Basic Information
Academic Unit:
Division/College:
Mailing Address:
Program's website address:
Toxicology Centre
Toxicology Centre
Toxicology Centre University of Saskatchewan 44 Campus
Drive Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B3 CANADA
http://w w w .usask.ca/toxicology/
Provide the meeting title & date at which the unit's faculty
reviewed the final version of this document prior to
Program Faculty Consultation:
submission.
Meeting Title:
Meeting Date:
Meeting of the core Toxicology Group faculty
2011-02-14
U of S Toxicology Program – Graduate Program Review, Self-Study Document
Page 1
I. Graduate Degrees Identification
Graduate Degree Name:
Date Established:
Official UofS URL:
Master of Science (M.Sc.)
1981-02-20
http://w w w .usask.ca/programs/graduate_studies/a_program_information.html
Admission Standards:
Applicants to the Toxicology Graduate Program must possess a recognized undergraduate degree
in the natural or life sciences, such as a BSc, BSA, BSP, or a medical degree such as an MD or
DVM. The applicant must have a cumulative weighted average of at least 70% in their
undergraduate studies. Undergraduate training should, at minimum, include basic courses in
biology, toxicology, chemistry, biochemistry, and animal physiology. A working knowledge of
statistical methods is desirable, as are courses in environmental chemistry, ecology, and
pharmacology. International students must display evidence of English proficiency as required
by the CGSR. Admission into the Toxicology Program requires higher marks (580-TOEFL or
237-IBT TOEFL) on the TOEFL test than outlined on the CGSR website.
Program's URL:
http://w w w .usask.ca/toxicology/graduate_program.php
Description Narrative:
For over 30 years, the Toxicology MSc Program has been delivered as a joint effort of
Toxicology Group members (an interdisciplinary body consisting of faculty from several U of S
departments as well as scientists from various government research institutions affiliated with the
University) under the umbrella of the College of Graduate Studies and Research. Supervision
and co-supervision of students and all course instruction is given by Toxicology Group
Members. A Postgraduate Diploma (i.e., non-thesis, course-based MSc) was initially offered as
part of the Program. Although this diploma is no longer offered, there is currently a proposal
being developed to replace the PGD with a non-thesis MSc in 2011 or 2012. All MSc students
are required to complete 9 credit units of core toxicology courses (down from 15 units as of
2003) and must write and defend a thesis as a fulfillment of their MSc. As of 2010, MSc students
can receive specialized training in human and ecological risk assessment through participation in
the CREATE HERA Program (see below).
Objectives:
The objective of the graduate degree is... The objective of the Toxicology MSc
Program is to provide high quality education and training enabling students to develop
into qualified toxicology professionals. The MSc Program aims at developing critical
independent thinkers with broad knowledge in the field of toxicology and research
expertise in the area of their specialization. MSc students become qualified to
independently address and resolve toxicological problems and concerns utilizing their
U of S Toxicology Program – Graduate Program Review, Self-Study Document
Page 2
experience with experimental design and data analysis. An important goal is to enhance
the development of students’ oral and written communications skills. Many students in
the MSc Program receive invaluable experience working in collaborative research
environments which often include collaboration with scientists in industry and
governments.
This objective is achieved through...This objective is achieved through a joint effort of
the student, supervisor, and the advisory committee. Each student’s program of study is
typically comprised of courses covering various topics in toxicology as well as the area of
the student’s research project. Under the guidance of their supervisor, the student will
develop and conduct an experimental research project and write manuscripts for
publication in peer-reviewed journals. Presentation skills are fostered through required
seminar presentations at the U of S, as well as oral and poster presentations held at
national and international conferences. Students further their scientific skills through
daily interactions with peers and faculty, joint classroom assignments, and supervision of
undergraduates. Students are responsible for academic development and to a large part,
management of their own research project.
Areas of Specialization:
MSc students enrolled in the Toxicology Graduate Program can specialize in the areas of
environmental toxicology or biomedical toxicology (although several skills and techniques often
apply to both areas). Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the Program, students can receive
training and education in a wide range of areas associated with toxicology, including analytical
toxicology, aquatic/terrestrial toxicology, ecotoxicology, forensic toxicology,
immunotoxicology, molecular/biochemical toxicology, nutritional toxicology,
radiation/radionuclide toxicology, and veterinary toxicology.
Special or Innovative Features:
Students enrolled in the interdisciplinary MSc Program receive research experience and training
that will aid them in addressing applied toxicological issues. Based on regular internal program
reviews, novel academic and research initiatives are discussed and recommended, and several
new courses have recently been added to the curriculum. As a result, the Program has grown into
one of the most advanced interdisciplinary toxicology programs in North America. Students
receive excellent opportunities for specialized training in research due to exposure to many
readily available scientific research facilities. These facilities include recently renovated
laboratories at the Toxicology Centre and the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, the
Aquatic Toxicology Research Facility and the Canadian Light Source Synchrotron. Within the
Toxicology Centre, laboratory facilities are shared among all researchers, resulting in a
collaborative environment associated with research training.
U of S Toxicology Program – Graduate Program Review, Self-Study Document
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Course Evaluation:
All graduate courses are evaluated by students after the course’s final examination. A specialized
and confidential evaluation form is administered to the students and collected by Toxicology
Centre administrative staff. The information is then compiled and aggregated results are given to
the Director of the Toxicology Centre as well as the relevant instructor for review. Student
comments and recommendations are discussed at meetings of the Toxicology Group and have
been useful in ongoing development of the Program.
Intellectual Development and Educational Experience of the Student:
Graduate classes are typically intimate enough to allow extensive classroom discussions. Written
and oral class assignments challenge intellectual skills and build oral and written
communications skills. Other opportunities for intellectual development include participation in
and attendance of weekly mandatory seminars (TOX 990), and presentations, oral or poster, of
their research at local, national and international conferences. These conferences also present the
opportunity for students to interact with the broader scientific community through interactions
with many world class scientific researchers. Travel funds and awards for all graduate students
are provided through the Toxicology Centre, the Toxicology Graduate Student Association, and
various other U of S colleges and departments. The Toxicology Centre has two endowed awards
each year, the Sisodia Graduate Scholarship and the Schiefer Travel Award. In addition, the
AREVA travel award, administered through the Toxicology Centre, supports graduate student
travel associated with visiting foreign research institutions.
Degree Requirements:
Students entering the MSc program without a background in toxicology must take 6 credit units
of toxicology undergraduate courses and 9 credit units of core toxicology graduate courses.
Students entering the Program with a BSc in toxicology (or equivalent) must take 9 credit units
of core toxicology graduate courses to fulfill their MSc requirement. Additional courses may be
taken if there is a perceived need for the student to acquire more education in their specific area.
All MSc students are required to present a TOX 990 seminar and a thesis must be written and
defended on their research project.
U of S Toxicology Program – Graduate Program Review, Self-Study Document
Page 4
Graduate Degree Name:
Date Established:
Official UofS URL:
Doctor of Philosophy Ph.D.
1981-02-00
http://w w w .usask.ca/programs/graduate_studies/a_program_information.html
Admission Standards:
PhD students applying to the Toxicology Graduate Program require the same admission
standards as indicated for MSc students (see above). Students enrolled in the MSc Program may
transfer into a PhD if exceptional research progress is evident, have a minimum GPA of 80%,
display a high level of productivity and originality in their research as indicated by peerreviewed research publications, demonstrate excellent written and oral communications skills,
and achieve outstanding performance during a qualifying examination. Transferring students
must develop a PhD research proposal which will be defended during the qualifying
examination. All proposals to transfer from an MSc to a PhD are approved by the student’s
advisory committee as part of the recommendation to the CGSR for their final approval.
Program's URL:
http://w w w .usask.ca/toxicology/graduate_program.php
Description Narrative:
The Toxicology PhD Program was initiated in 1981 at same time as the MSc Program. Similar to
the MSc Program, all courses and graduate student supervision are delivered by Toxicology
Group members. Initially, PhD students were required to take 21 credit units of core toxicology
courses in addition to completion of a research project. In 2003, to reduce a student’s time to
completion of their program, course requirements were reduced to 15 credit units for students
without a previous MSc in toxicology, and 6 credit units for students holding a MSc in
toxicology. A qualifying examination was made mandatory for all PhD candidates in 2009 to
assess the candidate’s oral and written communications skills and their ability to develop original
research concepts, which the student presents in the form of a scientific research proposal. As of
2010, PhD students have the opportunity to receive specialized training in human and ecological
risk assessment through the CREATE HERA Program, which is a unique NSERC-funded
academic initiative focused on training future risk assessors (see below).
Objectives:
The objective of the graduate degree is... The objective of the Toxicology PhD
Program is to provide advanced training and education in toxicology subsequent to an
MSc degree or successful transfer from the MSc Program. The primary objectives of the
PhD Program are to deliver excellence in interdisciplinary training, to encourage
independent research, to develop academic and leadership qualities, and to integrate
students into the broader toxicology scientific community. The specific learning
U of S Toxicology Program – Graduate Program Review, Self-Study Document
Page 5
outcomes overlap closely with those of the MSc Program, with major differences
highlighted in the following sections.
This objective is achieved through...
PhD students typically stay longer in the
program than MSc students thus allowing more time for academic growth and
development. PhD students are encouraged to attend and present their research findings
at national and international scientific conferences. This kind of experience not only
offers the opportunity to develop presentation skills and broaden learning, but also allows
the fostering of valuable interactions and networking between the students and world
class scientists. Although opportunities are limited in the Toxicology Undergraduate
Program, PhD students are given the opportunity to lecture in undergraduate classes (e.g.
Tompsett, Naile, Heffernan, Vardy, Muscatello). Based on course evaluations and
advancements in science, course content is updated when necessary to ensure all students
in the Toxicology Program receive the best education possible.
Areas of Specialization:
Similar to MSc students, PhD students can specialize in either environmental or biomedical
toxicology. However, due to the interdisciplinary nature of the Toxicology Graduate Program,
PhD students can specialize in one of many available toxicological sub-disciplines including but
not limited to analytical, biomedical, ecological, nutritional, radionuclide, and veterinary
toxicology. The new CREATE HERA initiative provides PhD students with the unique
opportunity to receive advanced education and training in the field of human and ecological risk
assessment.
Special or Innovative Features:
PhD students in the Toxicology Graduate Program have access to world-class research facilities
at the Toxicology Centre, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, College of Medicine,
College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, College of Agriculture and Bioresources, and the Canadian
Light Source Synchrotron, which include extensive animal care facilities, analytical chemistry
instrumentation, and molecular biology laboratories. Due to the larger research component and
lengthier program, PhD students have a great opportunity to take advantage of foreign exchange
programs with partnering universities. Also, as part of the CREATE HERA Program, PhD
students have the opportunity for advanced course work in risk assessment, the opportunity for
cooperative work placement, and attendance in the Summer Institute of Risk, a short course
offered at the annual SETAC Prairie Northern Regional Chapter meeting.
Course Evaluation:
As mentioned above for the MSc Program, evaluation of each graduate course is conducted
anonymously by students after their final exam in that particular course. Students fill out
standardized questionnaires and have the opportunity to comment on course content and
delivery. Completed sheets are forwarded to the Director of the Toxicology Centre and the
course instructor.
U of S Toxicology Program – Graduate Program Review, Self-Study Document
Page 6
Intellectual Development and Educational Experience of the Student:
There are many opportunities for PhD students to develop their intellectual capacities, to become
engaged in the scientific community, and to exchange scientific ideas. All PhD students actively
participate in the weekly Toxicology Seminar Series (TOX 990). Presenters at these seminars not
only include MSc and PhD students but various guest speakers representing academia,
government, private sector and industry. PhD students are expected to attend and present at
national and international conferences and workshops. These conferences allow for student
interaction with the broader scientific community. Teaching opportunities exist for PhD students
which allow for further development and advancement of their educational experience.
Degree Requirements:
Without a previous MSc degree in toxicology, the PhD student must complete 15 credit units of
core toxicology graduate courses. If a MSc in toxicology is held, students are required to
complete 6 credit units of core toxicology graduate courses. Approximately one year into the
program, all PhD students must complete a qualifying examination, which consists of oral
defence of a written PhD proposal. A comprehensive examination is also required, which usually
occurs about 3 years into the PhD program after students’ coursework has been completed. The
comprehensive examination consists of (1) written answers to questions posed by each advisory
committee member and an external member, (2) a journal article critique, with the article chosen
by the student’s supervisor, and (3) the oral examination, where the student’s written responses
in (1) and (2) are further questioned by the examination committee. The student must pass the
comprehensive examination in order to continue in the program; if they fail, a second chance is
available only through official approval by the Dean of Graduate Studies. Finally, the PhD
student must write and successfully defend a thesis based on their research project.
U of S Toxicology Program – Graduate Program Review, Self-Study Document
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II. Program Profile
Date program established:
Date of last review:
1981-02-20
2000-03-00
name
Department Head:
phone #
email
Dr. David Janz
306-966-7434
david.janz@usask.ca
Graduate Program Chair:
Dr. Barry Blakley
306-966-7350
barry.blakley@usask.ca
Graduate Program Chair:
Dr. Michael Pietrock
306-966-4067
michael.pietrock@usask.ca
Shanda Rolleston
306-966-2795
shanda.rolleston@usask.ca
Graduate Program Secretary:
Program Narrative:
The CGSR approved the terms of reference for the establishment of the Toxicology Group in 1978.
Members of the Toxicology Group consist of scientists with interests in toxicology, with representation
from the university, federal and provincial governments, industry and the private sector. The widespread
expertise of the Group initially provided and continues to provide the foundation for the interdisciplinary
graduate program in toxicology that exists today. This program, approved in 1980, was the first of its kind
in Canada and is the longest standing interdisciplinary program at the U of S. The Toxicology Research
Centre was established in 1986, and in 1996 the Toxicology Group, the Toxicology Research Centre and
the Toxicology Graduate Program amalgamated to form a single functioning unit, the Toxicology Centre.
Construction began in January of 2006 on an $11.8-million expansion to the Centre, which significantly
increased laboratory space and infrastructure associated with analytical chemistry and molecular biology,
and also created the Aquatic Toxicology Research Facility (ATRF). Graduate student numbers ranged
from 40 to 45 students over the period of this review, with approximately 35% enrolled in the PhD
Program. Student recruitment into the Toxicology Graduate Program has been enhanced since initiation
of the Toxicology Major (BSc) program in 2002. To date, 17 graduates of the BSc program in toxicology
have entered the Toxicology MSc or PhD programs.
Graduate Program Collaborations:
The Toxicology Graduate Program, being interdisciplinary in its nature, is delivered by many U of S
faculty representing but not exclusive to the Toxicology Centre, School of Environment and
Sustainability, College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, and the departments of Veterinary Biomedical
Sciences, Veterinary Pathology, Soil Science, Biology, Geological Sciences, Animal and Poultry Science,
and Anatomy and Cell Biology. In addition, supervision and co-supervision of students occurs via
research partnerships with Toxicology Group members employed by federal and provincial government
agencies, including the National Hydrology Research Institute, Environment Canada, Canadian Wildlife
Service, Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Saskatchewan Watershed Authority. An expanding
graduate student exchange program exists between the Toxicology Graduate Program and international
universities, including; Roskilde University (Denmark), Ghent University (Belgium), University of
Joensuu (Finland), RWTH Aachen University (Germany), Nanjing University (China), Xiamen
University (China), City University of Hong Kong (China), and Umea University (Sweden).
U of S Toxicology Program – Graduate Program Review, Self-Study Document
Page 8
Program Strategic Plan Highlights:
Objectives:
Progress:
:
In May, 2007 the Toxicology Group Executive
met to conduct an internal review of the
Toxicology Graduate Program. To greater
enhance student experience and broaden the
scope of their applied skills, it was decided that
new graduate courses would need to be
created, specifically in the areas of Aquatic
Toxicology and Toxicology Techniques.
The Toxicology Group Executive met again in
May, 2010 to perform an internal review of the
existing Toxicology Graduate Program. One
goal the Executive hopes to achieve is a
consistent enrollment of at least 45 graduate
students in the Toxicology Graduate Program
each year. The Executive would also like to see
an increased proportion of PhD students
enrolled in the Program. Some practical and
significant steps will be taken to try to achieve
both of these goals through the recruitment of
new faculty to the Toxicology Graduate
Program, implementation of the CREATE
HERA Program, and the establishment of a
Non-Thesis Master’s Program in Toxicology.
In addition, the Toxicology Group Executive
recognized that with the most recent faculty
recruitment the Program’s focus had become
more strongly orientated toward teaching and
research in ecological toxicology, and
acknowledged the need to strengthen the
human/biomedical toxicology aspect of the
Program. It was agreed that at least one new
faculty position would need to be created in
order to move in this direction.
A new course in Aquatic Toxicology (TOX
850.3) was developed and first delivered in
September, 2008. This course, offered
biannually, includes both lecture and lab
components. Approximately 10 students enroll
in this course when offered. A new modular
course in Toxicology Techniques (TOX 844.3)
was also created and has been offered annually
since the 2008/09 academic year. This course
provides students with hands-on experience in
a variety of laboratory and field techniques
used in toxicology research. This course also
has an average of 10 students enrolled each
year.
The increased number of graduates in the U of
S Toxicology Undergraduate Program has been
instrumental in recruiting new students into the
MSc Program (total 17 since 2004). In
September, 2010, the CREATE HERA
Program launched its first course offerings
with 10 students enrolled, representing both the
U of S and other Canadian universities. The
CREATE HERA program is composed of four
distinct components: (1) advanced specialized
course work, (2) Summer Institute of Risk
course, (3) work placement and (4)
professional development. A proposal for a
Non-Thesis Masters in Toxicology will be
submitted for approval by the University in fall
2011 or spring 2012.
In a collaborative effort with other academic
units on campus, a new tenure-track faculty
position in the area of human/biomedical
toxicology is currently advertised, with a
tentative start date of July 1, 2011. This
assistant professor position will teach a senior
undergraduate course in Systemic Toxicology
within the Toxicology BSc program, a graduate
course in the candidate's area of expertise
within the Toxicology Graduate Program, and
an additional undergraduate or graduate course
within the designated academic unit.
U of S Toxicology Program – Graduate Program Review, Self-Study Document
Page 9
Previous Review – Synopsis:
:
Findings:
Response/Action:
The recruitment of 3 Canada Research Chairs (Giesy,
Dube, George) into the Toxicology Group since 2004
has greatly increased the Toxicology Program’s
international reputation. All three chairs are
recognized internationally for their outstanding
research programs. In addition, several other faculty
within the Toxicology Group have developed strong
international reputations associated with their
research programs.
This concern has been addressed by the recruitment
of 3 new faculty since 2002 (Siciliano-Soil Science,
Smits-Vet. Pathology, Niyogi-Biology), all hired as
part of the Northern Ecosystems Toxicology
Initiative (NETI). All three faculty members teach
2) The apparent volunteer basis for much of
core toxicology courses in both the Toxicology
the teaching raises some concern in terms of
Graduate and Undergraduate Programs. The 3 CRCs
long-term planning and stability for the
mentioned above also contribute to teaching core
Toxicology Graduate Program.
Toxicology graduate courses. In addition, we have
recently recruited 2 additional faculty into the core
group (Jones-NETI and Hecker-CRC) who will teach
courses in the Toxicology Graduate Program.
A Graduate Secretary was hired and as a result all
issues relating to committee meeting scheduling,
3) Concern was raised regarding the somewhat submission of progress reports and minutes to
unstructured nature of the program, resulting
CGSR, and scheduling thesis defenses have been
in problems such as failure of students to
improved. The Graduate Chair and the Graduate
present timely research proposals, failure to
Secretary ensure all students in Program hold at least
have regular Advisory Committee meetings or one committee meeting per year, or more as required.
track student progress, a lack of timely
Although there are exceptions, most students in the
feedback on thesis drafts, and long program
Program complete their MSc in 3-4 years and their
completion times.
PhD in 4-6 years. Overall, significant progress has
been made addressing this important concern. There
is still room for improvement in the future.
According to the previous graduate program
review in 2000, the Toxicology Graduate
Program was given a satisfactory rating of
category B. The following sections describe
three of the major areas of improvement
recommended . 1) None of the Faculty has yet
achieved an international reputation.
U of S Toxicology Program – Graduate Program Review, Self-Study Document
Page 10
III. Program Administration
Administrative Resources: Graduate Chair and Graduate Secretary:
Degree Description
MSc and PhD
The Graduate Chair (Blakley) oversees the administrative and academic aspects of the Toxicology
Graduate Program, including acting as the main point of contact for all admission inquires, serving as
chair on all PhD Advisory Committees, submission of PhD student programs of study and progress
reports to the CGSR, and facilitating the PhD qualifying and comprehensive examinations. Since 2007,
the Assistant Director of the Toxicology Centre (Pietrock) serves in a similar capacity for all MSc
students with the exception of admissions. The Graduate Secretary (Rolleston) assists both the Graduate
Chair and Assistant Director by managing the GSIS, updating student files, grade entry, corresponding
with committee members and students, scheduling committee meetings and setting examination dates.
Monthly time commitments vary, but are roughly as follows: Program Chair (60 hrs), Assistant Director
(40 hrs), Secretary (60 hrs).
Innovation in Policies & Procedures:
With recent growth in the MSc and PhD Programs came the realization that the Graduate Chair could not
effectively handle all of the associated duties. In 2007, an Assistant Director was hired, followed by a
Graduate Secretary in 2009, who have provided invaluable assistance with administration of the Program.
In the PhD Program, the policies regarding qualifying and comprehensive examinations have recently
been modified. All PhD students must now pass a qualifying exam (QE), which previously was waived
when students had an acceptable background in toxicology. During the QE students present and defend
their research proposal to the public as well as to their Advisory Committee. The comprehensive exam
(CE) was also recently modified as described above. In the MSc Program, students who wish to transfer
to a PhD Program must pass a QE, which consists of oral defence of a written PhD proposal to the public
and Advisory Committee.
Communication:
Monthly meetings of the core Toxicology Group faculty (consisting of 12 members of the Toxicology
Group that are the primary participants in graduate student teaching and research supervision) are held
between September to June. Changes in the graduate program or policy are developed collectively at
these meetings. New academic developments and initiatives are presented to students at the Annual
General Meeting of the Toxicology Group. Current policies and program requirements are publicly
available on the Toxicology Centre website. In addition, a Checklist of requirements is provided to all
graduate students (see Appendix A). Each September, the Graduate Chair meets with all new graduate
students to outline general policies and expectations of students in either the MSc or PhD Programs. In
addition, the CGSR provides a document (Graduate Student - Supervisor Agreement) that discusses
important aspects of the graduate student-supervisor relationship.
U of S Toxicology Program – Graduate Program Review, Self-Study Document
Page 11
Student Satisfaction with Graduate Supervision Index:
The Graduate Student Exit Survey commenced at the end of the academic year 2005/06. The survey was
administered as a paper survey; the survey completion was voluntary. The graduate program in
Toxicology collected 6 replies over a total of 4 years: 2 survey replies in 2005/06; 1 reply in 2006/07; 2
replies in 2007/08 and 1 reply in 2008/09 The responses for subsequent years under review are not yet
tabulated by the College of Graduate Studies and Research.
• QUESTION 8. In general, how satisfied were you with your Supervisor? 2 of 6 respondents
were “very satisfied” with their supervisor; 2 respondent indicated a “moderate satisfaction” level
with the supervisor, and the remaining 2 indicated that they had been “dissatisfied” with their
supervisors.
• QUESTION 11. How appropriate was the quality of supervision provided by your research
supervisor? Through the years, respondents indicated a mostly moderate level of satisfaction; 2 of
6 respondents indicated that the quality of supervision was “very appropriate”; however 2
respondent said that the quality of supervision was “ moderately appropriate”, and the remaining
2 respondents rated the quality of supervision as “not at all appropriate”..
• QUESTION 12. How often was your research supervisor available when you needed advice or
help? 3 of 6 respondents found their supervisors to be “very available”; 2 respondent indicated
that their supervisors were “moderately available”; and the remaining respondent indicated that
the supervisor was “ not at all available”.
Program Comments on Student Satisfaction index:
The number of replies to this survey were low and we do not feel they accurately reflect overall
student satisfaction with the Program over the past 5 years. Our internal review documents on
quality of the Program and overall satisfaction of students in their Exit Surveys indicated that out
of 15 students (2006-2009), 9 were very satisfied, 5 were satisfied, and 1 was dissatisfied with the
Program. That said, we realize that there are certain instances where supervisors may not be
readily available and we know that this is an area where we can improve upon in the future.
Program of Studies (POS):
Student
Count
All new
students
# with
POS
within 1
year
% with
POS
within 1
year
2005/2006
2006/2007
2007/2008
2008/2009
2009/2010
Average
8
4
10
6
8
7.2
8
4
9
6
5
6.4
100%
100%
90%
100%
62.5%
88.9
U of S Toxicology Program – Graduate Program Review, Self-Study Document
Page 12
Effective Guidance to Students for Developing a Program of Studies:
The Graduate Student Exit Survey commenced at the end of the academic year 2005/06. The survey was
administered as a paper survey; the survey completion was voluntary. The graduate program in
Toxicology collected 6 replies over a total of 4 years: 2 survey replies in 2005/06; 1 reply in 2006/07; 2
replies in 2007/08 and 1 reply in 2008/09. The responses for subsequent years under review are not yet
tabulated by the College of Graduate Studies and Research.
• QUESTION 9. How appropriate was the advice you received concerning your program of study
from the Department Head/Graduate Chairperson? 2 of 6 respondents indicated that the advice
they received was “very appropriate”; another 3 respondents found the advice “moderately
appropriate”; and 1 respondent indicated that the advice received was “not appropriate at all”.
• QUESTION 10. How timely was the advice you received concerning your program of study
from the Department Head/Graduate Committee Chairperson? 4 of 6 respondents replied that
they found the advice “very timely”, with 2 respondents indicating that the advice had been
“moderately timely”.
• QUESTION 26. In general, how satisfied were you overall with your program of studies? Out
of 6 respondents 5 indicated that they were “moderately satisfied”, and 1 respondent replied that
he/she was “not at all satisfied”.
Program Comments on POS:
All of our PhD and MSc students have a Program of Study (POS) submitted within one year,
typically within 1-2 months after entry into the Program. As some of our graduate courses have
not always been offered when scheduled (e.g., when class enrollment was below 4 students)
changes in the POS were necessary. In these cases, changes in the POS were made but final
approval occurred in these students' second year in the Program. The number in the 2009/2010
category "percentage with POS within 1 year" is low because of this situation. Overall, we try to
accommodate students' wishes when developing their POS. As well, the advisory committee
recommends courses that will be most beneficial to the student.
CGSR Administrative Review Data
The CGSR completes an administrative review of the graduate activities and forwards a full
report to the head of the academic unit. Below are those sections of the CGSR Administrative
Review report which provide commentary on the effectiveness of the unit's systems and
procedures in terms of their impact on student experience and success in the areas of admissions,
defences and convocation, and awards and scholarships. Following each assessment category is
a narration field for your observations and comments, general description of the unit's
procedures, their effectiveness, successes and challenges.
Admissions:
There are no outstanding issues with admissions in the Toxicology programs.
U of S Toxicology Program – Graduate Program Review, Self-Study Document
Page 13
Program Comments on the findings noted above:
None
Program Management:
Assessment of the graduate program management was based on loosely defined topics, including
administrative staff, Programs of Studies, Progress Reports, student transfers, student leaves, program
extensions, thesis defenses, and program development (special topics courses, and programmatic
changes). The following comments are based on year-to-year experiences while working with the
Department. There was a change in personnel at the Graduate Secretary position, and this change was
unnoticeable from the perspective of the CGSR. This can probably be attributed to having well-defined
processes in place, recruiting good staff into this position and excellent oversight over the program. The
programs of studies are seldom ‘Approved by Department’ in a timely manner, although the course
selection and information on this form are consistent with program requirements. The Toxicology Centre
routinely recommends that students be allowed to transfer from the Master’s to PhD program after the 2year limit. It’s worth noting that although these recommendations are received late in the student’s
program, those who are recommended for transfer are legitimate candidates. The Toxicology Centre is
arguably the best unit on campus when it comes to thesis defences, specifically at the PhD level. The unit
always allows plenty of ‘lead time’ and identifies highly esteemed individuals as external examiners.
Theses are well “polished” at the time of defense. An ongoing debate persists, with respect to the
challenge of selecting qualified external examiners for Master’s students, owing to the point that these are
interdisciplinary programs with broad faculty representation. Committees in the CGSR understand this
challenge, but have not been overly sympathetic. All programs on campus have been expected to respect
the CGSR policy on conflict of interest, as it applies to selection of external examiners.
Program Comments on the findings noted above:
The POS are seldom "Approved by Department" in a timely fashion to keep administrative
workload low in case the POS needs to be revised. We believe that it is difficult for a MSc
student to transfer to a PhD within a two-year timeframe, in particular when the student's research
project includes field work. We require that students wishing to transfer to a PhD to show
evidence of good writing skills (typically in the form of a submitted/accepted manuscript) and it
is difficult to complete initial coursework and conduct sufficient research to generate publishable
results in less than two years. As well, in order to transfer towards the end of the second year,
meetings need to be held prior to a potential transfer to discuss this option with the Advisory
Committee. Furthermore, a detailed project proposal needs to be prepared and defended that
shows that the project is proceeding well, producing sound scientific results, and, most
importantly, outlines the innovative and advanced components of the proposed PhD work
compared to the original MSc project. We agree that it is challenging to find qualified external
thesis examiners as in many cases examiners with the "right" expertise are already a member of
the Toxicology Group and thus not truly external to the Program.
U of S Toxicology Program – Graduate Program Review, Self-Study Document
Page 14
Awards & Scholarships:
Toxicology is a well run graduate program. Toxicology attracts scholarship calibre students and their
students are consistent in being awarded national scholarships.
Program Comments on the findings noted above:
None
U of S Toxicology Program – Graduate Program Review, Self-Study Document
Page 15
IV. Faculty Profile & Mentorship
All Department Faculty List
Faculty Name
Rank
Status
CGSR Member?
Specialization
Jane Alcorn
Associate Professor
College of Pharmacy and Nutrition
Yes
Pharmacology
Lalita Bharadw aj
Associate Professor
College of Nursing
Yes
Risk Assessment
Judit Smits
Associate Professor
Western College of Veterinary Medicine
Yes
Veterinary Pathology
Barry Blakley
Professor
Western College of Veterinary Medicine
Yes
Immunotoxicology
Monique Dubé
Associate Professor
School of Environment and Sustainability
Yes
Aquatic Toxicology
Graham George
Professor
College of Arts and Sciences
Yes
Synchrotron Technology
John Giesy
Professor
Western College of Veterinary Medicine
Yes
Environ. Toxicology
Linda Hiebert
Professor
Western College of Veterinary Medicine
Yes
Vascular Toxicology
David Janz
Professor
Western College of Veterinary Medicine
Yes
Biochemical Toxicology
Paul Jones
Associate Professor
School of Environment and Sustainability
Yes
Environ. Chemistry
Pat Krone
Professor
College of Medicine
Yes
Developmental Toxicol.
Karsten Liber
Professor
School of Environment and Sustainability
Yes
Aquatic Toxicology
Som Niyogi
Assistant Professor
College of Arts and Sciences
Yes
Aquatic Toxicology
Phyllis Paterson
Professor
College of Pharmacy and Nutrition
Yes
Nutritional Sciences
Michael Pietrock
Assistant Professor
Western College of Veterinary Medicine
No
Environ. Parasitology
Steven Siciliano
Associate Professor
College of Agriculture and Bioresources
Yes
Soil Toxicology
Baljit Singh
Professor
Western College of Veterinary Medicine
Yes
Biomedical Toxicology
Lynn Weber
Assistant Professor
Western College of Veterinary Medicine
Yes
Cardiovascular Toxicol.
Mark Wickstrom
Associate Professor
Western College of Veterinary Medicine
Yes
Wildlife Toxicology
Pat Thomas
Research Associate
Yes
Radiation Toxicology
U of S Toxicology Program – Graduate Program Review, Self-Study Document
Page 16
Commentary on All Department Faculty List:
The criteria for adding faculty to this list were that they (1) participated in teaching a graduate course, and/or (2) supervised a graduate
student in the Program in the 5-year period covered by this review. As an indication of the interdisciplinary nature of the Program, the list
includes faculty from 6 Colleges/Schools on campus. It should be noted that the area of specialization of each individual faculty member is
much broader than shown in this document.
All Department: Number of Faculty and percentage of Full Professors
Faculty
2005/2006
2006/2007
2007/2008
2008/2009
2009/2010
Average
All Faculty
20.0
20.0
21.0
20.0
20.0
20.2
Full Professors
8.0
8.0
8.0
9.0
9.0
8.4
40%
40%
38.1%
45%
45%
41.6%
% Full Professors
Commentary on All Department Number of Faculty and Percentage of Full Professors
It should also be noted that there are currently 3 Canada Research Chairs among the Toxicology Group faculty, with an additional 2 Canada
Research Chairs to be added to the Toxicology Group in 2011.
Graduate Program Faculty - External Contribution to the Program
Contributor
Faculty /
Adjunct
Unit / Institution
/ Agency
Comments
(Include # of students supervised)
Mark Berry
Adjunct
Brandon University
Dr. Berry is an Adjunct Professor since 2010. He supervises one student in the Toxicology Graduate
Program. He also contributed a guest lecture to the Program.
John-Mark Davies
Adjunct
Saskatchewan
Watershed
Authority
Dr. Davies co-supervises one MSc student in the Graduate Program. He has served as external
examiner of 3 student theses in the last 5 years.
John Headley
Adjunct
Environment
Canada
Markus Hecker
Adjunct
ENTRIX Inc.
Dr. Headley has been supervising 1 MSc and 2 PhD students over the last 5 years. He has also been
serving as committee member and external examiner on student committees and contributed guest
lectures to the Toxicology Graduate Program.
Dr. Hecker is serving on 5 Student Advisory Committees. He taught the laboratory portion of TOX
850.3 Aquatic Toxicology in 2008. He leads the student exchange program with RWTH Aachen
(Germany). Dr. Hecker has recently been recruited into the Toxicology Group as a Canada Research
Chair (commencing March 1, 2011).
U of S Toxicology Program – Graduate Program Review, Self-Study Document
Page 17
Graduate Program Faculty - Graduate Teaching Assignments:
Faculty Name
Jane Alcorn
Barry Blakley
2005/2006
PHAR 848, PHAR
854
VBMS 833, TOX
860
2006/2007
PHAR 848, PHAR
854
TOX 860
Monique Dubé
VBMS 898
John Giesy
TOX 898 (843)
Linda Hiebert
VBMS 840
David Janz
TOX 898 (842)
VBMS 840
2007/2008
PHAR 848, PHAR
854
VBMS 833, TOX
860
VBMS 840
PHAR 848, PHAR
854
TOX 860, TOX 898
VBMS 840
TOX 842
TOX 843, TOX 898 (844)
TOX 898 (844)
TOX 898
Karsten Liber
BIOL 898
Som Niyogi
Michael Pietrock
PHAR 848, PHAR 854
2009/2010
TOX 898 (850)
TOX 898 (843)
Paul Jones
2008/2009
O/L
Steven Siciliano
Lynn Weber
VBMS 840
Mark Wickstrom
TOX 840
Pat Thomas
TOX 810
Judit Smits
VTPA 841
O/L
O/L
TOX 898 (820)
TOX 820
VBMS 840
VBMS 840
TOX 898 (844)
TOX 820, TOX 898
VBMS 898, TOX 898 (844),
VBMS 840
TOX 840
TOX 810
TOX 898 (844)
TOX 840
TOX 810
TOX 810
TOX 810
VTPA 841
O/L
O/L
2
1
Adjunct Faculty
(All)
U of S Toxicology Program – Graduate Program Review, Self-Study Document
Page 18
Graduate Program - Courses Offered:
Course Number 2005/2006 2006/2007 2007/2008 2008/2009 2009/2010
PHAR 848
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
PHAR 854
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
PHAR 856
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
BIOL898
No
Yes
No
No
No
TOX 810
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
TOX 820
No
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
TOX 840
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
TOX842
Yes
No
Yes
No
No
TOX 843
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
TOX 844
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
TOX 850
No
No
No
Yes
No
TOX 860
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
VBMS 833
Yes
No
Yes
No
No
VBMS 840
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
VBMS 898
No
Yes
No
No
No
VTPA 841
Yes
No
Yes
No
No
Commentary on Graduate Teaching:
TOX 844 and 850 were first offered in the 2008/2009 academic year and are being offered annually and bi-annually, respectively. PHARM
856 has not been offered since 2007/2008 because of faculty retirement; we hope to offer this course in the near future with other faculty.
VTPA 841 has not been offered since 2007/2008 due to faculty leave. VBMS 898 has not been offered since 2006/2007 due to faculty leave
and transfer to another academic unit; it was replaced by other statistics courses. Additional courses (ANSC 825 Nutritional Toxicology,
APMC 825 Carcinogens and Mutagens, MICR 820 DNA Repair and Mutagenesis) are on the calendar but were not offered in the last 5
years due to low student interest.
U of S Toxicology Program – Graduate Program Review, Self-Study Document
Page 19
Graduate Program Faculty - Graduate Student Supervision:
Faculty
Students Completed
Master's
PhD
Other
Students in Progress
Master's
Phd
Other
Jane Alcorn
1-0 (3)
0-0 (2)
0-0 (7)
0-0 (3)
Lalita Bharadw aj
2-0 (1)
0
0-0 (1)
0
Barry Blakley
0-1 (0)
0
0
0
Monique Dubé
1-0 (1)
1-0 (0)
1-1 (2)
1-0 (4)
John Giesy
2-0 (4)
0-0 (8)
3-0 (1)
3-0 (1)
Linda Hiebert
0
0
0-0 (1)
0-0 (2)
David Janz
5-0 (0)
1-1 (0)
2-0 (0)
1-0 (1)
Paul Jones
0-1 (1)
0-0 (1)
0
0-1 (0)
Pat Krone
1-0 (2)
1-0 (2)
0-1 (0)
0-0 (2)
Karsten Liber
3-0 (2)
0
3-1 (0)
2-0 (0)
Som Niyogi
0-0 (1)
0
0-1 (0)
1-0 (3)
Phyllis Paterson
1-0 (2)
0
0
0-0 (2)
Michael Pietrock
0
0
1-0 (0)
0
Steven Siciliano
0-2 (6)
0-0 (2)
0-2 (1)
3-0 (3)
Baljit Singh
1-0 (5)
1-0 (2)
1-0 (2)
0-0 (3)
Lynn Weber
2-0 (0)
0
1-0 (1)
1-0 (1)
Mark Wickstrom
3-1 (0)
1-0 (1)
0-2 (0)
1-0 (0)
Pat Thomas
0
0
0
0
Judit Smits
3-0 (3)
0
0
0
Graham George
U of S Toxicology Program – Graduate Program Review, Self-Study Document
Page 20
Graduate Student to Graduate Faculty Ratio
2009/2010
Students in Program
Master's Program PhD Program
29
14
Faculty with CGSR membership 20
19
1.4:1
Student/Faculty ratio
0.7:1
Commentary on Mentorship of Students:
Most Toxicology Group faculty also supervise graduate students within their respective home departments in addition to students in the
Toxicology Graduate Program. Most faculty are also members of graduate student advisory committees in several other graduate programs
outside the Toxicology Graduate Program. In addition to courses taught in the Toxicology Graduate Program, many faculty also have
graduate teaching assignments within their home departments.
Graduate Program Faculty - Funding from External Sources
Tri-Agency Funding
Academic Year
Count
$$
CDN/SK Granting Agencies Other Granting Agencies
Count
$$
Count
$$
Total for the Year
Count
$$
2005/2006
8
440,860.00
15
4,180,242.00
21
2,322,019.00
44
6,943,121
2006/2007
8
624,565.00
15
10,740,879.00
32
5,638,747.00
55
17,004,191
2007/2008
10
1,036,893.00
16
9,042,558.00
31
5,849,129.00
57
15,928,580
2008/2009
9
1,148,212.00
18
4,823,833.00
19
7,263,652.00
46
13,235,697
2009/2010
8
1,026,659.00
12
2,975,790.00
18
7,595,484.00
38
11,597,933
Total
43
4,277,189
76
31,763,302
121
28,669,031
240
64,709,522
U of S Toxicology Program – Graduate Program Review, Self-Study Document
Others - For funding from
sources not specifically
identified. Explain source
& provide Details.
Page 21
Commentary on funding from External Sources:
Other granting agencies include industry funding, foundations, international agencies, other universities, and funding from within the U of
S. Numbers reflect the total funding received by the faculty; however, not all of this funding is necessarily routed through the Toxicology
Centre since a portion may be allocated to graduate programs in the home departments of respective faculty or to government agencies (e.g.,
Environment Canada). All numbers are estimates and average values. For example, for the academic year 2005/2006 all funding of the two
years 2005 and 2006 was summarized (separately for each category) and divided by two. If funds were awarded to a research group and the
amount given to the individual group member could not be identified, the total funding was divided by the number of group members and
the resulting amount was considered the research fund available for each member.
Graduate Program Faculty Receiving Awards Recognition
Faculty Name
Year
Name of Award & Amount
Baljit Singh
2008
3M Teaching Fellowship
John Giesy
2010
Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada
John Giesy
2010
Distinguished Professor, King Saud University
John Giesy
2010
SABEX Award
John Giesy
2010
Einstein Professorship, Chinese Academy of Sciences
John Giesy
2007
International "Man of the Year", American Biographical Institute Board of International Research
Lalita Bharadw aj
2008
Brian Eckel Award of Merit - Environmental Award Category
Lynn Weber
2006
SHRF Top New Investigator - Biomedical
David Janz
2006
Pfizer Animal Health Award for Research Excellence 2006
Mark Wickstrom
2010
USSU Teaching Award
U of S Toxicology Program – Graduate Program Review, Self-Study Document
Page 22
Graduate Program Faculty Knowledge Translation
Activity / Description
Books accepted, peer reviewed
2005/2006
2006/2007
2007/2008
1
0
1
1
0
Patents granted or pending
2
0
0
0
2
Juried art shows, national or international
0
0
0
0
0
Invited tours, national or international
0
0
0
0
0
CD, national or international recording label
0
0
0
0
0
Books chapters accepted, peer reviewed
23
4
3
5
4
Journal articles accepted, refereed
83
84
97
104
81
Key note speaker, national or international conferences
6
6
6
3
4
Invited papers in published conference proceedings
3
3
3
1
1
Invited reviews in peer reviewed publications
1
1
1
1
0
Artists exhibition, collaborative, juried
0
0
0
0
0
Invited performances, national
0
0
0
0
0
Activity / Description
Conference presentations/lectures, invited
2008/2009
2009/2010
2005/2006
2006/2007
2007/2008
2008/2009
2009/2010
35
36
35
44
36
Conference presentations/lectures, non-invited
119
113
120
122
109
Contributed papers in published conference proceedings
14
14
15
10
3
Technical reports published, relevant to academic field
10
12
13
10
9
Invited performances, provincial
0
0
0
0
0
CD, provincial or local production
0
0
0
0
0
U of S Toxicology Program – Graduate Program Review, Self-Study Document
Page 23
OVERALL Commentary on Faculty Profile:
The numbers of "contributed papers in published conference proceedings" is low because most conferences that our faculty attend do not
produce published proceedings. It should be noted that Canada Research Chair appointments are considered major awards, and thus our
current complement of 3 CRCs could also be considered in the section on faculty awards.
U of S Toxicology Program – Graduate Program Review, Self-Study Document
Page 24
V. Physical Resources
Library Resources:
The Toxicology Centre maintains a small library that is available to all Toxicology graduate and
undergraduate students, faculty and staff. The collection is comprised of books, theses from alumni,
selected scientific journals/periodicals, government publications and other reference material. A complete
list of available literature can be accessed online at http://www.usask.ca/toxicology/library.php.
Laboratory & Research Facilities:
Major laboratory space and infrastructure improvements were made as a result of the Toxicology Centre
expansion in 2006. This included large molecular biology/biochemistry and analytical chemistry
laboratories. In addition to existing laboratory facilities in place prior to the expansion, the Toxicology
Centre is now home to a wide range of instrumentation to conduct research in toxicology. The Toxicology
Centre also houses the Aquatic Toxicology Research Facility, which is a unique laboratory for performing
toxicological research with aquatic animals and plants. Further equipment on campus can easily be
accessed due to the interdisciplinarity of the Program. The CLS synchrotron is within walking distance of
the Centre and is used in several student projects. Proposals are currently being developed for further
expansion of the Toxicology Centre.
Graduate Student Space:
All students in the Program are assigned office space (either individual cubicles or shared offices) and
share research laboratory space and equipment. Typically, student office and laboratory space is located
in the same building as their supervisor although there may be exceptions when a student is cosupervised. If a student needs to use specialized equipment or a specific research facility located
elsewhere from their home building, proper training is received before work can be initiated.
U of S Toxicology Program – Graduate Program Review, Self-Study Document
Page 25
VI. Graduate Students
U of S Toxicology Program – Graduate Program Review, Self-Study Document
Page 26
U of S Toxicology Program – Graduate Program Review, Self-Study Document
Page 27
Commentary on Number of New Students:
Each year brings an increase in the number of students requesting entrance to the Toxicology Graduate Program. Since the Graduate
Program Review in 2000, the Program has seen a steady increase in student enrollment, and the Program typically has between 40-45
students enrolled each year. The goal is to increase the number of new graduate students through continued recruitment of students from
the Toxicology Major BSc Program, implementation of the Non-thesis Master’s Program, new faculty hires, and recruitment of additional
faculty members and government scientists to the Toxicology Group.
Graduate Student Knowledge Translation
Activity / Description
Books accepted, peer reviewed
2005/2006 2006/2007 2007/2008 2008/2009 2009/2010
0
0
0
0
0
Patents granted or pending
0
0
0
0
1
Juried art shows, national or international
0
0
0
0
0
Invited tours, national or international
0
0
0
0
0
CD, national or international recording label
0
0
0
0
0
Activity / Description
Books chapters accepted, peer reviewed
2005/2006 2006/2007 2007/2008 2008/2009 2009/2010
0
0
0
1
0
Journal articles accepted, refereed
9
18
28
36
30
Invited presentations, national or international conferences
5
9
9
6
4
Invited papers in published conference proceedings
2
2
3
2
1
Artists exhibition, collaborative, juried
0
0
0
0
0
Invited performances, national
0
0
0
0
0
U of S Toxicology Program – Graduate Program Review, Self-Study Document
Page 28
Activity / Description
Conference presentations/lectures
2005/2006 2006/2007 2007/2008 2008/2009 2009/2010
55
55
68
72
68
Public lectures/colloquiums
0
0
0
0
0
Contributed papers in published conference proceedings
6
5
5
3
1
Technical reports published, related to field
2
4
5
4
2
All other performances, provincial & local
0
0
0
0
0
CD, provincial or local production
0
0
0
0
0
Commentary on Graduate Student Knowledge Translation:
The majority of conference presentations are made by graduate students. Although many different conferences and workshops are
attended each year, the scientific conference with the greatest attendance by our graduate students is the Society of Environmental
Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) annual meeting, an international conference with about 2500 delegates. As a metric of our graduate
student "presence" at the 2008 and 2009 SETAC meetings, we compared the number of presentations made by members of the Toxicology
Graduate Program with all other institutions and agencies. In both years, we ranked third in the number of presentations behind only the
United States Environmental Protection Agency and Environment Canada. Thus, our Program gave the most presentations at the 2008 and
2009 SETAC meeting of any university in the world. The numbers of students on "contributed papers in published conference
proceedings" is inaccurate as most faculty do not list conference proceedings on their CV. The numbers given in this table relate only to
students in the Toxicology Graduate Program.
U of S Toxicology Program – Graduate Program Review, Self-Study Document
Page 29
VII. Financial Support of Graduate Students
Students Receiving Other External Awards or Recognition
2005/2006
Aw
# Master's # PhD
ard
0
0
2006/2007
# Master's
0
# PhD
0
2007/2008
# Master's
0
# PhD
0
2008/2009
# Master's
0
# PhD
0
2009/2010
# Master's
0
# PhD
0
Commentary on Graduate Student Awards:
All student stipends are guaranteed from research grants or scholarships when entering the
Program. The amounts for Tri-Agency awards do not include students who received NSERC
Industrial Postgraduate Scholarships (IPGS); in the past 5 years we have had 3 students receiving
these national scholarships. Among the Tri-Agency scholarships, it is important to note that we
have had 4 students awarded the prestigious NSERC Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGS) in the
past 5 years. Our students have received several national and international awards, including:
Shane Journeay: was an invited presenter and expert to the US-EPA, Health Canada, and
American Industrial Hygiene Association, and represented Canada at the International Space
University in Strasbourg, France; Brian Laird, Alexis Schafer: both received the Garfield Weston
Award for Northern Research ($40,000 each); Charlene Burnett, Julie Anderson: both were
elected as one of two student representatives from across Canada to serve on the ATW Board of
Directors; Raymond Kwong: recipient of the Chris Lee Award from SETAC; Jocelyn Kelly:
recipient of the Rick Playle Award (ATW) for best MSc student thesis.
VIII. Student & Program Outcomes
Commentary on Program Completion:
The majority of MSc students complete their program in 3-4 years and PhD students complete
their program in 4-6 years. There have been circumstances where Toxicology graduate students
have taken longer to complete their program; however, we are working diligently to rectify this
issue and reduce the overall time to completion. Emphasis is made on the importance of
completing programs in a timely manner by the student’s supervisor, the Graduate Chair, and the
Advisory Committee, and all parties are responsible for ensuring students complete on time. One
variable that occasionally inhibits completion is when a student finds employment before their
thesis is complete. The research component for many students is funded by industry grants, and it
occasionally takes months into the student’s program before this funding is in place. Many
student projects are multi-collaborative, involving more people who need to review, analyze and
discuss data before a student can move forward. There are a high number of projects that require
extensive field work, forcing the student to perform 2 to 3 field seasons in order to collect
sufficient data for the thesis. A student’s stipend is quite minimal compared to the cost of living
and some students seek part time employment to supplement their income; as a result they may
not devote as much of their time to their program as necessary. In the past, several MSc research
projects were too demanding and either the expectations need to be lowered or we need to
transfer more MSc students into the PhD program. Overall, we are cognizant of the issue of
occasionally long completion times, particularly with MSc students, and reducing completion
times is a top priority in future planning for the Toxicology Graduate Program.
U of S Toxicology Program – Graduate Program Review, Self-Study Document
Page 30
Commentary on Incompletes/Withdrawals:
Since the Program’s inception, there have been relatively few withdrawals from the Toxicology
Graduate Program (5 MSc and 2 PhD). In most cases students left for personal reasons; however,
one PhD student left due to academic dishonesty. It is difficult to prevent all withdrawals from
occurring but with support every student receives from their committee, supervisor and graduate
chair, we are hopeful that future withdrawals can be prevented.
Post Graduate Employment Survey Report: see Appendix D
Commentary on Success Indicators:
The high level of specific toxicological training and education graduate students receive in the
Toxicology Program continue to make our students highly sought after by government, industry,
and the private sector. As indicated above, many students are hired before completion of their
project. A large number of MSc students begin their career after graduation in environmental
consulting, while others remain in academia to pursue a PhD. Many of our PhD graduates
continue on as postdoctoral researchers.
U of S Toxicology Program – Graduate Program Review, Self-Study Document
Page 31