UBC celebrates 'exemplary role models’ who make a difference

The best of the best were honoured at a special ceremony at UBC Okanagan this week.

Every year, UBC professors are honoured for their teaching style, innovation and collaborative methods. At the Teaching Excellence and Innovation awards ceremony at UBC’s Okanagan campus, professors, teaching assistants and tutors received a variety of awards for making a difference in and outside the classroom.

Teaching honour roll winners are selected from student evaluations, and the top 10 per cent are recognized for their great work and inspiring their students.

“Today we recognize those professors who go above and beyond to make exceptional contributions to student learning,” explained Robert Eggleston, dean pro tem of the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies.

“We can all be proud of the work we do as teachers, and let’s celebrate our community of remarkable people in each of our faculties—talented and dedicated people who share a passion for teaching and learning.”

The announcements were followed by the presentation of the Teaching Excellence and Innovation awards—an honour accompanied by a $3,000 prize and recognition during the June convocation ceremonies.

Zach Walsh, assoc. professor of psychology in the Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences, was named one of two winners of the Teaching Excellence and Innovation award. Walsh is co-founder of the Centre for the Advancement of Psychological Sciences and Law. He played a pivotal role in establishing the undergraduate forensic specialization program, an option which enables students completing their honours degrees to engage in forensic psychology-related research while also gaining hands-on experience in forensic settings.

Also named winner of the Teaching Excellence and Innovation award is Mary Ann Murphy, an associate professor who teaches sociology in the Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences and social work in the Faculty of Health and Social Development.

Murphy is credited with creating the first aging specialization in a Canadian school of social work. Her teaching emphasizes critical thinking and inquiry-based learning. Her significant work in this field has helped establish a social change in sociology curriculum which emphasizes on human rights, global aging and global citizenship.

“The successful award winners are exemplary role models who have had and will continue to have significant impact on the culture of teaching and learning on the Okanagan campus,” said Provost and Vice-Principal Academic Cynthia Mathieson. “There are many facets to consider here, including excellence in teaching practice, impact on learning through innovation, fostering a research community, support of global awareness and contributions to interdisciplinary approaches.”

Honour roll winners are listed below by faculty:
Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences

• Bonar Buffam
• Jon Corbett
• Paul Davies
• Fes De Scally
• Mary Forrest
• David Geary
• Emelie Gustafsson
• Susan Holtzman
• Janet Kluftinger
• Ramon Lawrence
• Stephen Porter
• Blair Spearman
• Michael Woodworth

Faculty of Education

• Stephen Berg
• Scott Douglas
• Leyton Schnellert

School of Engineering (Faculty of Applied Science)

• Lukas Bichler
• Yang Cao
• Jonathan Holzman
• Mina Hoorfar

Faculty of Management

• Jana Martin
• Monic Pratch
• Ying Zhu

Faculty of Health and Social Development (Schools of Nursing, Social Work, and Health and Exercise Sciences)

• Jacqueline Denison
• Donna Jansons
• Jonathan Little
• Alison McManus
• Kathy Rush
• Zoe Soon

Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies

• Grisel Garcia Perez
• Allison Hargreaves
• Carolina Restrepo

Winners of the Provost’s Award for Teaching Assistants and Tutors—an award that recognizes outstanding undergraduate and graduate teaching assistants and tutors are:

• Mathieu Aubin
• Trevor Billows
• Behzad Mohajer
• Walaa Moursi
• Matt Waterhouse
• Jeewon Yoo

This is the ninth year UBC Okanagan has hosted the Teaching Innovation and Excellence awards.

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