Dear members of the McMaster community,
As I look back on 2025, I recall a rich and lively year in the life of McMaster, marked by progress, change, teamwork and discovery.
Midway through the year, we said a thankful goodbye to Dr. David Farrar as he retired from his role as President after guiding the university through the heaving changes of the pandemic and other challenges. As President Emeritus, Dr. Farrar is now dedicating his energy to chemistry research here at McMaster.
As I stepped into the role of President on July 1, I reflected gratefully on my previous five years as Provost. It was a role that immersed me in the life of McMaster, particularly our finances and our vital teaching and learning mission.
While my new role is quite different, serving as provost was helpful preparation for the job I have now, and it also allowed me to interact frequently with our amazing students, who are so dear to me and central to all we do here at the university.
In 2025, we celebrated Santee Smith’s influential six years as Chancellor, including strengthening connections between McMaster and Six Nations of the Grand River, advocacy for Indigenous education and, at every Convocation ceremony, her memorable delivery of the thanksgiving address.
We welcomed new leaders, including Provost Maureen MacDonald, VP Research Gianni Parise, Board of Governors Chair Stephen Elop, and McMaster Innovation Park CEO Gailene Tobin Vandenheuvel. We look forward to welcoming our next Chancellor, Nicholas Brathwaite, and our first ever Vice-Provost, Indigenous, Beverly Jacobs, on Jan. 1.
I was touched by the experience of the Presidential Installation in September, particularly by sharing the event with peers, colleagues, community leaders, students, family members and friends.
The installation gave me the chance to share my vision for McMaster as an institution that treasures its history, its home in Hamilton, its record of teaching and research, and its traditions of bold innovation.
This year, I have been grateful for the support from our provincial government in expanding the operations of the McMaster Nuclear Reactor, which allows us to do more research, to provide more cancer treatments, accelerate new forms of radiopharmaceutical diagnostics and treatments, and to train more personnel to meet the growing demand for nuclear energy.
In 2025, we have proudly shared McMaster’s story through meetings with alumni, government partners, and supporters, and through many reports in the media about the impact of our research and teaching.
I’m pleased that McMaster is playing an ever-increasing role in nation-building, using our strengths in education and research to bolster Canadian sovereignty. We’re supporting governments and industries, growing the products of our research into new businesses that contribute to the economy and improve our quality of life, and preparing students to contribute to Canada’s future. All of it is part of what McMaster’s highly influential President Harry Thode had called “targeted excellence” — using our resources to make the most of what McMaster does best.
In our work, we are guided by our responsibility to our students, who inspire all of us. We are committed to creating the best conditions for their success and to that end, this year we welcomed the inaugural class of the new Wilson College of Leadership and Civic Engagement and introduced the new Minor in Nuclear Studies and Society.
We have set the stage for creating a new strategic plan for McMaster, Setting the Course, which will guide all our activities with tangible, measurable goals, as informed by input from our stakeholders.
As we head into the winter break, I want to express my gratitude to our community of students, faculty, staff, supporters and partners for making this such a productive and enjoyable year in the life of McMaster.
Through my first six months since becoming President, I have enjoyed meeting many of you. I consider it one of the most rewarding parts of my job.
I am optimistic about our future, and I am looking forward to 2026, when I know we will move together with purpose to help McMaster’s momentum grow.
Wishing all of you the best for the year to come,
Susan Tighe
President and Vice-Chancellor