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Faculty of Science

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Faculty Strategic Plan

Our Values, Vision And Mission

Transforming Our World Through Teaching And Learning

Prior to establishing the Faculty of Science Strategic Plan, we asked the Faculty of Science community to identify values that resonate with them personally and professionally. We recognize and use these values to guide the work we do and the decisions we make: integrity, creativity, collaboration, communication, excellence, personal growth, knowledge, honesty, respect, and family.

We have a vision to transform the world through science. Our mission is to advance scientific discovery and understanding to address local and global challenges through education, research and engagement, to serve current and future generations.

Dean’s Message

Transforming Our World Through Science

We are pleased to share our new strategic plan for McMaster’s Faculty of Science. Our plan will guide the decisions we make and the directions we take through the first half of this decade.

Our vision is clear and our mission is bold. We will transform our world through science. Together, we will advance scientific discovery and understanding to address local to global challenges through education, research and engagement to serve current and future generations.

Equally important, our plan codifies a set of longstanding and deeply held core values in our Faculty of Science. We will achieve the goals set out in our strategic plan by approaching all that we do individually and collectively with integrity, creativity, collaboration, communication, excellence, personal growth, knowledge and honesty.

Staying true to our core values, our plan was developed in collaboration and consultation with hundreds of students and alumni, faculty, staff and our industry, community, academic and government partners. Thank you to everyone who brought forward ideas and provided feedback that refined and strengthened earlier drafts of our strategic plan. I also want to acknowledge all of the contributions made over many decades by countless faculty and staff. We built our plans for the future on your foundation of excellence in teaching and learning, research and community engagement.

Together, we have developed a strategic plan that is as focused and aspirational as our past, present and future students, faculty and staff.

Dr. Maureen MacDonald
Dean of Science
McMaster University

Transforming Our World Through Teaching And Learning

Expandable List

Enhance The Student Experience:

  • Design mechanisms to better enable matching of current and future students to programs
  • Advance the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion in our academic environment
  • Increase undergraduate student participation in research
  • Maximize student success

Innovate And Lead In Teaching And Learning:

  • Facilitate collaboration between disciplines to develop impactful, interdisciplinary academic programs
  • Improve our education environments to facilitate connection, collaboration, and success
  • Develop and enhance post-doc teaching and leadership opportunities
  • Promote collaboration with campus partners to enhance teaching excellence

Foster Accessible, Flexible, Student Centered Academic Programs That Are Grounded In Excellence:

  • Integration of EDI framework and performance indicators in our academic programs
  • Respond to Truth and Reconciliation commission by integrating indigenous ways of knowing in our teaching and learning environments

Transforming Our World Through Research

Expandable List

Increase The Impact Of Our Research Scholarship:

  • Enhance internal and external support to promote research excellence
  • Provide resources in support of development of major funding proposals
  • Enhance excellence in faculty recruitment and renewal through principles of equity, diversity and inclusion, strategic renewal in priority areas and the provision of external funds for endowed positions

Increase Our Interdisciplinary Research With A Focus On International Collaboration:

  • Enhance knowledge translation by engaging public and private partnerships, innovation and commercialization.
  • Increase support for our institutes and centres

Make Research Advances In Strategic Areas:

  • Enhance facilities for optimal research and learning
  • Create and sustain opportunities that seed research in strategic areas

Lead The Scientific Research Agenda Locally, Nationally And Globally:

  • Foster collaborative research at all levels

Transforming Our World Through Communication And Community Engagement

Expandable List

Promote Excellence In Scientific Leadership:

  • Work with central communication team to advance our strategy by increasing international media coverage showcasing our students and faculty.
  • Execute on our advancement strategic plan for reputation, relationships and resources.
  • Celebrate our achievements and milestones by developing formal recognition programs and award nominations.

Increase Our Political, Societal And Cultural Influence And Reputation:

  • Regularly train our faculty, students and staff in effective science communications including social media, media relations, and presentation skills.
  • Establish and support a global network of partners (academic and non-academic).
  • Work with government relations teams to build relationships.
  • Establish and assess the science journalist in residence program.
  • Assign representatives to boards, councils, and governing bodies that align with strategic priorities of the Faculty of Science.

Be A Trusted Source Of Scientific Knowledge:

  • Focus on addressing the value of “basic science” through engagement in the narrative of public understanding of the impact of higher education.
  • Encourage and support op eds, public talks, and other public engagement opportunities.
  • Refine and assess our strategic social media plan.

Increase The Impact Our Community Engagement, Outreach Initiatives And Programs:

  • Celebrate and enhance our community programs and outreach.
  • Work with alumni affairs and SCCE to develop and execute a comprehensive alumni engagement plan, including networking and career opportunities.

Establish Events That Have A Major Impact:

  • Annual faculty and staff retreats
  • Advisory board meetings
  • Graduate student alumni mentoring event
  • Undergraduate capstone events (thesis symposium, MSS, SciGSA events)

Progress

Plan Summary