Teaching Awards 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 Winners
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, School of Engineering
Dr. Claire Yu Yan, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science
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, IKBSAS
Dr. Sally Willis-Stewart, School of Health and Exercise Sciences
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
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.
2022 / 2023 Award Recipients
- 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
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Provost’s Award for Teaching Assistants & Tutors at the 2023 Teaching Awards Ceremony.
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Amanda Darbyshire, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science
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Dylan Goode, School of Engineering
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Mehrnaz Makuei, School of Engineering
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Moustafa Mansour, School of Engineering
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Zachary Sawchuk, Student Learning Hub
2021 – 2022
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 – 2021
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 – 2020
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 – 2019
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 – 2018
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 – 2017
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 – 2016
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 – 2015
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 – 2014
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 – 2013
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