GRS Dean’s Medal winner 'goes above and beyond’

Professor Ruth Fitzgerald has won the Graduate Research School (GRS)  Dean’s Medal for Contribution to Supervision 2025.

The medal was given to her during the Otago University Students’ Association Supervisor of the Year ceremony on Wednesday.

Ruth, the Head of the Social Anthropology Programme, has been with the University for about 26 years and says she “really enjoys” supervision; it’s a role she recommends to anybody.

“I think it’s an opportunity to combine service, research, and teaching and learning, all in the one environment,” she says.

“We learn so much from our students as well, and what they contribute to our research projects, too.

“And just to see people developing into, you know, world-class researchers in their own right, it’s a wonderful thing to see.”

She says she was “very surprised” to have won the medal.

“They kept it a big secret.”

It now made sense to her why GRS staff had been so insistent that she attend the Supervisor of the Year event.

GRS Dean Professor Diane Ruwhiu says it’s the first time the medal has been given out since it was awarded posthumously to Professor Phil Bishop in 2021, and that the GRS is happy to be handing the medal out again.

“It’s a special initiative founded by GRS Deputy Dean Professor Rachel Spronken-Smith to formally recognise an outstanding long-time University of Otago graduate research supervisor.”

The GRS has been developing an online supervisor professional development framework, and while doing this, realised the importance of formally acknowledging the exceptional ‘above and beyond’ supervision.

“Selecting the recipient is incredibly challenging because Otago is home to so many amazing committed and passionate supervisors,” Diane says.

“Our recipient stands out not just for their success, but for their resilience.

“When I started to consider who we might put forward, I turned to a handful of supervisors who, since my first year as Deputy Dean, stood out to me as incredibly supportive and professional in their supervisory practice, but also I could see they were kind and generous with their time and wisdom.”

After discussing possible Dean’s Medal recipients with Emeritus Professor David Baxter and Rachel, they decided Ruth stood out to them all.

“While no one is ‘perfect’ and every supervisor experiences setbacks, Ruth has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to working with candidates and the Graduate Research School to achieve the best possible outcome,” Diane says.

“Ruth has an impressive record, having successfully supervised 18 completed PhDs and six completed Masters students, with seven current students across both levels.

“Ruth consistently goes above and beyond their duties, providing exceptional support, guidance, and mentoring that allows their students to not only complete their research but to truly thrive as independent scholars.

“In addition, she demonstrates outstanding collegiality by actively supporting fellow supervisors in difficult circumstances, sharing her expertise to maintain a high standard of supervision. She also models best practice through consistent adherence to institutional graduate research procedures.”