2025 A&S Outstanding Achievement Awards

Members of the Arts & Science community gathered at the Faculty Club this month to join Acting Dean Stephen Wright in celebrating recipients of the 2025 Outstanding Achievement Awards.

The annual celebration recognizes the skills and dedication they bring to their roles across the Faculty of Arts & Science in support of its academic mission. Family members, colleagues and students celebrated the teachers and the administrative staff whose commitments enhance the student experience and advance teaching and research excellence.

“We would not be where we are today — ranked among the world’s best universities — without our dedicated faculty and staff whose contributions enable our success,” said Wright. “On behalf of the entire Faculty of Arts & Science, congratulations to all our A&S Outstanding Achievement Award recipients.”

Faculty members, sessional lecturers, graduate student course instructors, and staff members were recognized in the following categories:

Outstanding Teaching Award

The Faculty of Arts & Science Outstanding Teaching Award recognizes teaching excellence in undergraduate and graduate education with a focus on classroom instruction and course design and/or curriculum development.

• L.K. Bertram, Department of History — for creating spaces where students engage critically with contemporary issues shaped by difficult histories, showing how new technologies can shape, warp or suppress public understanding of the past, and inspiring students to learn more about the topics they study.
• Adam Hammond, Department of English — for making learning active, emphasizing the mutually enriching relationship between critical thinking and creative production, and for helping students make sense of literary texts in an era of digital media. | Read more on the Department of English website.
• W. Christopher Johnson, Women & Gender Studies Institute and Department of History — for a pedagogical approach that nurtures his students’ intellectual curiosity in a highly supportive and collaborative environment while exposing them to rigorous training.
• David Liu, Department of Computer Science — for careful and attentive design of instructional materials to create a supportive environment for student learning, and for significantly contributing to connecting computer science with other disciplines, fostering a culture of interdisciplinary exchange and collaboration. | Read more on the Department of Computer Science website.
• Mary Pugh, Department of Mathematics — for teaching grounded in active-learning principles, and for significant contributions to the curricular design of several courses, including the development of an online program that helps incoming students build math skills needed for first year. | Read more on the Department of Mathematics website.
  

  

Outstanding Teaching Award — Early Career

The Faculty of Arts & Science Outstanding Teaching Award — Early Career recognizes teaching excellence in undergraduate and graduate education with a focus on classroom instruction and course design and/or curriculum development among early career faculty.

• Mario Badr, Department of Computer Science — for leading co-curricular initiatives to support undergraduate student engagement and professional development, and for renewing existing courses and designing an important new course. | Read more on the Department of Computer Science website.
• Alex Koo, Department of Philosophy — for an extraordinary degree of success teaching a challenging logic course and providing extensive support for the specific challenges students faced in the areas of reading and writing philosophical material.
• Leah Montange, Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy — for demonstrating a deeply engaged and reflective approach to teaching, incorporating innovative methods to stimulate critical thinking and provide intellectually stimulating experiences. | Read more on the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy website.
• Sarah Peirce, Department of Earth Sciences — for stimulating critical and analytical thinking in students with carefully thought-out labs, field trips and active learning activities, and for critical contributions to the teaching, update and development of a range of physical geography courses.
• Shelby Riskin, Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology — for using active learning techniques including engagement triggers, think-pair-share activities, debates, flipped classroom approaches, reflections and field trips, to ensure her students are not just passive recipients of knowledge but active participants in their education.
• Kenneth Yip, Department of Cell & Systems Biology — for developing an innovative approach where undergraduate researchers create peer-reviewed teaching case studies for their fellow students, and for consistently creating innovative learning opportunities that connect classroom learning with real-world application. | Read more on the Department of Cell & Systems Biology website.

Superior Teaching Award

The Faculty of Arts & Science Superior Teaching Award recognizes teaching excellence in undergraduate education in classroom instruction, innovative teaching methods and student engagement among sessional lecturers and graduate student course instructors.

Sessional Lecturer

• David R. Anderson, Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies — for encouraging self-reflection and collaboration, and for teaching complicated theory in an accessible, enjoyable and approachable manner.

Graduate Student Course Instructors

• Gianmarco Bocchi, Department of Italian Studies — for creating multiple activities to engage students with the classroom material and improving on a course to make a rewarding learning experience.
• Liza Igoshina, Department of Psychology — for dedication to enhancing students’ understanding of psychological concepts through structured, research-backed teaching methods and a commitment to student learning.

Teaching & Learning Fellowship

The Faculty of Arts & Science Teaching & Learning Fellowship provides instructors with the opportunity to design or redevelop an in-person, online, or hybrid course. Each fellow receives funding and support from the A&S Teaching & Learning team to realize their course design project. Completed projects provide inspiration and models for other faculty through various means of showcasing their work to the broader Arts & Science community.

• Seika Boye, Centre for Drama, Theatre, & Performance Studies — for developing the course Dancing Black in Canada 1900–70 and exploring the role of dance within Canada’s Black population innovatively using video, animation and other media.
• Neera Singh, Department of Geography & Planning — for developing the course Re(story)ing the Earth: Indigenous Activism, Ecological Stewardship & Climate Action in the Global South, drawing from Indigenous philosophy, activism and environmental justice movements to question top-down, market-oriented, technocentric solutions to climate and ecological crisis.

Outstanding Staff Awards

The Outstanding Staff Awards recognize the important roles administrative and technical staff have in fulfilling the faculty's academic mission.

Administrative Service Award

• Ryan Woolfrey, Registrar, University College — for unfailingly and constantly going above and beyond what can normally be expected of a staff member, even of those in leadership positions, in his tireless support of students.
• Sarah Lavoie, Department Assistant, Department of Computer Science — for her outstanding service to the department and her many contributions to making the department a better place to work, teach and do research. | Read more on the Department of Computer Science website.
• Ying (Iris) Li, Undergraduate Assistant, Department of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations — for her pleasant nature, good humour, dedication and willingness to help others creates a welcoming and inclusive environment.
• Jeannie Hyun Pak, Manager, Finance & HR Administration, Department of Chemistry — for her enthusiasm and zeal for each project, exemplifying excellence in administration, and demonstrating remarkable organizational skills, problem-solving abilities and leadership. | Read more on the Department of Chemistry website.
• Sanjhana Srinath Dore, Executive Assistant to the Principal, Woodsworth College — for her outstanding contributions to the smooth running of the college, her unwavering willingness to support wherever she is needed and her positive attitude, work ethic and commitment to excellence.
• Elizabeth (Lisa) Rumiel, Director, Research Services, Office of Research Services — for her leadership and her strength of conviction in promoting excellence in Arts & Science.

Distinguished Long Service Award

• Fereshteh Hashemi, Graduate Administrator, Department for the Study of Religion — for her creative ability to solve seemingly impossible problems and innovations that have had positive effects on graduate student experience. | Read more on the Department for the Study of Religion website.
• Robert Henderson, Cryogenics Facility Manager, Department of Physics — for his exemplary management of the cryogenics facility, his gentle infectious sense of humour and his easy-going, knowledgeable and supportive nature.

Student Life Award

• Kristen Ligers, Director, Programs, Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy — for her ability to turn ideas into concrete tools and solutions, her skill as a coach and mentor, her professionalism, her ability to work seamlessly across teams and her deep commitment to student life. | Read more on the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy website.
• John (Jack) McGrath, Assistant Registrar- Advising, Innis College — for his sensitivity to student mental wellness and adding a human touch that reinforces for the student that they are being responded to by a caring person who truly has concern for their well-being.
• Elizabeth (Libby) West, Associate Director, Student Learning & Professional Development, Office of Experiential Learning and Outreach Support — for creating a positive work environment with her trustworthiness, consistency and brightness, and going above and beyond to support students.

Technical Service Award

• Stanley (Stan) Klassen, Archaeology Laboratory Technician/Collections Manager, Department of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations — for his ability to build and foster meaningful connections, guiding countless students through the challenges of academia, offering advice on research, career development and navigating the field of archaeology.