vice President (Health Sciences)
Dr. Heather Sheardown (deaneng), Dean of Engineering
Dr. Jerry Hurley (deansoc), Dean of Social Sciences

Ex-officio Members (without vote)
Andrea Thyret-Kidd, University Secretary
Melissa Pool, University Registrar
Vivian Lewis, University Librarian

Elected Faculty Members

Business:    
Dr. Trevor Chamberlain, Finance and Business Economics (2024)
Dr. Yair Berson, Human Resources and Management (2024)
Dr. Nicole Wagner, Information Systems (2026)

Engineering:  
Dr. Joey Kish, Materials Science & Engineering (2024)
Dr. Chan Ching, Mechanical Engineering (2025)
Dr. Younggy Kim, Civil Engineering (2026)

Health Sciences:     
Dr. Nancy Carter, Nursing (2026)
Dr. Dino Trigatti, Biochemistry (2025)
Dr. Nancy Santesso, Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact (2025)

Humanities:
Dr. Elzbieta Grodek, French (2025)
Dr. Tracey McDonald, History (2024)
Dr. Melinda Gough, English & Cultural Studies (2025)

Science:
Dr. Laura Parker, Physics & Astronomy (2025)
Dr. David Emslie, Chemistry & Chemical Biology (2025)
Dr. Bruce Milliken, Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour (2026)

Social Sciences:  
Dr. Cal Biruk, Anthropology (2026)
Dr. Marisa Young, Sociology (2025)
Dr. Peter Nyers, Political Science (2024)

Student Representatives

Business: Shamik Pushkar, Rehan Khan
Engineering: Ali Ammar, Akansha Prasad
Health Sciences: Alisha Anand, Michelle Pham
Humanities: Lucas Kayssi, Cassius Di Maria
Science: Xiaobing Li, Kay McCallum
Social Science: Wenhao Liao, Joseph Antwi-Boasiako

Observer (without vote): President, Graduate Students Association

Quorum: One third of the voting members