“Dr. Shneiderman amalgamates kindness and rigor in her mentorship, without compromising on either.”
Prof. Sara Shneiderman is being honoured with the Killam Award for Excellence in Mentoring in recognition of her extraordinary commitment to the guidance and support of graduate students.
As an Associate Professor jointly appointed in the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs and the Department of Anthropology at UBC, Prof. Shneiderman has touched the lives of countless graduate students through her role as a professor, PhD supervisor and now Graduate Director for the MPPGA program. She co-leads both the UBC Himalaya Program and the Disaster Resilience Research Network, both transdisciplinary initiatives that provide frameworks for integrating research and mentorship. Her long-term community engagement in the Himalayas and South Asia, particularly Nepal, is reflected in her commitment to training new generations of scholars from this region, and around the world, to conduct ethical community-based research that connects local and global concerns.
Shneiderman’s extraordinary commitment, warmth and energy as a mentor is best conveyed through the statements of those she has mentored. As UBC Anthropology PhD candidate Anudeep Dewan states, “Dr. Shneiderman amalgamates kindness and rigor in her mentorship, without compromising on either.” Her students also emphasize her timely and thoughtful feedback on their work, her commitment to going the extra mile to support them, and the way she continuously instills confidence in their potential.
Amy Johnson, Shneiderman’s first PhD student who was recently appointed as a tenure track professor at Georgia State College and University, had this to say about her impact:
“I find myself channeling Sara in my interactions with my students. I listen hard. I promote creative thinking. I praise passion. I read student work carefully and seriously. And I remind them every day that anthropology is a perspective and a pathway that can change the world…Sara’s trust in me and commitment to my potential changed my life.”
The Killam Award for Excellence in Mentoring, given in recognition of outstanding ability to foster the intellectual, professional, and personal development of graduate students, will be presented to Prof. Sara Shneiderman during the Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs (MPPGA) graduation ceremony on May 23, 2024 at 1:30pm.
In addition to this recognition of mentorship, Prof. Sara Shneiderman was also recently awarded the UBC Killam Research Fellowship to continue her important ethnographic writing and policy-engaged work that explores disaster resilience and social transformation.
Congratulations on these well-deserved honours!
Read more about Prof. Sara Shneiderman’s work here.
