2019 Medal Winners | francais

The 2019 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (British Columbia and Yukon)

is awarded to

Louay El Halabi

"It is an honour and humbling to be recognized for something I love to do. I am grateful to the people who nominated me and I am fortunate to be a part of a great team of Physics educators as well as incredible students that help drive my passion for Physics and learning every day." winner citation

The Canadian Association of Physicists (CAP) is pleased to announce that the 2019 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (British Columbia and Yukon) is awarded to Louay El Halabi, Semiahmoo Secondary School, in recognition of for his innovative demonstrations and experiments within his school, for his student mentoring, and for his outreach efforts across the province. announcement

Louay’s ability to motivate students has pushed them to excel. Many of his students have taken the annual CAP exam and made it to the finals and national team. Louay also coaches senior students for two provincial science competitions: UBC Physics Olympics and the Kwantlen Science Challenge. Over the past decade, Semiahmoo physics students have displayed their talents with consistently placing in the top ten with first place finishes six times. Louay is always looking for innovative ways to connect physics to the ‘world’ of his students and others around him. His innovative teaching methods, including extensive opportunities for hands-on labs and demonstrations, allow him to bring passion and fun into physics in a way that takes the “abstract and scary” part out of physics, engages students, and allows them to take risks.

Louay has also served as a board member for the British Columbia Association of Physics Teachers for the past six years where he has enjoyed working with educators who share his passion for physics. Louay continues to contribute to the field of Physics Education through his development and implementation of numerous workshops and professional development opportunities offered to his colleagues throughout the province.

Louay has been recognized for his leadership and excellence in teaching in his home community, where he was nominated for the Surrey Community Leader Award for Teacher of the Year in November 2018 and received Honourable Mention.

Louay is an outstanding teacher whose passion for physics is contagious and continues to inspire and engage his students to push their learning beyond the textbook into the ‘real world’ where they continue to excel and develop their own passion for physics. nominator citation

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