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This award recognizes excellence and innovation in Indigenous teaching and learning, and/or the development of curriculum or programs relating to Indigenous peoples with a focus on decolonizing education and/or incorporating Indigenous ways of knowing, doing, believing, and feeling.  

Nomination Guidelines:

• A maximum of 2 awards per year will be conferred (can be an individual or teams). 

  • Individual – Indigenous or non-Indigenous educator contributing to decolonizing/Indigenizing teaching and learning. 
  • A team of Indigenous and, or non-Indigenous educators contributing to unsettling/decolonizing teaching and learning. 
  • Individual faculty members, individual staff members or teams that include both faculty members and staff are encouraged to apply. 

• For this award, Indigenous Education at Queen’s can include: 

  • Curricula and programs where the content relates to Indigenous cultures and ways of knowing. 
  • Curricula and programs involving meaningful relationship-building and collaborations with Indigenous communities or partners. 
  • Academic or professional staff who have made an important contribution to Indigenous higher education by furthering scholarly learning, teaching, and learning practices, or increased public knowledge of Indigenous issues and/or made significant contributions to Indigenous peoples or communities. 
  • Academic or professional staff who are working to promote an understanding of Indigenous ways of knowing, doing, believing, feeling across the University. 
  • Academic or professional staff who demonstrate active relationship-building and collaboration in teaching and learning environments by including Indigenous and non-Indigenous academic and non-academic voices. 
  • Critically engage and unsettle the non-Indigenous population in the spirit of truth, healing, and reconciliation. 

Selection Criteria:

Successful nominations are decided through the main adjudication committee, and are the strongest package, that best meets or exceeds all the following criteria: 

Criterion #1: Motivating and Inspiring

Nominee(s)’s approaches to teaching and learning have motivated and inspired students to learn about, and collaborate with, Indigenous peoples or communities 

Criterion #2: Knowledge of Indigenous Worldviews

Nominee(s) has developed curricula, resources or innovative approaches that reflect deep knowledge of Indigenous worldviews or teaching and learning practices. 

Criterion #3: Indigenous Ways of Knowing, Doing, Believing, Feeling

Nominee(s) has developed evaluation practices that bring about improvements in teaching and learning and emphasize Indigenous ways of knowing, doing, believing, and feeling.

Criterion #4: Indigenous Higher Education

Nominee(s) has contributed to Indigenous higher education and demonstrated an intentional integration of the TRC Calls to Action and how they are addressed 

Criterion #5: Meaningful, Ethical Collaborations

Nominee(s) has contributed to meaningful and ethical collaborations with Indigenous peoples/communities 

Criterion #6: Integrating UN SDGs

The nomination discussed the relationship to one or more of the UN SDGs. This includes identifying the relevant SDGs and explaining how the selected SDGs are mobilized in the course curricula and learning activities.   

The complete nomination package for this award includes the following: 

• Complete nomination template.
• 2 signed letters of support (each 500 words) 
  • Letters may come from students, colleagues, administrators, or others who have benefited from the teaching of the nominee. Letters from Indigenous communities and individuals positively affected by the nominee’s work are encouraged.  The letters should focus on the candidate's accomplishments and should complement and elaborate upon claims made in the nomination template.  

Award recipients will:

• be presented with the award at the annual Teaching Awards Reception; 
• receive a $2,000 award to be used at their discretion; and 
• receive a commemorative Indigenous artwork 

2025 Petra Fachinger, Professor, Department of English, Literature, and Creative Writing

2024 , Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine, Queen’s Health Sciences and Brittany Pratt, Educational Developer of Indigenous Curriculum and Ways of Knowing, Queen’s Health Sciences
2023  (Janet Jull, team leader)
2023  (Nancy Dalgarno, team leader)
2022 Celeste Pedri-Spade, Global Development Studies 
2021 Armand Ruffo, Department of English Language and Literature
2020 , Faculty of Education
2020 , Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science

The Principal’s Alumni Award for Engaging Students as Partners in Learning recognizes innovative curricular design and instructional approaches where educators, instructors and learners work together to achieve deep and meaningful learning.  Students as Partners refers to a model of power-sharing between students and other members of the community and instructors.  Students are valued as collaborators, bringing their prior learning perspectives and expertise into the co-creation and co-design of their own experiences in higher education. This award is given to recognize an individual or a team who engages students as partners, lending power to student voices and supporting them to become the champions of their own educational journeys. Please note that this award focuses on a single course rather than whole programs.  

Nomination Guidelines:

• 1 award per year will be conferred (can be an individual or team).  
• Individual faculty members, or teams that include faculty members, staff  and students are encouraged to apply. 

Selection Criteria:

Successful nominations are decided through the main adjudication committee, and are the strongest package, that best meets or exceeds all the following criteria: 

Criterion #1: Intentional approach to including students as partners

The nomination discussed the design of the course and how it innovatively includes students as partners – especially as it pertains to the discipline.  This includes describing how students are intentionally included as part of the process – e.g. co-designed assessments, partnership development etc. 

Criterion #2: Student-Led initiatives in the curriculum are outlined

Clearly outlines activities and initiatives in the curriculum that are designed and led by students, including the intellectual direction of the learning.  This includes demonstrating how the activities integrate and mobilize diverse student voices and perspectives into the proposed work. 

Criterion #3: Evidence of student learning life-long learning

Evidence is presented that demonstrates positive and successful student learning.  This includes products of learning (e.g., reflection, art, presentations, programs, etc.,) that demonstrate how learners change, enhance or confirm their intellectual contributions to the course. 

Criterion #4: Complementary Evidence of instructor commitment to life-long learning

Evidence is presented that demonstrates the instructor’s approach to continuous improvement.  This includes describing what an instructor engages in, and how that learning is utilized to enhance learner-centred, inclusive, and equitable course design, partnership development, assessments, and course processes etc. 

Criterion #5: Integrating UN SDGs

The nomination discussed the relationship to one or more of the UN SDGs.  This includes identifying the relevant SDGs, and explaining how the selected SDGs are mobilized in the course activities.  The nomination outlines the impact that is achieved in relation to the SDGs when students are engaged as partners successfully. 

The complete nomination package for this award includes the following: 

• Complete nomination template. 
• 2 signed letters of support (each 500 words) 
  • Letters may come from students, colleagues, administrators or other instructors.  The letters should focus on the candidate's engagement with students as partners in advancing curricula and their commitment to life-long learning and should complement and elaborate upon claims made in the nomination template. 

Award recipients will:

• be presented with the award at the annual Teaching Awards Reception; and
• receive a $5,000 award to be used at their discretion 

2025 , Associate Professor, School of Nursing

2025 , Assistant Professor and Director of the iStudio Research Lab, Queen’s Computing

Visit the Alumni Award for Engaging Students as Partners in Learning page on the QUAA website to learn more about this year's recipients. 

2024 Dr. burcu habibe baba, Assistant Professor, Gender Studies and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Arts and Science

This award became a partnership between the Principal's Office and the ���˴�Ƭ Alumni Association (QUAA) in 2023. It was merged with and replaces the Curriculum Development Award (in partnership with the Centre for Teaching and Learning) for the Principal’s Teaching and Learning Awards suite and the Alumni Excellence in Teaching Award coordinated by QUAA. All partners respectfully acknowledge past recipients of both awards for their contributions to the Queen's community.

For past recipients of the Alumni Excellence in Teaching Award, visit the QUAA website. 

Past recipients of the Curriculum Development Award in partnership with the Centre for Teaching and Learning:

2023 Not awarded this year
2022 Faculty of Arts and Science Online Learning Development Team
2021 Not awarded this year
2020 Not awarded this year
2019 Richard Reznick, Faculty of Health Sciences
2019 , Faculty of Health Sciences
2019 , Faculty of Health Sciences
2019 , Faculty of Health Sciences
2019 , Faculty of Health Sciences
2019 , Faculty of Health Sciences
2019 , Faculty of Health Sciences
2019 , Faculty of Health Sciences
2019 Jena Hall, Faculty of Health Sciences
2019 , Faculty of Health Sciences
2018 William Nelson, Department of Biology
2018 Randy Flanagan, Department of Psychology
2018 , Department of Mathematics and Statistics
2018 Wanda Beyer, Faculty of Arts and Science Online
2018 Erik Bigras, Faculty of Arts and Science Online
2018 Julian Enright, Faculty of Arts and Science Online
2018 Rachel Eagen, Faculty of Arts and Science Online
2018 Nadia Morel, Faculty of Arts and Science Online
2017 Rachel Laforest, School of Policy Studies
2017 Robert Wolfe, School of Policy Studies
2017 Joel Jahrsdorfer, School of Policy Studies
2017 Andrew Graham, School of Policy Studies
2017 Fatemeh Mayanloo, School of Policy Studies
2017 Fiona Froats, School of Policy Studies
2015 , Department of Emergency Medicine
2015 , Division of Cancer Care and Epidemiology
2015 Linda Levesque, Centre for Health Services and Policy Research
2015 Sheila Pinchin, School of Medicine
2015 Suzanne Maranda, Bracken Library
2015 , Bracken Library

The Principal’s Educational Leadership Award acknowledges and celebrates exemplary educational leadership of a faculty member, staff member or student, demonstrated through initiatives that have a significant and sustained impact on teaching and learning at a departmental, faculty, student and/or institutional level.  

Nomination Guidelines:

• 1 award per year will be conferred to an individual.  
• Nominations for the Educational Leadership Award will be assessed based on evidence of the nominee’s demonstrated abilities in one or more areas that may include but are not limited to the following: 
  • Leading specific initiatives that enhance student learning, the teaching development of colleagues, or administrative practices that recognize and reward teaching. 
  • Sharing teaching or curriculum development expertise with others through mentoring or more formal workshops or program initiatives. 
  • Actively engaging colleagues in enhancing their teaching practices and/or scholarship. 
  • Contributing teaching and learning expertise in ways that have influence beyond one’s own teaching practice, including sharing knowledge and research with others. 
  • Demonstrating critical reflection on the effectiveness of teaching and learning and responding to the challenges identified in ways that engage others in understanding and improving student learning. 

Selection Criteria:

Successful nominations are decided through the main adjudication committee, and are the strongest package, that best meets or exceeds all the following criteria: 

Criterion #1: Educational Leadership

Demonstrates ongoing commitment to teaching and learning above and beyond their normal roles and responsibilities in one or several of the 5 areas listed above. 

• Nomination demonstrates that initiative(s) go beyond their normal roles and responsibilities. 

• Nomination describes the values and context underlying the leadership contributions. 

• Nomination clearly describes the rationale for initiative(s). 

Criterion #2: Significant Positive Impact

Describes how initiative(s) have had a significant, positive, and demonstratable impact on teaching and learning at a departmental, faculty, student, institutional level, and/or national/international levels. 

• Nomination provides sufficient amount and breadth of evidence both: 

• demonstrating impact through multiple sources of evidence 

• demonstrating impact over time 

• Nomination provides details of demonstrated impact that has been sustainable and ongoing.  

• Nomination demonstrates reflection of initiative(s) in response to evidence and impact. 

Criterion #3: Integrating UN SDGs

The nomination discusses the relationship with one or more of the UN SDGs.  This includes identifying the relevant SDGs, and explaining how the selected SDGs are integrated into Educational Leadership.  The nomination discusses the impact of the educational leadership efforts and how it advances or champions selected SDGs. 

The complete nomination package for this award includes the following: 

• Complete nomination template.
• 2 signed letters of support (each 500 words) 
  • Letters may come from students, colleagues, administrators, or others who have benefited from the leadership of the nominee. Letters should focus on the candidate’s leadership accomplishments and respond to the information in the guidelines and selection criteria.   

Award recipients will:

• be presented with the award at the annual Teaching Awards Reception; and
• receive a $2,000 award to be used at their discretion 

2025 , Professor and Associate Director (Research & Post-Professional Programs), School of Rehabilitation Therapy

2025 , PhD candidate, Department of Biology

2024 , Professor and the Division Chair, Division of Rheumatology, EDI Lead, Department of Medicine, Queen’s Health Sciences
2023 Meghan Norris, Undergraduate Chair, Department of Psychology 
2022 , Faculty of Education
2021 Not awarded this year
2020 Not awarded this year
2019 , Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences
2018 Laura Murray, Department of English Language and Literature
2017 , Department of Emergency Medicine
2016 Robert Lovelace, Global Development Studies
2015 , Undergraduate Medical Education

The Principal’s Educational Innovation and Technology Award is designed to recognize and encourage the use of technology to enhance teaching and learning at Queen’s. This award recognizes faculty and/or staff (individuals or teams) from any Faculty, School or Department. Excellence is exemplified through evidence-based approaches that are learning and student focused.  

Nomination Guidelines:

• 2 awards per year will be conferred (1 individual; 1 team). 
• Individual faculty members, individual staff members or teams that include both faculty members and staff are encouraged 
• For this award, new technologies are recognized, and consideration will also be given for effective and innovative uses of existing technologies. Technologies could include hardware and/or software.  

Selection Criteria:

Successful nominations are decided through the main adjudication committee, and are the strongest package, that best meets or exceeds all the following criteria: 

Criterion #1: Problem-solving through Use of Technology

An evidence-based approach is outlined in the nomination. The nominee (or team) innovatively solves problems with technology. New resources generate measurable efficiencies and effectiveness over existing practices. Nomination includes clear articulation of the need for the use of the technology, provides examples of its application, and evidence of its success. 

Criterion #2: Impact on Student Learning

Use of the technology has a positive impact on students’ learning. A direct connection between technology usage and learning outcomes is demonstrated. Technology introduced motivate students’ in‐depth learning and promotes inquiry or experiential learning. 

Criterion #3: Enhancement of Teaching

Innovative use of technology demonstrates partnership between instructors and students. It enhances methods for engagement, assessing/evaluating students’ performance and/or providing feedback student learning.    

Criterion #4: Alignment with UN SDGs and Institutional Goals

Nomination presents evidence of the innovative use of technology that aligns with identified UNSDGs, and university goals, such as the University’s Strategic Framework, faculty-wide strategies, and/or departmental goals.

Criterion #5: Accessibility and Collaboration

Use of the technology contributes to improved equity and access to learning. The nominee (or team) effectively uses the technology to reduce barriers and improve accessibility for all learners.   

The complete nomination package for this award includes the following: 

• Complete nomination template.
• 2 signed letters of support (each 500 words) 
  • Letters may come from students, colleagues, administrators, or others who have benefited from the work described in the nomination. Letters should focus on the guidelines and selection criteria.   

Award recipients will:

• be presented with the award at the annual Teaching Awards Reception; and
• receive a $2,000 award to be used at their discretion 

2025 Geof Hall, Assistant Professor, School of Environmental Studies

2024 (SASS), Student Affairs

• Susan Korba, Director
• Ian Garner, Manager (Outreach)
• Leslie Paterson, Manager (1:1 Programs)
• Lindsay Heggie, Academic Skills and Writing Specialist
• Alyssa Foerstner, Academic Skills Support Coordinator (EAL)
• Lydia Skulstad, Intercultural Academic Support Coordinator
• Johanna Amos, (Academic Skills and Writing Specialist)
• Mikayla Sebesta, Outreach and Peer Programs Coordinator
• Gail Eaton-Smith, Academic Skills and Writing Specialist
• Greg Hicks, Academic Skills and Writing Specialist
• Ana Norris, Departmental Assistant

2023 , Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences
2022  Engineering and Applied Science
2021 , School of Computing

2021 Team Award:

• , School of Rehabilitation Therapy
• , Office of Professional Development & Educational Scholarship
• Julie Cameron, School of Rehabilitation Therapy
• , Office of Professional Development & Educational Scholarship
• , School of Rehabilitation Therapy
• , Office of Professional Development & Educational Scholarship

2020 Ryan Martin, Physics, Engineering Physics and Astronomy
2019 , School of Nursing
2019 , School of Nursing
2016 Lindsay Davidson, Surgery (Faculty Recipient)
2016 Lynel  Jackson, School of Medicine (Faculty Recipient)
2016 , Department of Medicine (Faculty Recipient)
2016 , Surgery(Faculty Recipient)
2016 Sheila Pinchin, School of Medicine (Faculty Recipient)
2016 Amir Heidari, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science (Staff Recipient)
2016 Katherine Prescott, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science (Staff Recipient)
2016 l, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science (Staff Recipient)
2016 Rob Bertschi, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science (Staff Recipient)
2016 , Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science (Staff Recipient)
2015 Jennifer Hosek, Languages, Literature and Cultures (Faculty Recipient)
2015 Natalie Simper, Office of the Provost (Staff Co-Recipient)
2015 Jake Kaupp, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science (Staff Co-Recipient)

The Principal’s Globally Engaged Education Innovation Award recognizes innovation in internationalization of both teaching and learning in a course or program. Successful innovation is exemplified through evidence-based approaches to learning outcomes that are student-focused and demonstrate global engagement. This award honours the outstanding efforts of an individual or a team of students, staff, and/or faculty (in any combination) who innovate their course or program of teaching and learning by embedding the UN SDGs, global content, perspectives, and dimensions into the core learning outcomes of the course or program. The outlined innovation can take place on campus or as part of a field course or program.  

Nomination Guidelines:

• 1 award per year will be conferred to an individual or team 
• Nominees can be students, staff, faculty or any combination of individuals 

Selection Criteria:

Successful nominations are decided through the main adjudication committee, and are the strongest package, that best meets or exceeds all the following criteria: 

Criterion #1: Innovation in Course/Program Development

An evidence-based approach is outlined in nomination. Nominee (or team) innovatively embeds global content, perspectives, and dimensions into core of course or program. Innovation goes beyond discussion of an international topic. 

Criterion #2: Global Engagement in Learning Outcomes

Learning outcomes are student-centred and focus on advancing global engagement and UN SDG goals.  There is a clear alignment between learning outcomes and assessments of the innovative global engagement elements of  the course or program.  

Criterion #3: Impact on Student Learning

Evidence of the positive impact on students’ learning is provided. There is direct connection to learning outcomes/global approaches. 

Criterion #4: Alignment with Strategic Goals and UN SDGs

Evidence of alignment with strategic university goals for global engagement at the course or program level is provided. Wider context towards the advancement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is demonstrated. 

The complete nomination package for this award includes the following: 

• Complete nomination template. 
• 2 signed letters of support (each 500 words) 
  • Letters should ideally come from two different types of stakeholder that address the award criteria. 

Award recipients will:

• be presented with the award at the annual Teaching Awards Reception;
• receive a $2,000 award to be used at their discretion; and
• be featured in international Queen’s communication stories. 

2025 , Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine

2025 English for Beginners @ Queen’s School of English Team: 

• , Educational Developer
• , Academic Manager

2024 Dunin-Deshpande Queen’s Innovation Centre (DDQIC) Team for their Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Fellowship on Entrepreneurship (JL MCF)

• Greg Bavington, Executive Director
• Jim McLellan, Academic Director
• Joanna Tinus, Program and Community Manager
• Chloe Beisheim, Program and Outreach Manager
• Megan Sieroka, International Programs Manager
• Virginia Sytsma, Program Coordinator
• Paige Kasaboski, Finance and Operations Coordinator
• Bruna Guarino Moraes, Program Coordinator

2023 , Adjunct Faculty Member, Faculty of Education
2022 , School of Rehabilitation Therapy
2021 Isabelle Brent, Bader College
2020 Jennifer Hosek, Languages, Literature and Cultures
2018 , Department of Biology
2018 , Department of Biology
2016 Ajay Agarwal, Department of Geography and Planning
2015 Susan Lord, Department of Film and Media Studies
2015 Karen Dubinsky, Global Development Studies

The Teaching Award for Promoting Student Inquiry recognizes innovative instructional design which enables active student engagement in learning. Please note that this award focuses on student inquiry experiences in a single course rather than overall teaching excellence as noted in the criteria. This award recognizes faculty and/or staff (individuals or teams) from any Faculty, School or Department. 

Nomination Guidelines:

• 1 award per year will be conferred to an individual or a team.  
• Individual faculty members, or teams that include both faculty members and staff are encouraged to apply. 

Selection Criteria:

Successful nominations are decided through the main adjudication committee, and are the strongest package, that best meets or exceeds all the following criteria: 

Criterion #1: Innovative Approach to Inquiry and Critical Thinking

The nomination package demonstrates an innovative approach that transforms teaching through a redesign of a learning task or redefinition allowing for new, creative forms of learning. Evidence is provided that supports students deep and critical thinking that reveals aspects of personal interpretation and analysis, reflection on positionality and bias, and synthesis and evaluation of information. 

Criterion #2: Collaborative Student Learning

The nomination package demonstrates how the inquiry instruction enables and supports students to collaborate and take active control of their own learning, and to reflect on and assess their progress in learning.  There is evidence of independent decision-making such as determining research sources (community, images, primary materials), research tools (databases, archives, interviews), and how research will be shared and mobilized (presentation, website, conference, artistic work, etc.).   

Criterion #3: Exploring Information Resources and Knowledge Sharing

The nomination package demonstrates how the inquiry instruction enables and supports students to strategically explore and learn from information resources. This is inclusive of designs that intentionally provide opportunities for knowledge sharing opportunities within the class, the campus, and/or the community. 

Criterion #4: Integrating UN SDGs

The nomination discusses the relationship to one or more of the UN SDGs.  This includes identifying the relevant SDGs, and explaining how the selected SDGs are mobilized in the inquiry activities and outcomes.  The nomination outlines the impact that is achieved in relation to the SDGs when students are engaged as partners successfully in the inquiry process. 

The complete nomination package for this award includes the following: 

• Complete nomination template. 
• 2 signed letters of support (each 500 words)  
  • One of the 2 required letters of support should come from a student   
  • A copy of the syllabus or description of the redesigned aspect of the course 

Award recipients will:

• be presented with the award at the annual Teaching Awards Reception; 
• receive a $2,000 award to be used at their discretion; and 
• be recognized with a plaque with the recipient’s name in Stauffer Library 

2025 Leslie Ritchie, Professor, Department of English, Literature, and Creative Writing
2024 Dr. Ian Fanning, Assistant Professor, Languages, Literatures and Cultures and Department of Global Development Studies, Faculty of Arts and Science
2023 ASCX400 Course Team (Christina Dinsmore, team leader)
2022 , Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences
2021 Asha Varadharajan, Department of English Language and Literature
2020 Una D'Elia, Art History and Art Conservation
2019 Petra Fachinger, Department of English
2018 Lindsay Morcom, Faculty of Education