The 2012 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (Prairies and Northwest Territories)

is awarded to

Brian Dentry

"For this amazing opportunity, thank you. Over the years I have been able to experience the excitement of students discovering and experiencing physics. Initially on a different path in my career, prominent physics professors took time for their students and exposed them to the wonders of physics. Later, this led to my exposure to CAP, Chalk River, TRIUMF, and others. To now receive this award sponsored in part by these same organisations, brings many more opportunities to my students and brings my teaching a full circle" winner citation

The Canadian Association of Physicists (CAP) is pleased to announce that the 2012 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (Prairies and Northwest Territories) is awarded to Brian Dentry, Kildonan-East Collegiate, in recognition of for his long-standing accomplishment of propelling students to excellence. In addition to regularly producing winners of high school CAP prize exams, having a very high percentage of his students enter graduate work in physics, and giving a large number of teaching workshops in physics over the years, Brian has had a special concern in encouraging members of under-represented groups to enter physics. His new approach to the curriculum in high school math and physics showed a reduction in the dropout and failure rate from 62% to 10%. announcement

Brian Dentry has been a teacher in the River East Transcona School Division in Manitoba for the past 35 years. During that time he has taught High School Physics courses at the grade 11, grade 12, and grade 12 AP levels consistently over that time frame. Brian has always worked to promote Physics to students and Physics teaching to teachers and teacher candidates alike. He has worked to improve and shape science curriculum here in Manitoba. For many years, Brian has taught AP Physics to a dedicated group of students on his own time before the start of regular classes and over the lunch hour.

Brian is a founding member of MAPT (Manitoba Association of Physics Teachers), and has presented many workshops dealing with topics in Physics, computer applications, and curriculum. Mr. Dentry has always worked to promote and encourage the involvement and participation of women and minority groups Physics education. nominator citation

medal description

The Canadian Association of Physicists, founded in 1945, is a professional association representing over 1600 individual physicists and physics students in Canada, the U.S. and overseas, as well as a number of Corporate, Institutional, and Departmental Members. In addition to its learned activities, the CAP also undertakes a number of activities intended to encourage students to pursue a career in physics. cap description

joint description

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For more information, please contact:

Canadian Association of Physicists
Tel: (613) 562-5614
Fax: (613) 562-5615
E-mail: cap@uottawa.ca