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.
2024/25 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.
“I find inspiration in helping students realize their educational goals and navigate career paths in this ever-changing environment.”
– Bowen Hui
Dr. Bowen Hui is an Associate Professor of Teaching in the Computer Science department of the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science, who also serves as the Special Advisor to the Dean on Educational Leadership. Known for her personalized approach to learning that empowers students to take ownership of their education, Dr. Hui builds inclusive learning environments that celebrate diverse perspectives and support equity, diversity and inclusion inside and outside the classroom and help all students to thrive. Working with students as partners, Dr. Hui has led the development of Open Educational Resources (OER), including a website that teaches computational thinking for young children, a gamification platform, a team formation tool and a curriculum mapping tool. She has also led the development of a Faculty-wide peer student mentoring program designed to increase the students’ sense of belonging and identity within their discipline, Faculty, and university. Dr. Hui has been recognized for numerous awards and recognitions related to teaching and learning, including the Provost’s Award for Teaching Excellence and Innovation, the OER Excellence and Impact Award and the Computer Science Canada award for Excellence in Teaching.
“Since entering academia my inspiration, growth and personal fulfillment has always come from interactions with students and colleagues about teaching and learning”
– Tanya Forneris
Dr. Tanya Forneris is a Professor of Teaching in the School of Health and Exercise Science (HES) within the Faculty of Health and Social Development. Since joining UBC Okanagan in 2016, Dr. Forneris has demonstrated her deep passion for supporting students and mentorship, and has played a key role in supporting curriculum transformation within HES and beyond. Shortly after joining UBC, Dr. Forneris led a team supporting the review and transformation of the Bachelor of Human Kinetics (BHK) to the Bachelor of Health and Exercise
Sciences (BHES). She is currently co-developing an Indigenous Health Certificate, guided by a community advisory committee composed of Elders, Knowledge Keepers and Indigenous community members. Dr. Forneris has been involved in a number of activities to directly mentor graduate students, instructors and faculty members to improve their teaching and learning. She previously served as the Academic Director of the Centre for Teaching and Learning as well as Interim Director of HES.
“I believe that students are active participants in our scholarly community, and are a significant source of learning for themselves, each other, and their teachers.”
– Heather Latimer
Dr. Heather Latimer is an Assistant Professor of Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies in the department of Community, Culture and Global Studies of the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dr. Latimer joined UBC Okanagan in 2018 from UBC Vancouver, where she previously served as a Faculty Lead for the Coordinated Arts Program and was recognized for her teaching with a Killam Teaching Prize in 2017. She has an exceptional ability to create classroom environments where students feel secure and supported while nurturing their curiosity and aspirations. Her inclusive pedagogy supports students as active and independent learners, and challenges them to think relationally about their positions in the world. She continues to revolutionize her teaching practices in the classroom and expand learning opportunities outside of it and leads large-scale, multi-year educational initiatives that have been recognized by various funding bodies.
“I love teaching because it empowers students to become confident critical thinkers and equips them with the tools for lifelong success.“
– Mohammad Tiznobaik
Dr. Mohammad Tiznobaik is a lecturer in the School of Engineering after previously serving as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow. Dr. Tiznobaik approaches his courses with a creative mindset, and
endeavors to present material in a way that is easily understood by students. He strives to involve students in understanding concepts through hands-on exploration of materials and encourages the application of their knowledge in everyday activities. A member of the American Concrete Institute (ACI), Dr. Tiznobaik brings more than 29 years of combined industrial and academic experience in design and construction engineering to his teaching, allowing him to relate course concepts to real-world projects and examples that illustrate the use and importance of such knowledge in the field. He has led the development of several new courses and has supported Indigenization of several engineering courses.
2023/24
Dr. Bill Cohen, Okanagan School of Education
Dr. Julien Picault, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Dr. Gina Whitaker, Faculty of Health and Social Development
2022 – 2023
Dr. Fiona P. McDonald, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Dr. Claire Yu Yan, School 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
2023/24
Dr. Christine Schreyer, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
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