Courtney Kates, University of Waterloo, in recognition of her excellent academic record and extensive experience in physics education and outreach. Additionally, she has demonstrated remarkable innovation and initiative by designing low-cost experiments, developing lab resources, and delivering outreach sessions to students across Canada. Courtney's passion for teaching stems from a lifelong curiosity about the world, and she hopes to share that wonder by “[showing] people that physics is fun” and “creating free enrichment opportunities for students so they can have their love of physics nurtured.
Annabelle Czihaly, University of Victoria, in recognition of her excellent academic record and her strong commitment to physics education and mentorship. She has volunteered in a secondary school science classroom and mentored fellow graduate students in effective lab teaching, demonstrating both initiative and leadership in supporting physics learning at multiple levels. Annabelle recognises that physics can be seen as intimidating, resulting in “students [feeling] discouraged before we even [begin];” she hopes to “challenge these notions by making physics accessible, interesting, and engaging”.
Ben Giers, Mount Royal University, in recognition of his excellent academic record as well as his engagement in education research. Additionally, he has taken on a formal peer tutoring role, demonstrating his ability to effectively convey physics concepts to others. Ben’s undergraduate research projects have “deepened [his] appreciation for the beauty and complexity” of physics, “fueling [his] desire to share this enthusiasm with future generations”.
Dennis Thai, University of Alberta, in recognition of his excellent academic record as well as his work in undergraduate physics research. Additionally, he has demonstrated exceptional communication skills, being recognised as a passionate and engaging speaker when discussing and explaining physics within his research group. Dennis’ dedication to building his knowledge of physics and research on his way to becoming an educator will allow him to “foster the curiosity of [his] future students by discussing or providing guidance towards more advanced and current topics in physics”.
Kara Deane, University of British Columbia, in recognition of her excellent academic record and demonstrated ability in designing and delivering physics teaching activities. Additionally, she has made substantial contributions to the promotion and education of STEM subjects through her outreach and volunteer work with youth. Kara’s curiosity is what draws her to physics, and she hopes to share this with students by "[counteracting] narratives that place physics on a pedestal of impossible difficulty and [grounding] abstract concepts in the daily lives of students".
Elijah Adams, University of Calgary, in recognition of his excellent academic record and strong skills in communicating physics. He adopts a student-centered approach and has utilized this to explore inquiry-based learning and create high-quality physics course materials for hybrid learning. Elijah believes that "a compelling introduction to physics is crucial for students' continued interest in higher education" and that physics education can "cultivate unique problem-solving skills and enhance learning capabilities across all fields".
Éloïse Faehndrich, UBC, in recognition of her excellent academic record as well as her proven passion for and skill at physics and physics pedagogy. She has done outstanding work over the years with young people, providing her with invaluable experience that will serve her well in her future career in education. Éloïse cites the love of mystery as one of the things that drew her to physics. As a teacher, she hopes to "engage students in that aspect of learning where mystery meets wonder"..
Eli Sollid, University of Calgary, in recognition of his excellent academic record and strong physics knowledge as well as his great communication and pedagogical skills. These were evidenced in part by his completion of an original physics education research project that used interdisciplinary applications to create and implement a physics course designed to improve student attitudes towards physics. Eli believes that with the proper support students’ way of thinking about physics can undergo a significant transformation. The desire to provide this support is what "...continually impassions [him] to teach.’' .
Michelle Sullivan, University of Alberta, in recognition of to recognize her strong academic record and passion for teaching physics as demonstrated by her outstanding work as a teaching assistant and outreach activities. Ms. Sullivan takes "great personal satisfaction from sharing physics..." and is keen to point out that "physics is at play in [our] everyday activities".
Jay Florica, University of Guelph, in recognition of to recognize his outstanding academic record and exceptional teaching potential. Mr. Florica is dedicated to explaining complicated physics concepts in simple and understandable ways. He wishes to inspire students to get excited about learning and make a difference in their lives.
Samantha Scarfe, University of Ottawa, in recognition of her outstanding, highly motivated work as a physicist and educator and who has the ability to make a big difference to physics pedagogy at the secondary school level.
Joshua Mogyoros, University of Toronto, in recognition of his outstanding, highly motivated work as a physicist and educator and who has the ability to make a big difference to physics pedagogy at the secondary school level.
