UOIT's Dr. Rupinder Brar named Ontario's Best Lecturer

University to receive $10,000 scholarship for future students

OSHAWA, ON. - The University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) is celebrating along with Dr. Rupinder Brar, a Physics lecturer with the Faculty of Science, for having won TVO's 2010 Big Ideas Best Lecturer Competition. This marks the second time in the five-year history of the competition that a UOIT lecturer has won top prize.

"I am sincerely honoured to have been selected as Ontario's Best Lecturer," said Dr. Brar. "Teaching is my passion and I thoroughly enjoy challenging and inspiring my students to push their own boundaries of thinking and learning. I would like to thank my students for the nomination and the amazing support I have received from them and the UOIT community.

Dr. Brar was announced as the winner during the airing of TVO's Big Ideas television show on Saturday, following a competition that began last fall with a call for nominees from Ontario's universities and colleges. He was nominated by one of his students.

Dr. Brar's winning lecture was titled Exoplanets: The Search for Other Earths, and for being named Ontario's top lecturer, a $10,000 TD Meloche Monnex scholarship will be awarded to UOIT.

A total of 692 professors were originally nominated and of those 332 accepted the nomination. A panel of judges narrowed the impressive list down to 20, followed by the Top 10 shortlist comprised of five men and five women whose televised lectures aired on TVO's Big Ideas in March and April. Dr. Brar was selected as the winner after the close of the voting period on April 11 and announced during the show on Saturday, April 17.

"Congratulations to Dr. Brar for this well-deserved recognition," said Dr. William Smith, dean, Faculty of Science. "He is a shining example of the caliber of our world-class professors at UOIT who are dedicated to enhancing their students' knowledge and understanding in their chosen fields. Dr. Brar's enthusiasm for teaching and his ability to engage and inspire students in new areas of science and to comprehend complex Physics subject matter is underscored with this win."

Dr. Brar joined UOIT as Physics lecturer when the university opened its doors in 2003. He earned his Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Physics, Astronomy and Mathematical Science degree from the University of Toronto and went on to complete his Master of Science in Physics and Astronomy degree from the University of Waterloo and his PhD in Physics from Queen's University. While at Queen's he was awarded the Christopher Knapper Award for Excellence in Teaching Assistance. During graduate school, Dr. Brar researched the halos of spiral galaxies while at the same time he discovered his love for teaching Physics and Astronomy to undergraduate students. Brar has received numerous awards and accolades for his teaching. He has a reputation for effectively communicating complex topics in physics and astronomy to undergraduate students of varying backgrounds with a lecturing style that is engaging, entertaining and interactive.

When he is not teaching, Dr. Brar conducts astrophysics research and is actively involved in a wide range of cultural, environmental and political groups.

-30-

About UOIT
As an innovative university, UOIT delivers a leading-edge learning environment that uniquely combines academic knowledge, research opportunities, hands-on skills and a vibrant student life. UOIT's more than 6,500 students are taught by professors who are experts in their fields from around the world. As Ontario's first laptop-based university, the university offers a diverse array of challenging undergraduate and graduate degree programs through its faculties of Business and Information Technology; Criminology, Justice and Policy Studies; Education; Energy Systems and Nuclear Science; Engineering and Applied Science; Health Sciences; and Science. UOIT's commitment to research excellence has resulted in millions of dollars in grants and awards, including six Canada Research Chairs. To find out more, visit www.uoit.ca or call 905.721.8668.

---

About Ontario Tech University
A modern, forwarding-thinking university, Ontario Tech advances the discovery and application of knowledge to accelerate economic growth, regional development and social innovation. We inspire and equip our students and our graduates to make a positive impact in a tech-focused world. For us, it’s not only about developing the next tech breakthrough. Understanding and integrating the social and ethical implications of technology differentiates us as university. Learn more at ontariotechu.ca.

---

Media contact
Melissa Levy
Communications and Marketing
Ontario Tech University
905.721.8668 ext. 2513
melissa.levy@uoit.ca