(L-R) David Bullock, Laureen Hachem and Robyn Maynard (supplied images)
Three doctoral alumni receive Governor General’s Gold Medals
Published: October 23, 2025
University of Toronto alumni David Bullock, Laureen Hachem and Robyn Maynard have received 2025 Governor General’s Gold Medals in recognition of their academic excellence at doctoral level.
The medals, awarded annually by U of T to three students on behalf of the Governor General, acknowledge excellence in course work and thesis as well as originality and importance of research. They are among the most prestigious honours for graduate students in Canada.
Bullock completed his SJD (doctor of juridical science) at the Faculty of Law in 2024. He is a partner at a law firm based in Auckland and a former clerk to the Chief Justice of New Zealand. He has been published in leading journals and wrote a book on New Zealand law.
Hachem completed her PhD in 2024 at the Institute of Medical Science in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, where she has been a resident physician in the division of neurosurgery since 2017. Her research, which focuses on spinal cord injury and neurotrauma, has been published in numerous prestigious journals.
Maynard completed her PhD in 2024 at the Women and Gender Studies Institute, where she holds a graduate appointment, and is an assistant professor of Black feminism in Canada at U of T Scarborough. She is the author of the award-winning book "Policing Black Lives: State Violence in Canada from Slavery to the Present."
