UBC Okanagan Teaching Award Recipients

UBC Okanagan’s Teaching Awards recognize outstanding and innovative faculty who demonstrate their dedication to an important common goal—teaching excellence. We are pleased to recognize several exceptional individuals who embody our academic mission of teaching excellence at the annual UBC Okanagan Teaching Awards Ceremony.

2024 teaching award recipients

Join us in congratulating UBC Okanagan’s most recent recipients of the Provost’s Award for Teaching Excellence and Innovation and the Killam Teaching Prize.

Provost’s Award for Teaching Excellence and Innovation

Bill Cohen | Okanagan School of Education

Dr. Bill Cohen is an educator, artist, story-teller and author from the Okanagan Nation, with extensive kinship ties throughout British Columbia and Washington. Dr. Cohen’s teaching and research explores the transforming potential of Indigenous and Okanagan knowledge and pedagogy through organic language and cultural knowledge revitalization. Dr. Cohen creates an immersive learning environment where students are deeply engaged in decolonizing practices, providing a transformational experience that touches the lives and learning of both teacher candidates and the students who will learn from them in turn.   

Provost’s Award for Teaching Excellence and Innovation

Julien Picault | Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Dr. Julien Picault is dedicated to fostering a deep passion for economics among his students, prioritizing innovative teaching approaches. He integrates theoretical knowledge and practical skills, providing real-world learning experiences that cultivate critical thinking and a comprehensive understanding of economics. Beyond his own classroom, Dr. Picault shares his expertise and pedagogical research both locally and globally through the development of his world-renowned Economics Instructors Toolbox, supporting the learning of countless students around the world through this collaborative approach. 

Provost’s Award for Teaching Excellence and Innovation

Gina Whitaker | Faculty of Health and Social Development

Dr. Gina Whitaker believes that taking every opportunity to show compassion and empathy will make the world a better place, and she lives this practice both inside and outside the classroom. She seeks to support every student to thrive and flourish, empowering learning through inclusivity and building strong communities within classrooms and the larger academic environment. Dr. Whitaker engages students in classrooms of all sizes in innovative and supportive ways, using technology, flexible assessments, gamification and other strategies to support learning. 

Killam Teaching Prize

Christine Schreyer | Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Dr. Christine Schreyer is a renowned educator and researcher known for her constant collaboration that transcends traditional boundaries of academia to build bridges between scholarship and community. Working closely with Indigenous communities, Dr. Schreyer supports language revitalization efforts and integrates community projects into her curriculum to provide integrative opportunities for student learning. Through community-engaged learning and decolonial practices, Dr. Schreyer cultivates an environment of respect and appreciation for diverse perspectives. 

2022 – 2023

Dr. Fiona P. McDonald, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Dr. Claire Yu YanSchool of Engineering
Dr. Peyman Yousefi, School of Engineering


2021 – 2022

Dr. Ayman Elnaggar, School of Engineering
Dr. Bowen Hui, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science
Dr. Firas Moosvi, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science
Dr. Mehran Shirazi, School of Engineering


2020 – 2021

Dr. Jordan Stouck, Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies
Dr. Jannik Eikenaar, School of Engineering


2019 – 2020

Dr. Zoë Soon, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science
Dr. Karen Ragoonaden, Okanagan School of Education


2018 – 2019

Dr. Andis Klegeris, Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences 
Dr. Sally Willis-Stewart, Faculty of Health and Social Development 


2017 – 2018

Dr. Yang Cao, School of Engineering 
Dr. Leyton Schnellert, Faculty of Education 


2016 – 2017

Dr. Ramon Lawrence, IKBSAS 
Dr. Christine Schreyer, IKBSAS 


2015 – 2016

Dr. Mary Ann Murphy, IKBSAS 
Dr. Zach Walsh, IKBSAS 


2014 – 2015

Dr. Ray Taheri (Junior), School of Engineering 
Dr. Stephen Porter (Senior), IKBSAS  


2013 – 2014

Dr. Mina Hoorfar (Junior), School of Engineering
Dr. Susan Crichton (Senior), Faculty of Education


2012 – 2013

Dr. John Wagner (Senior), IKBSAS
Dr. Jonathan Holzman, School of Engineering
Dr. Ilya Parkins, IKBSAS 


2011 – 2012

Dr. Erik Rosolowsky (Junior), IKBSAS
Dr. Paul Davies (Junior), IKBSAS
Dr. Naomi McPherson (Senior), IKBSAS


2010 – 2011

Dr. Carolyn Labun (Senior) , School of Engineering
Dr. Joyce Boon (Senior), IKBSAS


2009 – 2010

Dr. Michael Woodworth, IKBSAS
Dr. Patricia Lasserre, IKBSAS 


2008 – 2009

Dr. Stephen McNeil, IKBSAS
Dr. Maurice Williams, IKBSAS


2007 – 2008

Dr. Jan Cioe, IKBSAS 


2006 – 2007     

Dr. Blair Spearman, IKBSAS 

2022 – 2023

Dr. Peter Arthur, Okanagan School of Education


2020 – 2021

Dr. Karen Ragoonaden, Okanagan School of Education


2019 – 2020

Dr. Ramon Lawrence, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science


2018 – 2019

Dr. Jonathan Holzman, School of Engineering


2017 – 2018

Dr. Stephen McNeil, IKBSAS

PROVOST'S AWARD FOR TEACHING ASSISTANTS & TUTORS

This award seeks to recognize exceptional undergraduate and graduate teaching assistants and tutors for their contributions to academic life at UBC’s Okanagan campus. We are proud to recognize this year’s award recipients.

2023 / 2024 Award Recipients

  • Jessica Beaudin, Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies
  • Christina Bruce, Faculty of Health and Social Development
  • Maddi Grove, Student Learning Hub
  • Moustafa Mansour, School of Engineering
  • Selina Spence, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science
  • Liam Stewart, Faculty of Health and Social Development

2022/23

  • Amanda Darbyshire, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science
  • Dylan Goode, School of Engineering
  • Mehrnaz Makuei, School of Engineering
  • Moustafa Mansour, School of Engineering
  • Aneleise Peppard, Student Learning Hub
  • Zachary Sawchuk, Student Learning Hub

2021/22

  • Jacqueline Barnett, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science
  • Jesse Ghashti, Student Learning Hub
  • Cara Johnston – Student Learning Hub
  • Negin Jalili, School of Engineering
  • Mahmoud Sakr, School of Engineering
  • Megan Schroeder, Student Learning Hub

2020/21

  • Clerissa Copeland, Student Learning Hub
  • Robin Metcalfe, Faculty of Health and Social Development
  • Tina Olfatbakhsh, School of Engineering
  • Jasper Pankratz, Student Learning Hub
  • Riley Petillion, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science
  • Jo Scofield, Student Learning Hub
  • Reza Sourki, School of Engineering
  • Sandun Tharaka Wanniarachchi, School of Engineering

2019/20

  • Arash Dalili, School of Engineering
  • Maryam Golestani, School of Engineering
  • Alyssa Koziol, Faculty of Health and Social Development
  • Riley Petillion, Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences
  • Ahmad Rahmzadeh, School of Engineering
  • Alireza Sadeghifar, Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences
  • Alexandre Santos, Faculty of Health and Social Development

2018/19

  • Dinesh Adhikary, Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences
  • Alyssa Koziol, Faculty of Health and Social Development
  • Connor Langton, AVP Students Supplemental Learning Program
  • Sepehr Zarif Mansour, School of Engineering
  • Sara Stanton, AVP Students Supplemental Learning Program
  • Isabelle Therriault, Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences
  • Peyman Yousefi, School of Engineering

2017/18

  • Dinesh Adhikary, Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences
  • Vasileios Kokkoris, Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences
  • Pouria Mehrabi, School of Engineering
  • Riley Petillion, AVP Students, Supplemental Learning Program
  • Nishat Tasnim, Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences
  • Devin Walline, School of Engineering

2016/17

  • Monica Good, Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies
  • Sina Kheiri, School of Engineering
  • Tiah Lee, AVP Students, Supplemental Learning Program
  • Holli-Anne Passmore, Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences
  • Devin Walline, School of Engineering
  • Alexandra Yacyshyn, Faculty of Health and Social Development

2015/16

  • Mathieu Aubin, Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies
  • Trevor Billows, School of Engineering
  • Behzad Mohajer, School of Engineering
  • Walaa Moursi, Irving K Barber School of Arts and Sciences
  • Matt Waterhouse, Irving K Barber School of Arts and Sciences
  • Jeewon Yoo, AVP Students, Supplemental Learning Program

2014/15

  • Alex Cloherty, AVP Students, Supplemental Learning Program
  • Daniella DeCoffe, Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences
  • Lindsay Diehl, Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies
  • Jeff Kerkovius, AVP Students, Supplemental Learning Program
  • Saber Moradi, School of Engineering
  • Joanne Taylor, Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences

2013/14

  • Nathalie Hager, Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies
  • Jacqueline Kanippayoor, Irving K Barber School of Arts and Sciences
  • Samuel Schaefer, School of Engineering
  • Jamie Scott, Irving K Barber School of Arts and Sciences
  • Elham Shamekhi, School of Engineering
  • Carey Simpson, Faculty of Health and Social Development
  • Colin Wallace, Faculty of Health and Social Development

2012/13

  • Kelly Doyle, Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies
  • Jannik Eikenaar, Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies
  • Levi Gahman, Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences
  • Eric Johnston, School of Engineering
  • Jonathan Kohout, AVP Students, Supplemental Learning Program
  • Nikolai Kummer, School of Engineering
  • Julie Nutini, Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences
  • Brian Ohsowski, Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences