The Faculty of Education at UBC is advancing educational research and understanding in ways that celebrate diversity, equity, and innovation, and welcomes international collaboration in an increasingly borderless world.

UBC’s Faculty of Education, one of the world’s leading education faculties, has served the local, national, and international education community through leadership in research, teaching, service and advocacy for more than 60 years. As the largest Faculty of Education in British Columbia, it plays a critical and influential role in the advancement of education in the province, shaping and participating in education’s possibilities and potential as a social good. 

Today, the Faculty of Education creates conditions for transformative teaching, innovative learning, and leading-edge research guided by the highest standards of scholarship and the principles of collaboration, social justice, inclusion and equity. Offering undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional development opportunities, the Faculty of Education enrolls thousands of students each year on two campuses and ranks 10th in the world, according to QS World University Rankings (2021).

UBC’s Faculty of Education prepares more than 45% of the elementary and the majority of secondary educators in British Columbia, and a significant proportion of British Columbia’s school counsellors, administrators, special education professionals, and school psychologists. With more than 57,000 alum located in 100 countries, the UBC Faculty of Education truly is a global entity. 

The Faculty of Education is home to four departments (Curriculum and Pedagogy, Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education, Educational Studies, and Language and Literacy Education) and two schools (the School of Kinesiology and the Okanagan School of Education).

Mission
To advance education's role in the well-being of people and communities.
 

Research Centres

Research Facilities

We provide outstanding research facilities for faculty and graduate students that promote leading-edge research. Our Education Library is a specialized resource with access to all of UBC’s research and special collections, including the X̱wi7x̱wa Library with materials produced by Indigenous organizations, tribal councils, schools, researchers and publishers.

The Faculty’s Education Research and Learning Commons at Ponderosa Commons features technology-enhanced teaching and learning spaces and also informal learning spaces. A number of faculty manage their own research labs, situated throughout campus. 

Many of our PhD students have been selected as UBC Public Scholars and have received other honours.

Research Highlights

https://ivet.educ.ubc.ca/Notable strengths are in literacy education and multilingualism; struggling and marginalized youth; Indigenous education, decolonization, and research; transformational program and curriculum design and inclusive pedagogies for schools, community organizations and higher education; sexual orientation and gender-identity inclusive education; social-emotional learning and well-being; autism; exercise physiology, socio-cultural aspects of health; neuromechanical studies; and multidisciplinary research in diversity, health, early childhood education, and digital media. The School of Kinesiology ranks 1st in Canada and 4th in the world by QS World University Rankings (2021).

UBC’s Faculty of Education is the national leader in the number of education graduate student fellowships received from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). Additionally, the Faculty of Education is home to six Canada Research Chairs, one CIHR chair and nine donor-funded research chairs and professorships. 

Schools / Departments

School

Department

Graduate Degree Programs

Research Supervisors in Faculty

or browse the list of faculty members in various academic units. You may click each unit to view faculty members appointed in that unit. View the full faculty member directory for more search and filter options.
Name Academic Unit(s) Research Interests
Abdi, Ali Department of Educational Studies Comparative and cross-cultural education; Decolonizing philosophies of education, Development education, Critical research methodologies,; Human rights education
Ahenakew, Cash Department of Educational Studies Cultural studies, Higher Education, Indigenous Studies, Leadership and Organizations, Post-colonial studies, Race/ethnicity, Research methodologies, Social justice, Sociology of Education
Ahmed, Anwar Department of Language & Literacy Education Languages and literature
Anderson, David Department of Curriculum & Pedagogy Curriculum, pedagogy and didactics; Science, technology and engineering curriculum, pedagogy and didactics; Specialized studies in education; Cultural Institutions (Museums, Libraries, etc.); Informal Learning; Long-term Memory; Metacognition; Museum Education; Nostalgia; Science Education; Visitor Studies
Andres, Lesley Department of Educational Studies Higher education; life course research; international comparative higher education; sociology of higher education
Beauchamp, Mark School of Kinesiology Kinesiology; social determinants of health; Health Promotion; Quality of Life and Aging; Mental Health and Society; Children; Exercise Psychology; Group Processes; Health Psychology; Intervention; Leadership; Older Adults; Physical Activity; Social Cognition; Sport Psychology
Bedi, Robinder Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, and Special Education Counselling psychology; Investigating counselling and psychotherapy as Western cultural healing practices; Counselling psychology disciplinary and professional issues in Canada; Heterodox issues in counselling psychology that challenge its dominant narratives and sacred ideas; Counselling/psychotherapy/mental health with Punjabi/Sikh individuals; Neglected topics in the Psychology of Men and Masculinity
Belliveau, George Department of Language & Literacy Education Art education, drama education, pedagogy, teacher research
Bennett, Erica School of Kinesiology Sport and exercise psychology; stress, emotion, and coping; Aging; sport; chronic illness; disability; Physical Activity; community and critical perspectives in physical activity psychology
Blouin, Jean-Sebastien School of Kinesiology Kinesiology; sensorimotor integration; Motor System; robotics and automation; Trauma / Injuries; Physiology; Balance robot; Computational approaches; Head and neck; Sensorimotor physiology; Sensory virtualisation; Standing balance; Whiplash injuries
Borgen, William Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, and Special Education Career Counselling, Career/life transitions, Developmental approaches to counselling, Group counselling
Boushel, Robert School of Kinesiology, Department of Family Practice Natural sciences; Exercise, physiology, oxygen transport, cardiovascular regulation, bioenergetics, mitochondria
Bredin, Shannon School of Kinesiology Medicine, nursing and health curriculum, pedagogy and didactics; Psychology, social and behavorial aspects; Indigenous health; Physical education and development curriculum, pedagogy and didactics; Psychosocial, sociocultural and behavioral determinants of health; Health promotion and disease prevention; Motor Behaviour (Motor Expertise, Learning, and Development); Human Performance; Physical Activity; Knowledge Translation and Mobilization; Indigenous Health and Physical Activity; Long-Term Athlete Development; Childhood Development; sport
Bryson, Mary Department of Language & Literacy Education Critical studies of technology; literacies; cancer education; critical theory; Gender and Sexuality Studies; digital cultures
Bundon, Andrea School of Kinesiology Kinesiology; Social Contexts; critical disability studies; disability; Paralympics; social media; sociology; sport
Cannon, Joanna Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, and Special Education language and literacy acquisition of students who are d/Deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) and struggling readers
Carpenter, Mark School of Kinesiology neural control of movement, fear of falling, Neural control of movement, postural control, fears of falling, balance disorders, Parkinson's disease
Chua, Romeo School of Kinesiology Other natural sciences; Human sensorimotor control; Visual-motor control; Sensorimotor adaptation
Clark, Penney Department of Curriculum & Pedagogy history education, Curriculum Studies Research, History Education and Historical Consciousness, History of Education, Pedagogy, Social Studies Education Research
Cloth, Allison Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, and Special Education Adolescence, Adolescent development, Child and Family Counseling in School Settings, Interventions, Mentoring, Program Evaluation, Social Justice, Young People Placed
Code, Jillianne Department of Curriculum & Pedagogy Curriculum, pedagogy and didactics; Specialized studies in education; Educational Context; Educational Technologies; Formative assessment; Immersive learning; Learner agency; Learning and Memory; Learning design; Self-efficacy; Self-regulated Learning; Situated and embodied cognition; Virtual augmented and mixed reality for learning; Virtual learning environments
Cole, Peter Department of Curriculum & Pedagogy Indigenous Education Research; Aboriginalizing/indigenizing research methodology; Orality; Narrativity; Environmental thought; Indigenous self-determination and self-governance; Traditional Aboriginal and Indigenous technologies
Corella Morales, Meghan Department of Language & Literacy Education Other languages and literature; Academic Discourse; Children and youth; Discourse Analysis; Language ideology; Sociolinguistics
Cox, Daniel Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, and Special Education Counselling psychology; Motivations and Emotions; Anxiety; depression; Mental Health and Society; stress; Suicide
Darvin, Ron Department of Language & Literacy Education ESL, TESOL, LOTE and sign language curriculum, pedagogy and didactics; identity and investment in language learning; critical applied linguistics; race, ethnicity, and social class; Digital Literacies; generative AI

Pages

Graduate Student Stories

Amie Orsetti

Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology (MA)

The role of emotion regulation in counselling processes.

Andrea Kellaway

Master of Arts in Special Education (MA)

Nothing about us without us: Preservice teachers with disabilities’ perspectives on inclusive education

Viviana Shiffman

Doctor of Philosophy in Kinesiology (PhD)

The trainability of the pulmonary system: effect of sex and age

Stef Atkinson

Master of Arts in Kinesiology (MA)

Trust in the coach-athlete relationship

Meera Sharma

Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology (MA)

Investigating Factors Associated with Alcoholism and Recovery Amongst South Asian Men

Christina Kouvousis

Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology (MA)

All Pain, No Gain: Dominant Coaches and the Coach-Athlete Relationship

Antonia Soldovieri

Doctor of Philosophy in School and Applied Child Psychology (PhD)

Educators' perceptions and experiences of teacher training and inclusive teaching

Serena Trang

Master of Science in Kinesiology (MSc)

Impact of chronic risperidone treatment on metabolic health of adolescent mice.
All Student Stories

Alumni on Success

Brigid Goitse Conteh

Doctor of Philosophy in Language and Literacy Education (PhD) [2020]

Job Title
Lecturer

Employer
University of Botswana

Olen Gunnlaugson

Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies (PhD) [2009]

Job Title
Associate Professor in Leadership and Organizational Development

Employer
Université Laval

Andrea Bundon

Doctor of Philosophy in Kinesiology (PhD) [2014]

Job Title
Assistant Professor

Employer
The University of British Columbia - School of Kinesiology

Suzanne Windsor-Liscombe

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy (EdD) [2014]

Job Title
Teacher-Administrator

Employer
Retired Educator from the Burnaby School District

Ashwani Kumar

Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD) [2011]

Job Title
Associate Professor

Employer
Mount Saint Vincent University

Ryan van den Berg

Master of Arts in Educational Studies (MA) [2016]

Job Title
Analyst

Employer
Library of Parliament

Randy Wollf

Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies (PhD) [2008]

Job Title
President

Employer
PaperLift Document Editing

Kenneth Tupper

Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies (PhD) [2011]

Job Title
Director of Implementation & Partnerships

Employer
BC Centre on Substance Use
All Alumni Stories

Recent Publications

This is an incomplete sample of recent publications in chronological order by UBC faculty members with a primary appointment in the Faculty of Education.

 

Military Veterans’ Psychological Health and Physical Activity After Separation From Service
Publication: American Journal of Preventive Medicine
UBC Author(s): Mark Beauchamp (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 07493797
Volume: 69
Publication Date: August 2025

View Publication
Lockdown Stories: A Qualitative Assessment and Comprehensive Taxonomy of Career Resources
Publication: Journal of Career Assessment
UBC Author(s): William Borgen (Educational & Counselling Psychology & Special Education / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 10690727
Volume: 33
Page Range: 510-529
Publication Date: August 2025

View Publication
Taking stock of youth substance use portrayals: A critical content analysis of Canadian news media, 2016–2024
Publication: Social Science and Medicine
UBC Author(s): Johanna Sam (Educational & Counselling Psychology & Special Education / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 02779536
Volume: 379
Publication Date: August 2025

View Publication
Understanding the conditions that foster collaborative teacher cultures: A case study
Publication: System
UBC Author(s): Maureen Kendrick (Language & Literacy Education / Faculty of Education), Margaret Early (Language & Literacy Education / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 0346251X
Volume: 131
Publication Date: July 2025

View Publication
The role of green and blue spaces in perinatal maternal mental health outcomes during the transition to parenthood
Publication: Environment International
UBC Author(s): Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen (Educational & Counselling Psychology & Special Education / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 01604120
Volume: 201
Publication Date: July 2025

View Publication
Digest
Publication: Journal of Sport Exercise Psychology
UBC Author(s): Erica Bennett (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education)
Volume: 47
Page Range: 199-203
Publication Date: 1 June 2025

View Publication
Differences in Geographical Location and Health Behaviors of Participants in a Family-Based Lifestyle Intervention for Children and Adolescents Living with Obesity
Publication: Childhood Obesity
UBC Author(s): Eli Puterman (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 21532168
Volume: 21
Page Range: 426-435
Publication Date: 1 June 2025

View Publication
Does traffic-related air pollution exposure alter blood gas parameters in recreationally trained male cyclists during prolonged endurance exercise?
Publication: Physiological Reports
UBC Author(s): Michael Koehle (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education)
Volume: 13
Publication Date: June 2025

View Publication
Assessing the recovery gap in forest restoration within the Brazilian Atlantic Forest
Publication: Journal of Applied Ecology
UBC Author(s): Edward Kroc (Educational & Counselling Psychology & Special Education / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 00218901
Volume: 62
Page Range: 1337-1349
Publication Date: June 2025

View Publication
Young mothers and eHealth: a scoping review
Publication: Archives of Women's Mental Health
UBC Author(s): Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen (Educational & Counselling Psychology & Special Education / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 14341816
Volume: 28
Page Range: 491-501
Publication Date: June 2025

View Publication
Correction to: Fear of cancer recurrence experienced by pediatric survivors of childhood cancer: a scoping review (Supportive Care in Cancer, (2024), 32, 9, (588), 10.1007/s00520-024-08795-7)
Publication: Supportive Care in Cancer
UBC Author(s): Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen (Educational & Counselling Psychology & Special Education / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 09414355
Volume: 33
Publication Date: June 2025

View Publication
“What Is Lost so That Other Things Can Be Sustained?”: The Climate Crisis, Loss, and the Afterlife of Golf
Publication: Sociology of Sport Journal
UBC Author(s): Brian Wilson (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 07411235
Volume: 42
Page Range: 180-189
Publication Date: June 2025

View Publication
Language learning in the context of a global pandemic: proximal and distal factors matter
Publication: Pediatric Research
UBC Author(s): Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen (Educational & Counselling Psychology & Special Education / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 00313998
Volume: 97
Page Range: 1900-1910
Publication Date: May 2025

View Publication
GDF15 links adipose tissue lipolysis with anxiety
Publication: Nature Metabolism
UBC Author(s): David Wright (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education)
Volume: 7
Page Range: 1004-1017
Publication Date: May 2025

View Publication
Sleep Disturbance and Postconcussive Symptoms in Pediatric Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Orthopedic Injury
Publication: Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation
UBC Author(s): Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen (Educational & Counselling Psychology & Special Education / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 08859701
Volume: 40
Page Range: 157-166
Publication Date: May 2025

View Publication
Multidimensional correlates of psychological stress: Insights from traditional statistical approaches and machine learning using a nationally representative Canadian sample
Publication: PLoS ONE
UBC Author(s): Eli Puterman (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education), Mark Beauchamp (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education)
Volume: 20
Publication Date: May 2025

View Publication
On the use of sham transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation in spinal cord injury clinical trials
Publication: Brain
UBC Author(s): Tania Lam (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 00068950
Volume: 148
Page Range: 1456-1458
Publication Date: 1 May 2025

View Publication
Financing clean technologies within Canada's Indigenous communities: Perspectives on sustainable energy transition from practitioners and academics
Publication: Energy
UBC Author(s): Derek Gladwin (Language & Literacy Education / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 03605442
Volume: 322
Publication Date: 1 May 2025

View Publication
Parental Travel Behaviors and Children’s Independent Mobility: A MultiSite Study
Publication: Pediatric Exercise Science
UBC Author(s): Guy Faulkner (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 08998493
Volume: 37
Page Range: 112-117
Publication Date: May 2025

View Publication
Emotional well-being of school principals: exploring enhancement and risk factors
Publication: Journal of Educational Administration
UBC Author(s): Fei Wang (Educational Studies / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 09578234
Volume: 63
Page Range: 224-238
Publication Date: 25 April 2025

View Publication
Identity and ESP
Publication: The Handbook of English for Specific Purposes: Second Edition
UBC Author(s): Ron Darvin (Language & Literacy Education / Faculty of Education)
Page Range: 583-598
Publication Date: 17 April 2025

View Publication
Gender and race in ESP research
Publication: The Handbook of English for Specific Purposes: Second Edition
UBC Author(s): Ryuko Kubota (Language & Literacy Education / Faculty of Education)
Page Range: 563-581
Publication Date: 17 April 2025

View Publication
An umbrella review and meta-analysis of 87 meta-analyses examining healthcare workers' mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic
Publication: Journal of Affective Disorders
UBC Author(s): Eli Puterman (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education), Mark Beauchamp (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education), Guy Faulkner (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 01650327
Volume: 375
Page Range: 423-436
Publication Date: 15 April 2025

View Publication
CA and MCA to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI): A case for motivated looking
Publication: Research Methods in Applied Linguistics
UBC Author(s): Steven Talmy (Language & Literacy Education / Faculty of Education)
Volume: 4
Publication Date: April 2025

View Publication
Tracking Physical Activity and Nutrition Policies and Practices in Early Childhood Education and Care: Five Years Post-Implementation of a Provincial-Level Active Play Standard
Publication: Childhood obesity (Print)
UBC Author(s): Guy Faulkner (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education)
Volume: 21
Page Range: 273-281
Publication Date: 1 April 2025

View Publication

Pages

Recent Thesis Submissions

Doctoral Citations

A doctoral citation summarizes the nature of the independent research, provides a high-level overview of the study, states the significance of the work and says who will benefit from the findings in clear, non-specialized language, so that members of a lay audience will understand it.
Year Citation Program
2025 Dr. Desjarlais-Smith’s research explored wholistic leadership perspectives of Indigenous women in the K-12 education system. Her research shows that Indigenous women leaders struggle to maintain their Indigeneity while navigating decolonizing education systems. The research calls for systematic changes to educational organizations. Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy (EdD)
2025 Dr. Dmyterko developed a theory of neurodiversity-affirming practice based on the perspectives of 30 autistic adults. Her research emphasizes the importance of integrating the neurodiversity paradigm and social model of disability into clinicians’ approach, environment, and actions to better support neurodivergent individuals and their families. Doctor of Philosophy in School and Applied Child Psychology (PhD)
2025 Dr. Yu studied parents’ process of seeking mental health services for their children. She developed a theory of help-seeking for parents of children with anxiety. Her results may help to inform policymakers and practitioners by highlighting the role of parental advocacy and mental health literacy when navigating the mental health system. Doctor of Philosophy in Counselling Psychology (PhD)
2025 Dr. Gagnon examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on teaching practices, uncovering a heterogeneous acceleration in digital adoption, a redefinition of pedagogical beliefs, lasting changes in teaching modalities, and shifts in power dynamics over their adoption. His work advances understanding of educational transformation in times of crisis. Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy (EdD)
2025 Dr. Iskander worked with trans and gender nonconforming preservice teachers to study normative gender expectations in Canadian teacher education programs. Their dissertation offered insight into how programs might better welcome gender diversity as well as what trans knowledge and experience might offer programs and the teaching profession. Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD)
2025 Schoolteachers have many overlapping, even conflicting, responsibilities, leaving them to navigate some way in between. Dr. Robertson studied how these tensions influence teachers’ curricular decision-making alongside students. He found a teacher’s individual judgment and style are key aspects of what we generally call ‘The Curriculum’. Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD)
2025 Dr. Long explored how school leadership practices contribute to fostering a democratic way of life in a Western Canadian public school context. Dr. Long’s research showed that a set of context-dependent distributed leadership practices enacted by all school members brought about the conditions necessary for a democratic way of life to occur. Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies (PhD)
2025 Dr. Manoff explored how the experience of error in language learning can transform students’ subjectivity, since it discloses a tension between the requirement for students to learn the conventions of the new language and their need to challenge those very norms to express themselves linguistically. As such, it demands unique ethical attention. Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies (PhD)
2025 Post-secondary student mental health has been well studied, but not much is known about the faculty side. Dr. Westcott’s study helps address this by mapping instructor experiences responding to students in distress. She recommends ways to support instructors in enacting care, while acknowledging instructor wellbeing is important in its own right. Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy (EdD)
2025 Syler compared two interventions to help individuals maintain non-problematic alcohol use. The career-focused intervention had greater outcomes than the identity-focused intervention but his research also highlighted the possibility that individuals’ needs change throughout their recoveries. Doctor of Philosophy in Counselling Psychology (PhD)

Pages

 

Education Library Update

Photo by Martin Dee The Education Library, located in the Neville Scarfe Building, will begin the relocation of stacks and services this summer as part of a broader UBC Library strategy to ensure sustainable library services across campus. What’s changing? From June 6, 2025 the section of the...

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Dr. Kristiina Kumpulainen named 2025 International Academy of Education Fellow

May 15, 2025 Dr. Kristiina Kumpulainen has been selected as a 2025 International Academy of Education Fellow Dr. Kristiina Kumpulainen has been named a 2025 Fellow of the International Academy of Education (IAE). This prestigious honour recognizes exceptional contributions to education through...

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Kay Anderson and Negar Khodarahmi receive 2024-25 UBC Faculty of Education Graduate Teaching Assistant Award

April 30, 2025 Congratulations to Kay Anderson and Negar Khodarahmi, recipients of the 2024-25 Faculty of Education Graduate Teaching Assistant Award The Faculty of Education Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) Awards are conferred annually to individuals who demonstrate exceptional teaching...

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Gizem Guryil and Carrie Peters receive 2024-25 UBC Killam Graduate Teaching Assistant Award

April 8, 2025 Congratulations to Gizem Guryil and Carrie Peters, recipients of the 2024-25 UBC Killam Graduate Teaching Assistant Award In recognition of the important contributions Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTA) make to our programs, UBC annually presents the Killam Graduate Teaching...

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Dr. Shannon Leddy and Dr. Nancy Perry Awarded 2024-25 UBC Community-University Engagement Support Fund

April 16, 2025   Dr. Shannon Leddy and Dr. Nancy Perry Awarded 2024-25 UBC Community-University Engagement Support Fund The UBC Community-University Engagement Support (CUES) Fund, jointly administered by UBC Community Engagement and the Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation...

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Dr. Sofia Noori Awarded 2024-25 Killam Teaching Prize

April 14, 2024 Congratulations to Dr. Sofia Noori, recipient of the 2024-25 Killam Teaching Prize Dr. Sofia Noori has received the 2024–25 Killam Teaching Prize, an honour awarded annually from the Killam General Endowment fund to faculty members nominated by students, colleagues, and alumni for...

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