The mandate of the Tomlinson Project is to enhance undergraduate science education. For many years, the Tomlinson Engagement Award for Mentoring (TEAM) has been the centrepiece of this program. In the coming months these awards will be officially renamed the David Harpp Undergraduate Awards, in honour of the esteemed Dr. David Harpp -- founder of the TEAM program, Chemistry professor, and contributor to science education at McGill University.
About the TEAM Program
The TEAM program helps make large 100- and 200-level classes feel more personal and supportive by connecting students with peer mentors. Typically, these mentors are experienced upper-year students who have taken the course before and can help newer students learn and be engaged.
The TEAM program runs during the Fall and Winter semesters, and instructors can apply to be part of it by filling out the application (linked below). We are now accepting applications for the Fall 2025 semester only. In the form you will share how you will select, train and work with mentors and what your students will gain from the experience.
Availability of TEAM awards
On average, we are able to fund up to one TEAM student for every 100 students enrolled in a course. If you feel your course would benefit from additional TEAM students, you are welcome to let us know in Question 5 of the application form.
After reviewing all the applications we will assess what is possible within our budget. We will then follow up to confirm how many TEAM students can be provided for your course.
Award: $300 for 25/30 hours on a per term basis
Deadlines and important dates for Fall 2025 applicants:
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May 20, 2025: Deadline for submission of applications by instructors.
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June 18, 2025: Date by which OSE will inform instructors whether their application is approved, and if so, how many TEAM students they will be awarded.
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August 27, 2025: Deadline for instructors whose requests are approved to submit TEAM student names (a separate form will be provided for this).
How to Apply
Instructors must submit the TEAM application which has two parts:
Part 1 is due by May 20, 2025. You will find the application here TEAM Application. In this first step, you are asked to request the number of TEAM students you would like and outline plans for selecting, training, and working with these mentors throughout the term.
Once all applications are received and reviewed, we will let you know the outcome of your request by June 18, 2025.
Part 2 is due by August 27, 2025. You will be asked to submit the names of your selected TEAM students. A separate form will be provided for this step.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for TEAM instructors must...
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Teach a Science course
At this time, TEAM is only available for Science courses. -
Teach an introductory course
Your course should be at the 100 or 200 level (300 and 400 level courses are no longer included). -
Large class size
The course should have 150 or more students enrolled (as listed on Minerva). -
Stay connected with your TEAM students
As the instructor, you will be expected to stay engaged with your TEAM students throughout the term. This includes:
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Give your TEAM students an orientation at the beginning of the term to go over expectations and their role.
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Check in regularly to offer support and make sure everything is on track.
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At the end of the term, take some time to reflect on the experience together—this could be through a survey, a casual debrief or even a social event.
Eligibility requirements for students:
To be a TEAM student (peer mentor), students must meet the following criteria:
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Be a current McGill undergraduate student
TEAM students must be registered as McGill undergraduate students and remain registered throughout the semester in which they receive the Award.
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Have completed the course or lab they are mentoring
This ensures they are familiar with the material and can confidently support others.
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Have set up direct deposit
TEAM students will receive the award midway through the semester. To receive the award, students need to have direct deposit set up in Minerva with their banking info.
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One award per course per semester
Students can only receive one TEAM award for each course in a given semester.
Examples of activities TEAM students can perform:
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Attend lectures and support in-class activities that involve interaction with a course’s students.
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Respond to student emails regarding course content and post questions and answers on discussion boards.
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Attend the SciLearn Peer Collaboration to support students with homework and exam preparation.
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Co-facilitate tutorials and pre-exam review sessions (generally best when supervised by an instructor or TA).
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Participate in study groups to assist peers with developing effective study methods and approaches to learning course content.
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Participate in training offered by the instructor, the Department, or Faculty related to the TEAM experience.
Examples of activities TEAM students cannot perform:
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Grading of assessments.
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Invigilating quizzes and exams.
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Reviewing assessments.
Selection Process
Requests will be evaluated by the Office of Science Education (OSE), based on these criteria:
- The course is a 100- or 200-level Science course with an enrolment of 150 or more students.
- The application form is fully completed.
Please note that the overall number of awards is budget-limited and the number of awards per course is based on the course meeting all the criteria listed above.
Questions? Please contact tomlinson.project [at] mcgill.ca
The Tomlinson Project in University-Level Science Education (T-PULSE) was established in July 2002 as part of a significant endowment to McGill from Canadian scientist and businessman Richard H. Tomlinson to support the development of more effective teaching methods for university level science students and the dissemination of these techniques to the professoriate. Learn more about Richard H. Tomlinson and T-PULSE in this McGill Newsroom Article: McGill Benefactor Richard Tomlinson made history.