Infrequent meetings and course updates have left some students worried about the completion of their thesis projects

^{C/O Janko Ferlic}

Some fourth-year undergraduate students in the McMaster University Department of Psychology, Behavior and Neuroscience feel that their thesis courses are currently lacking adequate communication from the program staff and faculty.

Whereas their first semester of thesis in fall 2020 consisted of frequent course-wide meetings and communications from the department, students like Rya Buckley, a fourth-year in biology and PNB and the Silhouette’s Arts & Culture Editor, have found this to significantly decrease this past semester.

“The original meetings were really helpful . . . But then we did stop having those meetings, because there wasn’t really anything [to do] and that was fine at first. [However,] I think we definitely got fewer and fewer meetings and I feel like the meetings became less timely,” said Buckley.

The lack of communication began to grow after reading week and then into March. Buckley explained how stressful this became, especially around times when deadlines were approaching and students had many questions.

“Communication definitely fell off slowly . . . and on top of it, we weren't getting the information [in] another form. We weren't getting regular emails. We have an Avenue page for [the] thesis course, but we don't get regular Avenue announcements or anything like that,” explained Buckley.

On top of the lack of communication, the students’ poster session was also cancelled in February. 

“Given the organizational demands of this virtual conference, as well as student stress levels in the busy end-of-term period, it was decided not to hold a program-specific virtual event for thesis presentations this year.  Rather, students have been encouraged to present their thesis research at the Annual Ontario Psychology Undergraduate Thesis Conference,” explained Bruce Milliken, chair of the PNB department in an email statement to the Sil. 

The department of PNB is hosting their 51st annual Ontario Psychology Undergraduate Thesis Conference this year on June 4, 2021. All thesis students will have access to free registration and an opportunity to present their thesis research projects.

“Personally, I think it was . . . a little easier for the department [to cancel]. I think they were probably having difficulty planning or having the time to plan it. I don't really think students and potentially even supervisors or maybe some internal supervisors were consulted [on the decision],” explained Buckley.

Buckley also addressed the other reason for cancelling the poster session, which was to reduce the stress on students.

“[It] makes sense and [it] doesn't because this was an expected part of our course,” said Buckley.

Communication has not just been lacking with students, but in Buckley’s eyes with supervisors as well. The student explained how many do not receive updates and information about upcoming deadlines for their administrative tasks.

“When we have deadlines coming up, [my supervisor] doesn't necessarily get an email . . . There's been a couple of [times] where she's had to submit by a certain date, but hasn't received an email about that [in] a proper manner . . . Especially with supervisors who are super busy people, it can be difficult when they get this delayed [information],” said Buckley.

Buckley acknowledged the difficulty of facilitating a course in a pandemic and other internal department issues that may have made it harder.

“I feel like there's something there . . . I'm not sure if it's a PNB problem or a campus problem. . . I think it's so difficult in COVID to figure out what's normal because you have no good base,” said Buckley.

Photo by Kyle West

By: Saba Manzoor

The federal government has awarded $3.3 million in grants to 72 social sciences and humanities researchers at McMaster.

These grants are a part of the federal government’s social sciences and humanities research council’s “Insight Development Grant” program.

McMaster was one of nearly 80 post-secondary institutions across the country to receive part of the $141 million overall grant funding provided by the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

This announcement comes a few months after McMaster maintained its rank as Canada’s most research-intensive university on the list of Canada’s top 50 research universities.

Funding through government programs, such as the SSHRC-IDG, continues to play a significant role in establishing the university’s rank on the list.

In addition to being lauded for the quality of their research, McMaster’s humanities and social science researchers have also been recognized for the communicability of their research.

In particular, they were the recipients of the 2017 SSHRC award of excellence for communications, which recognized the accessibility of McMaster research for non-expert audiences.

One of this year’s research grant recipients is Jeffrey Denis, an associate professor in the department of sociology.

Denis’ funds are being put towards a collaborative project with Reconciliation Kenora, a non-profit organization comprised of Indigenous and non-Indigenous residents in Northwestern Ontario.

The goal of Denis’ project is to improve local relationships and better understand the reconciliation efforts that prevail in this part of the province.

“Our plan is to conduct a series of video-recorded sharing circles with Anishinaabe, Metis and settler residents about what reconciliation means, the barriers and enablers to achieving it and how to engage more people in the process,” said Denis.

Brent McKnight, an assistant professor with the DeGroote School of Business, is another grant recipient this year.

Through this funding, McKnight will be evaluating how external considerations, such as environmental, social and governance factors, contribute to financial investments.

Specifically, McKnight will be examining how these factors play into a retail market investment decisions.

“There are few sources of funding for social science research and this multi-year grant is critical,” said McKnight.  

Mark Norman, another grant recipient, is a postdoctoral fellow in the department of health, aging and society at McMaster.

With the funding, Norman will be investigating the organization and social meanings of sport and physical recreation in Ontario youth detention centres.

According to Norman, despite their popularity in youth correctional facilities, evidence suggests that implementing sports programs for at-risk youth produces mixed outcomes.

Norman’s project aims to reconcile the knowledge gap and explore why these programs are yielding these results.

“It is crucial that Canadian governments and post-secondary institutions invest in social sciences and humanities research, particularly projects that investigate pressing social problems or provide insight on how to ameliorate social injustices in our society,” explains Norman.

Other research projects funded through the grant cover a wide range of topics, including the history of smallpox and the effects of taxation on trade.

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Site Selection Magazine in Atlanta reports that Hamilton generated the highest number of expansion projects during the past year that have drawn at least $1 million, created at least 50 new jobs, or made use of at least 20,000 square feet.

Analysts ranked cities based on new projects mostly in the private sector that would attract potential investors.

Norm Schleehahn, manager of business development at the City of Hamilton, says the university’s main contribution to Hamilton’s 2012 ranking is its new automotive resource centre (MARC) at McMaster Innovation Park (MIP).

The federal government has injected $11.5 million into the new facility, which will cover approximately 80,000 square feet of space in a former industrial warehouse across from the MIP Atrium.

For the most part, MARC will be a laboratory facility to accelerate research in the automotive sector, focusing on hybrid vehicles.

The project costs $26 million in total and is expected to employ 120 to 150 people.

McMaster’s downtown health campus, to open two years from now, will make the list of projects for 2013, Schleehahn said.

Nick Bontis, professor in the DeGroote School of Business, says the City is pushing forward with downtown renewal and McMaster faculty and students are leading the charge.

Bontis said facilities like MIP offer researchers a bridge between doing research in the lab and finding opportunities to commercialize ideas in the marketplace.

“That’s why McMaster University acts as an engine of growth for the manufacturing sector,” he said.

“We’re sitting on a large supply of potential commercialization projects,” he continued. “But we don’t have enough horsepower or capacity for faculty to both do the research and commercialize the research. That’s where we need the community to get involved.”

MIP, a $69 million off-campus facility used mainly for conferences, is in the midst of discussions with private developers to build a hotel at the park. Plans haven’t been finalized but the hotel would accommodate researchers, entrepreneurs and the general public.

In addition, the federal and provincial governments have invested heavily in the university’s health and engineering research facilities.

A grant announcement in early August revealed the province would provide $4.6 million for 14 projects in the research sector.

Over the past two years, McMaster has received $38.5 million through the Knowledge Infrastructure economic stimulus program for post-secondary infrastructure enhancements across Canada.

$22 million will help create new research space and stimulate increased production of medical and industrial isotopes at McMaster’s nuclear research facilities. The remaining funds will help build two new centres for cancer and spinal cord research.

“Hamilton has been a leader in the manufacturing industry but our economy is diversifying. There are a lot of businesses in the city that are thriving,” Schleehahn said.

He added that the city’s new status as an investment hotspot provides a reason for students to consider staying in Hamilton post-graduation.