Celebrating a Legacy: Mestelman & Muller McMaster Decision Science Laboratory

On Monday, April 27, the McMaster community came together with past and current PhD students, faculty, friends, and the families of Andrew Muller and Stuart Mestelman to celebrate the renaming of the Decision Science Laboratory. The newly dedicated Mestelman & Muller McMaster Decision Science Laboratory (McDSL) honours two of the pioneering scholars whose vision and leadership shaped experimental economics at McMaster and across Canada.

The renaming marks the latest milestone of the lab, which traces its origins to the innovative computerized experimental economics research launched at McMaster more than 40 years ago. With foundational support from faculty members including Doug Welland and David Feeney, Mestelman and Muller established the McMaster Experimental Economics Laboratory (McEEL) in 1994, the first computerized experimental economics lab in Canada. Funded in part by a Canadian Tri‑Council Eco‑Research Grant, McEEL positioned McMaster as a leader in cutting‑edge experimental research.

Today, McDSL is a multipurpose research facility equipped with 22 high‑powered, networked participant computers, advanced graphics capabilities, virtual reality headsets, and wall‑mounted HD cameras. The lab continues to support a wide range of experimental and behavioural research.

Honouring a Legacy of Scholarship and Mentorship

The morning program highlighted current experimental research, featuring presentations by PhD students Keith Roberts, Richard Li, Li-Hsin Lin and Robert McKercher supervised by Academic Director Bradley Ruffle. The event also welcomed back former PhD students supervised by Mestelman and Muller, including John Spraggon, Rob Moir and Stephanie Thomas as well as Andy’s collaborator, Asha Sadanand, who all reflected on the mentorship and intellectual generosity that shaped their careers.

Stuart Mestelman

Mestelman joined McMaster in 1969 and spent more than five decades shaping both the Department of Economics and the field of experimental economics. Beginning with laboratory experimentation in 1986, he helped establish one of Canada’s earliest experimental research programs, contributing influential work in public economics, environmental policy and market design. Stuart and his wife Laura were steadfast supporters of the lab and its students, championing its growth and impact.

Andrew Muller

Muller arrived at McMaster in 1972 and became a driving force in experimental economics and emissions‑trading research. His long‑standing collaboration with Mestelman helped establish McMaster as an internationally recognized centre for experimental and behavioural economics. The renaming of the laboratory celebrates their shared vision, their scholarly contributions and the enduring legacy they leave behind.

An Afternoon of Reflection and Connection

In the afternoon, attendees joined Andrew Muller’s daughter, Krista Muller, for a walk to Sassafras Lookout Point to visit the Muller family’s memorial bench dedicated to Andrew. Along the trail, Spraggon and Krista shared stories that captured Andrew’s thoughtful, descriptive nature, whether teaching someone to canoe or guiding students through the intricacies of experimental design, he walked with you every step of the way.

At the bench, Krista spoke about the significance of the location, recalling summer afternoons and weekend walks her family shared along those trails. It remains a place of reflection for her, just as it was for her parents.

Following the walk, the Indigenous Studies Department welcomed guests to L.R. Wilson Hall to view a collection of Indigenous artwork donated by Laura Mestelman from Laura and Andrew’s Mestelman Family Collection. The pieces now displayed throughout the department’s offices reflect the family’s long‑standing commitment to supporting Indigenous scholarship and community at McMaster.

Stories, Gratitude and a Shared Legacy

As the day concluded, past students, colleagues and family members gathered to share memories of Andrew and Stuart. Former PhD student Rob Moir captured a sentiment familiar to many who trained under them. Recalling a conference trip with both mentors, he posed a question they often asked: “What is the most important component of a thesis?” The answer, delivered with characteristic enthusiasm, was “Doneness.” Perfection, they reminded their students, is not the goal. Completing the work opens the door to everything that comes next.