About this award

The President’s Award for Excellence in Graduate Supervision is an annual award dedicated to acknowledging the incredible work done by faculty members who supervise graduate researchers at McMaster.

Who can be nominated?

A McMaster faculty member who directly supervises graduate students in research programs. The nominee for this award should demonstrate excellent supervisory and mentoring skills, making a positive impact on the success of their students.

Awards will be presented at Fall Convocation in November. All winners and nominees will be acknowledged at the Graduate Students Awards Ceremony in 2027. Up to three recipients will be selected, one from each of the following Faculty groupings:

• Business, Humanities and Social Sciences
• Engineering and Science
• Health Sciences

Supervisors who have received this President’s Award within the past four years are not eligible for nomination. Please review past winners below.

Who can nominate a supervisor for this award?

The nomination may be made by a current graduate student at McMaster University or by an alumni of the graduate program. The nominator must be, or have been, directly supervised by the nominated supervisor.

What is required to submit for a nomination?

A completed application includes 6 letters of support:

• 1 letter of nomination;
• 2 letters from current graduate students directly supervised by the nominee;
• 1 letter from the department chair or graduate advisor;
• 2 letters from McMaster University alumni who have graduated from the program and were directly supervised by the nominee.

Deadline to submit a completed nomination package: June 23, 2026, at 12 noon.

To nominate your supervisor or submit a letter of support, please choose the form that best represents you:

I am a currently affiliated with McMaster University as a grad student, staff or faculty member

I am an alumni

About the 2026 nomination process

The nomination form includes further details about supporting documents and naming conventions for those documents.

Upload links will be provided via email – please save all emails pertaining to the President’s Award for Excellence in Graduate Supervision until the nomination closes and you receive confirmation that the nomination is completed.

No late submissions will be accepted; please review all deadlines and adjust your timelines accordingly.