Ontario Tech University presents Awards of Excellence

Ontario Tech University is celebrating the beginning of a new academic year by recognizing outstanding achievements by faculty and staff over the past 12 months. The 2011 Awards of Excellence were presented on September 13 at the annual President’s Welcome Back Reception hosted by Dr. Tim McTiernan.

“The inspiring day-to-day contributions of our faculty and staff have helped Ontario Tech University build a bridge between the Region of Durham and the world,” said President McTiernan. “While celebrating individual achievement, this award ceremony truly underscores our university’s growing reputation for teaching excellence; the quality of our innovative, relevant and boundary-pushing research; and recognizes our commitment to levels of student service that are second-to-none.”  

• The Staff Award of Excellence recognizes staff who have made outstanding contributions in their roles and achieved excellence in demonstrating Ontario Tech University's core competencies;
• The Research Excellence Award recognizes faculty who have achieved national and/or international success and recognition through their research activities and enhanced UOIT’s reputation as a research-focused institution; and
• UOIT’s Teaching Awards provide recognition for teaching excellence, to encourage its pursuit, to publicize such excellence across the university and the wider community, and to promote informed discussion of teaching and its improvement.

From a long list of distinguished nominees, the awards were presented to the following Ontario Tech University employees:

Staff Award of Excellence

• Administrative/Technical: Lana Pickering, finance and administrative officer, Office of the Associate Provost, Academic; and
• Professional Managerial: Ron McKelvey, practicum manager, Faculty of Education.

Research Excellence Award

• Early Stage Researcher: Dr. Shahram ShahbazPanahi, associate professor, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science; and
• Senior Researcher: Dr. Igor Pioro, professor, Faculty of Energy Systems and Nuclear Science.

Teaching Award

• Core Faculty: Dr. Dhavide Aruliah, Faculty of Science;
• Complementary Faculty: Paula di Cato, lecturer, Faculty of Science; and
• Teaching Assistant: Rami El-Emam, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science.

Congratulations to all of the nominees and award recipients on their outstanding achievements and hard work over the past year.