Congratulations James Howard for your outstanding contributions to the student experience

This year, Residence Life ran a Professors Recognition program and asked students to highlight a professor who had a positive impact on their year. The students wanted to take a moment to recognize James Howard for his PHYS*1080 & PHYS*1070 courses.

In residence, our staff provide various programs to help support the student transition into first year. During the year, we work with various campus partners, alumni and faculty members to coordinate a House Call program, where a professional/faculty staff member have a chance to connect with students individually and hear more about their U of G experience. In addition, Student Housing Services puts a large focus on student academic growth and success. To support these initiatives, Residence Life group students by academic themed communities (overseen by upper-year students) who program community specific events that promote academic growth. These programs include faculty in residence, group study sessions and community talks. If you’re interested in learning more about the residence programs we offer or how you and/or your faculty can get involved, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Here’s what students had to share about James:

• James Howard is genuinely one of the best professors I've had. He made every lecture fun, and he teaches material in a way that is easy to understand. He's patient and understanding when working with students who need extra help, and he's also very approachable. I actually looked forward to going to his class every week and didn't feel like I was just there because I had to be. He's made a huge difference in my academic motivation, and I look forward to taking his classes in future semesters!
• Made class engaging and enjoyable simultaneously furthering my understanding.
• I am in my first year and James Howard’s teaching really stood out to me and was unique. He made an effort to make classes super fun and was always outgoing. It made me want to come to class more and I looked forward to going to classes with a teacher who wasn’t boring and just read of the slides. I can tell he is passionate about physics and owns it. I wish there were more profs like him! He is a very understanding person and is always willing to help his students with a smile. He deserves to be recognized!!
• James Howard never fails to bring a smile the students faces. He’s the most enthusiastic professor I’ve ever had. He’s very understanding and cares about his students.
• One of the best physics professors, he cares lots about his students, makes physics fun and bearable, relates it to real life examples and will always do his best to be there for students!!
• Thank you so much Mr. Howard for getting me through first year physics! I would not have done as well without your very helpful office hours.
• Professor James is the absolute best! I hated physics coming into university and I absolutely dreaded the fact that I had to take the class but he has made physics my favourite subject this year! I had him first semester for PHYS*1080 and he has great notes and a great teaching style overall! I loved his “Thursday special” where he somehow tied our course content to a funny real world scenario. He always is willing to help with any questions and concerns and his door is always open! I made sure to sit in his class second semester for PHYS*1070 because no physics professor is as great as James Howard!
• Professor Howard was the only reason I liked coming to my physics lecture every week; he kept things as interesting as possible and is an all around great guy. He was extremely helpful if you had questions and didn’t take himself too seriously, which kept lectures enjoyable.

Thank you again for making a difference in the student experience!