News related to Teaching Excellence

This past fall, University of Guelph Student Housing Services invited students residing in residence halls across campus (over 4500 students) to nominate their favourite Fall Semester professors.

Professor Joanne O'Meara was nominated by a significant number of students and is co-recipient of Fall 2017's "Residence Students' Favourite Fall Professor" distinction for positively impacting the academic experience at Guelph. Asked why they nominated Professor O'Meara as their favourite professor, one student wrote:

Congratulations to Professor Martin Williams on being awarded the 2017 CAP Medal for Excellence in Teaching Undergraduate Physics! The award recognizes Professor Williams for "his exceptional ability to lead students to high academic achievements in physics through excellence and innovation in teaching and mentoring, for his contribution to curriculum design inspired by the results of Physics Education Research, and for his leadership in promoting the adoption of innovative research-based instructional strategies within the Canadian physics education community."

Congratulations to alumnus Mats Selen on being named 2016 U.S. Professor of the Year by Carnegie Foundation and Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)! Mats Selen is being recognized as the Outstanding Doctoral and Research Universities Professor.

Congratulations to James Ball on winning the Irwin Talesnick Award for Excellence in Teaching! James Ball, currently a physics teacher at Guelph's John F. Ross CVI, completed a Bachelor of Science in 1985 and a Masters of Science degree in 1987 at the University of Guelph (Department of Physics).

The award, from the Science Teachers’ Association of Ontario (STAO), recognizes one teacher annually for unique and extraordinary accomplishments in teaching science to students in the province.

Glenn Wagner, a science and mathematics teacher at a high school in Fergus, is one of 50 people in the running for the Global Teacher Prize.

The Global Teacher Prize is a one million dollar prize awarded annually by the Varkey Foundation to "a super-special teacher", or as the tagline on Global Teacher Prize website says: "$1 Million to Celebrate One Outstanding Teacher".

The Top 10 will be announced in mid-February 2015 and the winner of the Global Teacher Prize will be announced at the Global Education and Skills Forum in Dubai on 16th March 2015.

Congratulations to Dr. Martin Williams. He will be awarded the Distinguished Professor Award for Innovation in Teaching. at the Annual University of Guelph Faculty Association (UGFA) Teaching Awards & New Member Reception to be held October 16, 2014. The recipients of these awards are selected from nominations made by students and colleagues in recognition of their impressive contributions to University teaching and library services.

Congratulations to Professor Joanne O'Meara who will be presented with John Bell Award at the undergraduate CPES convocation on June 12th, 7 PM. Further information on University of Guelph News Release.

Professor Martin Williams was among the honored invitees at the "Recognition of the Contribution of Teaching Reception" presented by the Student Senate Caucus & the Undergraduate Academic Information Centre. The reception, held on Monday March 31st, recognized contributions made to the academic experience and celebrated the importance of teaching in post-secondary education. Professor Williams was nominated by Ms. Anita Acai, a Bachelor of Science student.

Ms. Anita Acai had the following to say about Professor Williams in her nomination:

Dr. Martin William was awarded a Central Student Association's Teaching Excellence Award this year at the Student Life Awards Banquet held on Thursday March 22nd from 7-10 PM in the Science Atrium.