Awards - Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching in Life Sciences
Updated December 2013
Graduate and Life Sciences Education, Faculty of Medicine in partnership with the Basic Science Departments and Institutes in the Faculty (Anatomy, Biochemistry, Immunology, Institute of Biomaterials & Biomedical Engineering, Institute of Medical Science, Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology, Medical Biophysics, Molecular Genetics, Nutritional Sciences, Pharmacology & Toxicology, and Physiology) will award four annual Undergraduate Teaching Awards in Life Sciences. The purpose of these awards is to honour outstanding and sustained contributions by faculty members to undergraduate Arts and Science teaching and the undergraduate experience in Life Sciences. The awards carry a value of $1,000 each and will be presented at the Faculty of Medicine Annual Education Achievement Celebration.
Categories:
1. Excellence in undergraduate teaching in life sciences
This award is for sustained excellence in teaching, coordination and/or development of undergraduate lecture or seminar courses in Arts and Science offered by the Basic Science Departments in the Faculty of Medicine.
2. Excellence in undergraduate laboratory teaching in life sciences
This award is for sustained excellence in the teaching, coordination and/or development of laboratory based instruction in formal Arts and Science Life Sciences laboratory courses.
3. Excellence in linking undergraduate teaching to research in life sciences
This award is for sustained excellence, mentorship and innovative methods that link undergraduate teaching to experiential research opportunities such as research project courses and summer student research projects or equivalent programs.
Eligibility:
Eligibility extends to all faculty members who hold full time appointments in Basic Science Departments or Institutes in the Faculty of Medicine and teach in life sciences undergraduate courses and/or research projects in Arts and Science.
Nomination:
Candidates for these awards must be nominated by a student, a former student, or another faculty member through a Departmental/Institute Undergraduate Program office; self-nominations are not accepted. A previous winner may be nominated for an Undergraduate Life Sciences Award in the same category as the previous award after a period of five (5) years. A previous winner may be nominated in a different award category at any time.
Criteria:
The following will be considered in reviewing each nominee:
1) Commitment:
- quantity of teaching
- accessibility to students
- evidence of self-development in teaching methods (e.g. course attended)
- research and publications on teaching methods
2) Excellence in communication skills
3) Subject mastery
4) Ability to organize material and emphasize principles
5) Demonstrated ability to stimulate students:
- encourages interest in and enthusiasm for subject
- displays good rapport with students
- leads students to think critically, analytically and independently, and to organize their own learning
6) Effective use of appropriate teaching resources and instructional methodologies
7) Innovative, creative and experimental teaching methods
8) Contribution as a suitable role model
9) Evidence of mentorship
Nomination Process:
The primary nominator (a student, former student, or faculty member other than the nominee) will fill out and submit the nomination form and inform the nominee of the nomination. The nominator and nominee will be jointly responsible to ensure that required documentation as listed on the nomination form is submitted, including:
- Completed nomination form
- Supporting letters from:
- Department/Institute Chair/Director (or designate)
- Students (minimum 2)
- 1-2 page summary of the nominee's contributions to teaching
- summaries of student evaluations of teaching/course materials
- current abridged Curriculum Vita (max. 10 pages) which includes a full description of the contribution to undergraduate teaching in Life Sciences and accomplishments relevant to the award eligibility criteria, including:
- relevant undergraduate teaching
- teaching awards for undergraduate teaching
- undergraduate students supervises (dates and projects)
- nominee's statement of teaching philosophy (max. 1 page)
Nomination Criteria (pdf) Nomination Form (pdf)
Nomination Forms and documentation should be emailed to the Administrative Coordinator, Life Sciences Education. For further information, please contact Natasha Lowe (416) 978-2281.
DEADLINE DATE: Friday January 31, 2014
Selection Process:
Nominees’ files will be reviewed and winners recommended to the Interim Vice-Dean, Graduate and Life Sciences Education by a panel of selected undergraduate students and faculty members.
Previous Winners:
Undergraduate Teaching
2012-2013 - Barbara (Dee) Ballyk, PhD - Department of Surgery, Division of Anatomy
2011-2012 - Douglas Templeton, MD, PhD - Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology
2011-2012 - Michelle French, PhD - Department of Physiology
2010-2011 - Stavroula (Roula) Andreopoulos, PhD - Department of Biochemistry
2009-2010 - Cindy Woodland, PhD - Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
2008-2009 - Valerie Watt, PhD - Department of Physiology
2007-2008 - Patricia Stewart, PhD - Department of Surgery
2007-2008 - Carin Wittnich, PhD - Department of Physiology
2006-2007 - Craig Smibert, PhD - Department of Biochemistry
2005-2006 - Patricia Brubaker, PhD - Department of Physiology
Undergraduate Laboratory Teaching
2012-2013 - Carin Wittnich, MD PhD FRCSC - Department of Physiology
2011-2012 - Not Awarded
2010-2011 - Jenny Jongstra-Bilen, PhD - Department of Immunology
2009-2010 - Grant W. Brown - PhD, BSc - Department of Biochemistry
2008-2009 - Kate Banks, DVM, PhD - Department of Physiology
2007-2008 - Not Awarded
2006-2007 - Christopher Perumalla, PhD - Department of Physiology
2005-2006 - David Isenman, PhD - Department of Biochemistry
Linking Undergraduate Teaching to Research
2012-2013 - Richard Horner, PhD - Department of Physiology
2011-2012 - Patricia Brubaker, PhD - Department of Physiology