Outstanding educators recognized for contributions to teaching

The atrium of the EEEL Building echoed this week with accolades for a group of outstanding educators who were honoured for their contributions to teaching and learning during the second annual celebration of teaching.

Recipients of the 2015 University of Calgary Teaching Awards were presented with their awards by president Elizabeth Cannon and Dru Marshall, provost and vice-president (academic).

"I'm delighted to join the rest of the university community in thanking this year's recipients for their exceptional commitment to student learning," Marshall said. "Their achievements have contributed to enhancing the quality and breadth of learning across our university campus."

The awards program received 71 nominations in its second year, in 11 different categories. The University of Calgary Teaching Awards recognize outstanding contributions by individuals and teams, in diverse areas including educational leadership, curriculum development, teaching online, team teaching and graduate supervision.

Willem Wildering, an associate professor in biological sciences, said he's honoured to receive the award for experiential learning initiatives.

Wildering incorporates experiential learning into two courses that he teaches: Zoology 595 and Neuroscience 301. The neuroscience field course sees first-year students research the impact of different environmental conditions on pond snails. The students come up with a research project, design and carry out experiments, and give presentations on their results.

"It's a true research experience," Wildering said.

In addition to giving students an intensive "learning through research" experience, Wildering's aim is to help students find their own way to learning — to show them how to learn.

"I think curiosity is one of the strongest forces in getting people to learn," he said. "It's great to see how students pick up on the opportunity to find their own way."

Please join in congratulating all of the recipients of the 2015 University of Calgary Teaching Awards.

Complete list of winners

• Award for Curriculum Development
  Bachelor of Education Program

• Award for Educational Leadership (formal role)
  Dr. Jennifer Lock, Werklund School of Education

• Award for Educational Leadership (informal role)
  Dr. Ken MacMillan, Department of History, Faculty of Arts

• Award for Experiential Learning Initiatives
  Dr. Willem Wildering, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science

• Award for Full-Time Academic Staff
  Instructor: Dr. Kyla Flanagan, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science
  Senior Instructor: Norm Bartley, Schulich School of Engineering
  Assistant Professor: Dr. Adam McCrimmon, Werklund School of Education
  Associate Professor: Dr. Reed Ferber, Faculties of Kinesiology and Nursing
  Full Professor: Dr. Jo Towers, Werklund School of Education

• Award for Graduate Assistants (Teaching):
  Ashley Bromby, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science
  Muhammad Khan, Department of Mathematics & Statistics, Faculty of Science
  Yang Liu, Werklund School of Education

• Award for Graduate Supervision
  Dr. Nancy Moules, Faculty of Nursing

• Award for Non-Academic Staff (Team)
  Julie Boyd, Monika Davidson, Nicole Ethier, Nicola Howard, Kris Russell Markin, Courtney Wright, Tracy Wyman
  Department of Anthropology & Archaeology, Faculty of Arts

• Award for Non-Academic Staff (Individual)
  Bill Richardson, Faculty of Kinesiology

• Award for Sessional Instructors
  Dr. Susanne Cote, Department of Anthropology & Archaeology, Faculty of Arts

• Award for Teaching in Online Environments
  Dr. Barb Brown, Werklund School of Education

• Award for Team Teaching
  Dr. Søren Boysen and Dr. Serge Chalhoub, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine