In partnership with the Canadian Association of Physicists, the Institute of Particle Physics, and others, TRIUMF is proud to announce the winners of this year's 2013 CAP Award for Excellence in Teaching High School/CEGEP Physics. Every year the award honours secondary school and Collège d'enseignement général et professionnel Physics teachers from across Canada who go above and beyond, inspiring the next generation of young minds in physics.
Nominees must demonstrate not only a passion for the subject, but innovative teaching and involvement in mentorship, outreach, or extra-curricular involvement in promoting and championing physics education for their students and the community.
Recipients of the award will enjoy an educational grant that can support professional development for the teacher, equipment, software, or books for their classrooms. One recipient will also be given the opportunity to attend a three-week symposium at CERN near Geneva, Switzerland.
This year's winners were chosen for their commitment to inspiring others by truly going beyond the call of duty in their line of work to promote physics curricula that is engaging for both students and their fellow professional staff.
- From Penticton, B.C., Bruce Gowe was selected as a recipient of the award for his commitment to impacting the current generation of physics students through increased technological applications within his classroom. Bruce has also been an integral part of the Penticton High School Physics Olympics team consistently placing first in BC, more than any other team in the past two decades.
- Representing Richmond Hill, Ontario, Dave Doucette was nominated for his efforts to reach out to fellow colleagues to advance physics. He did this through conducting countless professional development workshops and individual mentorship, directly leading to a resurgence of the Ontario Association of Physics Teachers in recent years.
- Chris Whittaker of Quebec's Dawson College was recognized for his promotion of active learning pedagogies, writing and producing episodes of CBC's Ideas and spearheading the design of "the holodeck," a next generation active learning facility at Dawson College.
- From Sackville, Nova Scotia, Jason Jennings was awarded for his excellence in seeking and developing opportunities to enrich physics curricula at his high school. He organized hands-on learning opportunities with Saint Mary's university, including a radioactivity lab and observatory visits for students. As a past participant of Perimeter Institute's Einstein Plus summer workshops, he has shown continued commitment to advancing high quality modern physics teaching in Sackville for the benefit of students and professional development alike.
Congratulations to the recipients, and thank you for all of your passion and dedication to advancing physics among the next generation!
Photo: Canadian Association of Physicists
--Ariane Madden, TRIUMF Communications Assistant