2016 Award for Excellence in Supervision: Eric Beauregard

Eric Beauregard came to SFU in 2007 as an Assistant Professor and was promoted to Full Professor in a few short years. As a leading scholar in the field of sexual violence, his work has attracted graduate students from all over the country to work with him in the School of Criminology. He is a renowned researcher whose excellence in supervision has helped pave the way for his students' post-graduate life in academia. According to his students, "Beauregard is committed to the development of well-rounded scholars who are ready to enter academia and who will be successful at it".

He is known within the faculty for his workshops, where he guides doctoral students through the process of applying for academic positions, sharing information from his personal experiences both as a candidate and as someone who has been on academic hiring committees. He frequently offers to review students’ application materials for academic positions, and goes even further by helping them negotiate better terms of contract once they have received an offer.   

Amelia Pedneault, former student and now Assistant Professor at Washington State University, recalls speaking to Beauregard over the phone before and after an interview, illustrating the kind of consistent support he gives to his students and his commitment to see them succeed.

But it’s not just about the help Beauregard offers; his supervisory style encourages students to become critical and independent thinkers. He provides a safe, challenging space for his students to grow as academics. Nadine Deslauriers-Varin, former student and now Assistant Professor at Université Laval, says, "He was patient and encouraging when I needed him to be, while always challenging me. He wants his students to develop research abilities and to become better scholars, but, above all, he helps his students to become independent thinkers."

His commitment can be seen in the support he gives to his students throughout their studies. "[Beauregard] made me want to work harder for myself," recounts former student Samantha Balemba, now an Assistant Professor at the University of North Georgia.

This sentiment still resonates today. As one current student says, "Dr. Beauregard challenges students to pursue their ideas to a deeper and more critical level." 

It's no wonder Eric Beauregard's students become their own success stories after his supervision. He helps lay the foundation for students to become critical and independent academics.