The Canadian Association for Graduate Studies (CAGS) is pleased to announce that Dr. Marina (Nina) von Keyserlingk, Professor of Animal Welfare and a former NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Animal Welfare, has been selected as the winner of the 2024 Dr. Suning Wang Award for Outstanding Graduate Mentorship.
A global leader in animal welfare science, Dr. von Keyserlingk is a professor in the Applied Animal Biology Program at The University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Land and Food Systems. She has published more than 350 peer-reviewed articles that collectively have been cited in excess of 33,000 times — approximately 85 per cent of her publications include a graduate student or postdoc as a co-author. She is ranked second globally among women scientists in the field of animal and veterinary science. Among her many accolades, Dr. von Keyserlingk has been awarded all three Killam Prizes for research, teaching and mentorship.
A Customized Approach to Supervisory Excellence
Dr. von Keyserlingk has developed a reputation for genuinely caring for the well-being and success of her students, respecting them both as individual human beings as well as emerging experts in their fields of research. She recognizes that each student experiences graduate school differently and faces unique challenges throughout the course of their studies. As such, she employs a holistic approach to mentorship that seeks to identify student strengths and weaknesses early, create the necessary scaffolding to support student success and adapt in response to the evolving needs of the student as they navigate their program of study.
“My goal when mentoring graduate students is to inspire a passion for research and a dedication to rigorous, honest and creative scientific work. I strive to create a community of people that are proud of their growth while working in my lab, feel supported and develop the skills they need to embark on their next adventure.” —Dr. Nina von Keyserlingk
Dr. von Keyserlingk’s customized model of supervision encourages students to take ownership of their research project from the outset, to ensure that it aligns with their interests and values and to set the pace of their personal and professional goals. She gradually leads her students to share their research with other scholars in their fields, first through informal conversations and later in conference presentations and academic papers. Dr. von Keyserlingk also works closely with students to support their applications for funding from UBC, the granting councils, the Killam program and international funding agencies. Alongside a rigorous foundation in scientific training and scholarly publications, Dr. von Keyserlingk supports students in learning how to effectively communicate their research for non-specialist audiences and to think about their work and its impact in the classroom, the laboratory and the broader community.
Building Community and Inclusive Collaboration
Dr. von Keyserlingk is known for going to great lengths to foster a sense of community among her trainees. She encourages academic collaborations between postdocs, graduate students and undergrads, and strategically pairs students with complementary abilities to advance their strengths and address their weaknesses in a positive environment. When publishing collaborative work with students, Dr. von Keyserlingk makes every effort to help them assume the role of first author and, as a result, MSc students normally produce at least one first-author publication and PhD students at least four. This web-like approach creates multiple layers of mentorship and support for new students, while also offering opportunities for senior students to develop their own leadership and mentoring skills. Even the built environment of Dr. von Keyserlingk’s lab — featuring student and faculty office spaces surrounding a central, open meeting area — encourages social interactions, community building and idea sharing.
Dr. von Keyserlingk’s mentorship continues well after her students graduate or move on to new roles, a quality that was described in every letter of support written by her former students. Dr. von Keyserlingk works hard to provide opportunities to continue their research and to seek positions for the next stage of their career. As evidence of the success of Dr. von Keyserlingk’s mentorship, her students and postdocs have gone on to influential positions in academia (Guelph, Bristol, Essex, NYU, Dalhousie, Purdue, UPEI), in government (Government of BC, the European Commission, Ag-Research New Zealand), with livestock industry organizations and the not-for-profit sector (BC and New Zealand SPCA). Dr. von Keyserlingk’s dedication to mentorship has trained and empowered a global network of scholars who have shaped the fields of animal welfare and applied ethology, making the world a better place for both animals and people.
“Nina cares deeply for all of us, working tirelessly to ensure that we succeed and find careers that bring us fulfillment and joy…When I need her, she is there for me. When I come to her with a problem, she makes sure that I leave our conversation with a plan. For many early career scientists who seek to affect change, Nina is a guiding light.” —Former PhD Student, now Associate Professor and Research Centre Director
CAGS instituted the Award for Outstanding Graduate Mentorship in 2018 to highlight and celebrate faculty members who exemplify the highest standards in teaching, training, and mentoring. The Award was renamed in 2020 in honour of the inaugural winner, the late Dr. Suning Wang of Queen’s University. CAGS is delighted to showcase the hard work and dedication of Dr. Nina von Keyserlingk, and we hope that her strong commitment to graduate students will inspire others to reach similar heights.
“Nina’s mentorship has allowed me to work on what I was passionate about while meeting my program’s requirements and pursuing opportunities for professional development…She has guided me in becoming a better researcher, a more compassionate human and a more effective mentor…Nina has changed my life, for she helped me find myself.” —Current PhD Student
Congratulations, Dr. von Keyserlingk.
This article was originally published on the CAGS website.