2022 Medal Winners | francais

The 2022 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (British Columbia and Yukon)

is awarded to

Edward Csuka

"I am honoured to advocate, communicate, and celebrate physics alongside the Canadian Association of Physicists and grateful to Perimeter Institute, administrators, colleagues, students, parents, and John Mohr for their letters of support. This couldn’t have happened without my loving family, exceptional friends and especially my brilliant spouse, Jennifer. Thank you!" winner citation

The Canadian Association of Physicists (CAP) is pleased to announce that the 2022 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (British Columbia and Yukon) is awarded to Edward Csuka, Coquitlam School District, in recognition of his passionate teaching of physics, in addition to his leadership of the Power of Ideas Exhibit and his dedication in seeking funding to launch and support a new STEAM program. Edward also provides extra-curricular opportunities for learners to develop their ideas and passions in the sciences through a robotics club, science fairs, and an innovation society, where students develop their ideas into designs and 3D-printed objects. announcement

The Canadian Association of Physicists (CAP) is pleased to announce that the 2022 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics (British Columbia and Yukon) is awarded to Edward Csuka, Coquitlam School District, in recognition of his passionate teaching of physics in addition to his leadership of the Power of Ideas Exhibit and his dedication to supporting a new STEAM program. Edward also provides extra-curricular opportunities for learners to develop their ideas and passions in the sciences through a robotics club, science fairs, and an innovation society, where students can use 3D printers and other makerspace tools to bring their ideas to life.

Edward Csuka has always had a great passion for science and in particular, physics. Deeply inspired as a teenager by Stephen Hawking’s, “A Brief History of Time”, Edward enjoys asking the big questions and revels in the pursuit of the elegant solutions that the Universe reluctantly reveals. His passion is contagious and ignites curiosity in students’ brilliant minds seeking answers. Edward is recognized for his unique style of empowering others. Rather than giving students labs with predetermined procedures, he presents open-ended real world physics challenges. Students design their own experiments and report their results. Edward is invigorated when students find new and exciting ways to tackle difficult challenges.

Edward runs the Terry Fox Robotics Club and the Terry Fox Innovation Society for inventive, innovative, and entrepreneurial students. In 2014, he was one of only 40 physics teachers globally to be invited to the Einstein Plus Workshop at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics (PI). In collaboration with PI, Edward hosted the Power of Ideas Tour in 2017 as part of the Canada 150 Project. In addition to the Tour, Edward orchestrated 20 extra side attractions involving 75 professional presenters from top science institutions in the Greater Vancouver area. Many of Edward’s students were highly involved and given prominent leadership roles. The Tour was well publicized in the media and over 1000 visitors came in from the community. The Tour also sparked the Fox Science Fair, which grew to involve hundreds of students. Following the Power of Ideas, Edward was awarded a Certificate of Recognition plaque from the SD43 School Board, and he continued to organize Power of Ideas events in 2018 and 2019. Edward is honoured and grateful to have enormous support from numerous exceptional leaders, colleagues and students who continue to motivate, lift, and inspire him. nominator citation

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