As teaching stream faculty, I do not supervise or accept graduate students in the GD-PCS program at UTSC. Please direct inquiries about that program to the Program Assistant.
Research Positions
Most years, I will be available to supervise UTSC Psychology or Mental Health Studies students in independent research courses, specifically C90/93 and D98, as both UTSC-internal and external (secondary) supervisory roles. I do not have any more positions open for the Fall 2018 term. I do not have any volunteer research positions at this time or for the forseeable future.
If you are interested in learning more about course-based independent research opportunities and general eligibility criteria, please go to http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/psych/experiential-learning#research_courses
If you are interested in working with me specifically, you can contact me by email. I give highest consideration to candidates who have:
- provided a detailed description of their research interests, and how they align with my work
- have taken at least two of the following courses: PSYC02, PSYC08, PSYC09, PSYC36
- included a copy of their CV in their introductory email
Reference Letter Requests
In general, I prefer to write reference letters for students who have taken at least two classes with me; this is primarily in the interest of being able to provide a strong letter of support based on detailed knowledge of your work AND some ability to comment on your abilities and personal characteristics. A lukewarm or straightforward letter of reference can be a kiss of death for a grad school application. With that said, I am certainly willing to entertain emails from all past students, especially if you are confident I will be able to speak to more than just your grade in my course. A quick email with a straightforward summary of your plans is all that is required.
In general, I need to have at least two months lead time for a reference request (i.e., two months before the first due date if submitting multiple applications). I appreciate having more time if you are applying to something other than a graduate program in psychology. If I agree to write you a letter, I’ll also eventually need you to send the following information, in an organized and structured fashion:
– A (rough) prospective timeline for when I can expect to receive these materials from you
– Deadlines for applications and general info about application formats (e.g., electronic, mailed, etc)
– General information about programs
– Your CV and (informal) transcript
– A reminder of any classes you’ve taken with me and any specific highlights from those classes (e.g., projects you submitted, etc).
– Any personal statement or even a few bullet points about your reasons for applying to the programs you’ve selected.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when requesting letters of reference, with notes about my own personal preferences here as well.
- When you’re considering who to ask to provide you a reference, think of who will provide you the strongest and most complete letter of support. General comments about your CV and your grade in a specific class will likely be less impactful than a letter written by someone who you have taken multiple classes with or have done research with, even if that person is in a different research area.
- I’d encourage you to ask your letter writers about their preferences in terms of follow-up contact. I personally encourage students not to be shy about checking in with me – send a follow up email or a reminder if you haven’t gotten a response. I always notify students when I’ve submitted materials, so if you haven’t heard from me you should reach out. You can also send relevant updates about your progress in the gap between your initial request and when you provide actual materials.
- Please make sure you provide me (and all letter writers) with a complete, organized list of the programs you plan to apply to, including any forms that I need to submit well ahead of time. This list should also provide info about how letters are submitted – nowadays this is most often via weblink, but there are still many programs that include a form that is partially filled out by the student where you are asked to waive your right to review my reference letter and to provide other info to accompany my letter. Please make sure that gets to me well in advance. If things have to be mailed in, it would be ideal for you to provide me with addressed, stamped envelopes so we can easily get materials submitted at the right time (and I would at least inquire with other letter writers about their preferences here).
- Finally, in providing the materials listed above, balance the goal of sending materials well in advance with the need to have them closely reflect what you will actually submit as part of your application. Please include any general info about the programs, and if you are applying to a specific mentor and/or “track”, tell me that. Your statement of interest or a draft / bullet point version is helpful too. Your CV with any notes about content you think is especially relevant to your applications is also generally helpful. Finally, a copy of your transcript (doesn’t have to be official) and any relevant info you want to note there helps – e.g., on Honour roll, have X GPA in psych classes vs other classes, etc. For mentors who you haven’t interacted with recently, as a general tip, you might include a brief note reminding them of how long they’ve known you and in what capacity. It may sound silly but better to get stories straight and avoid overlooking key details.