Dr. Evan Risko has been awarded the prestigious Award of Excellence in Graduate Supervision, recognizing his exceptional commitment to the success of his graduate students.
Risko, a professor of cognitive psychology and Director of the Cognition and Natural Behaviour Laboratory in the Department of Psychology, has demonstrated a profound dedication to supporting students at the undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral levels in his highly productive lab. He has successfully supervised eight MA theses and four PhD dissertations to completion, with an additional two MA and six PhD students currently under his supervision. In addition, Risko has mentored two postdoctoral fellows.
Facilitated by Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs, the Award of Excellence in Graduate Supervision recipients are nominated by current or former students who have benefited from the guidance and informal mentoring provided by their instructor.
In numerous letters of support, Risko was praised for his accessibility, responsiveness and quick feedback, as well as his unwavering dedication to helping students develop the skills and confidence to conduct independent research. His colleagues and students alike emphasized his humanity and commitment to student success. One colleague remarked, “[Dr. Risko] stands out not only because of the depth of his contributions to mentoring his own students, but also the breadth of his graduate supervision activities. He goes above and beyond to create novel experiential learning opportunities for his students and in his role of Associate Chair, Graduate Studies, has worked tirelessly to improve the graduate student experiences across the entire Department of Psychology.”
Risko was recently awarded the Mentorship Award by the Women in Cognitive Neuroscience Association, a well-deserved recognition of his dedication to supporting women entering and thriving in Cognitive Science, an area of Psychology where female representation still lags behind other fields. A current graduate student highlighted the personal and professional support she received from Risko when she shared concerns about female representation, sexism and other systemic challenges faced by woman in academia: “He has been a true ally, engaging in complex discussions with grace and understanding. It takes an intelligent, strong and respectful individual to engage in such discussions, and for that, I believe he is a supervisor second to none, truly deserving of recognition.”
In 2024 Risko was also recognized for his undergraduate and graduate teaching and research supervision with the Arts Award for Excellence in Teaching. Clearly, his dedication to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for his students has made Risko a highly respected mentor and a standout leader within the academic community.