UBC Arts is celebrating three faculty members whose mentorship is shaping the next generation of scholars, researchers, and leaders.
Dr. Kristin Laurin, Dr. Toni Schmader, and Dr. Jonathan Ichikawa have been recognized with the 2026 Dean of Arts Mentorship Award.
This award celebrates exceptional mentors within the Faculty of Arts. It recognizes faculty members who are committed to the academic and personal growth of junior colleagues, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students, and who foster a community of integrity, inclusion, and respect.
Dr. Jonathan Ichikawa
Professor and Head, Department of Philosophy
Professor Jonathan Ichikawa is a professor of philosophy and Department Head whose main research areas are epistemology, philosophy of language, feminist philosophy, and ethics. He is the author of Epistemic Courage (Oxford University Press, 2024) and a winner of the 2024 UBC Killam Research Award.
Since joining UBC in 2012, Professor Ichikawa has made an outstanding contribution to mentorship within the Department of Philosophy and beyond. He has supervised or co-supervised 17 graduate students—an extraordinary share in a small program—while serving as Head of Philosophy since 2022. His students have achieved notable early success, including tenure-track positions at leading philosophy departments.
His mentorship extends well beyond his own students. He has been an important mentor to early-career colleagues, a peer mentor to other Arts Heads and Directors, and serves on the UBC Academic Leadership Development Program Alumni Council.
In a discipline where collaboration is less common, he stands out for co-authoring with students and emerging scholars—many from underrepresented groups—treating them as intellectual partners and ensuring they receive full recognition. His willingness to advocate for junior scholars, even at professional risk, reflects a rare level of commitment.
Colleagues and mentees describe his mentorship as rigorous, generous, and transformative.
“It cannot be overstated how critical Jonathan's support and mentorship has been to my staying in the profession... He always wanted to talk about my research and read what I was writing, he encouraged me to submit my work to workshops and conferences, and he was (and is) always available to give me advice about every aspect of the profession.”
Dr. Kristin Laurin
Professor, Department of Psychology
Dr. Kristin Laurin is a professor of psychology and director of the MAGIC Lab. Her research investigates how people’s goals and motivations interact with their beliefs and ideologies.
Over 14 years at UBC, Dr. Laurin has developed a mentorship approach that combines high expectations with an engaging and supportive lab environment. She has mentored graduate students and a large community of undergraduate researchers, with mentees going on to careers as professors, postdoctoral fellows, data scientists, and professionals across industry.
She is closely involved at every stage of the research process, providing detailed feedback on writing and analysis, supporting data collection, and helping students develop rigorous, impactful scholarship. Her lab culture balances disciplined research with curiosity and creativity, encouraging students to pursue diverse ideas and approaches. Dr. Laurin also integrates equity and inclusion into both mentorship and research. She has led EDI initiatives within the social-personality area and supports students from diverse backgrounds, including helping international students navigate the transition to graduate study in a new cultural context.
“Kristin nurtures her students’ curiosities and follows them through any intellectual alleyways they might wander down... With her rigorous questioning, meticulous attention to detail, and methodological genius, Kristin forges her students’ rocky ideas into polished scholarship.”
Dr. Toni Schmader
Professor and Head, Department of Psychology
Dr. Toni Schmader is a professor of Psychology and Department Head and the director of the Engendering Success in STEM Consortium. Over more than two decades at UBC, Dr. Schmader has built a mentorship legacy defined by depth, consistency, and impact. She has supervised postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and undergraduate researchers, while also mentoring many beyond her lab.
Her mentees have gone on to careers in academia, government, education, and industry—reflecting both the strength of her mentorship and her support for diverse career pathways. She has also played a leadership role in advancing equity and inclusion within the Department of Psychology, including co-chairing the Task Force on Diversity and Inclusion.
Mentees describe her approach as rigorous and highly personalized. She challenges students to produce meaningful, methodologically strong research while fostering independence and confidence, and provides steady support through both academic and personal challenges.
“What sets Toni apart is not simply the volume of mentees she supports or in their career successes, but the transformative nature of her support as an advisor. She invests meaningfully in each individual student’s trajectory, tailoring her mentorship to their strengths, goals, and identities.”
