Celebrating exceptional Teaching Assistants

The Excellence Award for Teaching Assistants recognizes Teaching Assistants and their remarkable contribution to the classroom.

The TLSS Award of Excellence for Teaching Assistants is the result of a special project created and funded by TLSS employees. This program awards three prizes annually of $500, Most recently, the honourable mentions also receive $100.

Past recipients

 

Celebrating uOttawa’s exceptional TAs in 2023

Teaching Assistants (TAs) play a crucial role in the learning journey of all uOttawa students. Each year, uOttawa’s Teaching and Learning Support Service (TLSS) recognizes exceptional TAs that go above and beyond their normal duties to provide top-notch guidance and support to students. The 2023 TA Excellence Award saw a record number of nominations—a testament to the commitment and care shown by uOttawa TAs across the board. 

This year, with the sheer volume of qualified candidates, the decision was harder than ever.

Get to know the recipients of the 2023 TA Excellence Award below.


Ahmed Mohamed Elsayed Omara: Bridging theory and practice

Photo de Ahmed OmaraWith six years (over 1500 hours) of TA experience under his belt, Ahmed Mohamed Elsayed Omara has demonstrated an immense commitment to bridging the gap between theory and pratice. His contributions span both undergraduate and graduate courses over a range of subjects. Ahmed has made a significant impact on the learning experience of his students. In courses such as Circuit Theory I and II, he not only ensures that students grasp the technical concepts but also helps them understand the practical applications.

Among Ahmed's notable achievements is his ability to use lecture demonstrations to showcase real-life applications of electrical components. By incorporating hands-on examples, he enables students to connect theory with practice, ultimately improving their understanding and performance. Ahmed also goes the extra mile by providing timely and actionable feedback to help students enhance their technical skills. His dedication to creating inclusive teaching materials and conducting regular office hours further contributes to a seamless transition to online learning. 

Ahmed has been a guiding force for students in this lab and has helped us not only grasp and apply the concepts we have learned through the course, but also makes connections for us between theory and real-world applications,’ says one of his student nominators.

Ahmed’s commitment to pedagogy goes beyond his TA duties. He is pursuing a Certificate in University Teaching and has participated in several TLSS workshops on a range of subjects.


Emre Insel: Dedicated support in Civil Engineering

Photo de Emre InselEmre Insel, a PhD student in Civil Engineering, has been a TA for multiple courses over the past three years. His commitment to his role and his dedication to supporting students have been exemplary. In courses such as Earthquake Engineering and Reinforced Concrete Design, Emre has spent numerous hours grading assignments and tests. His attention to detail and thoroughness in grading ensures fairness and accuracy in assessing students' work.

His faculty nominator, Dr. Murat Saatcioglu, commented that “Mr. Insel is a conscientious TA who dedicates his time selflessly to teaching for the benefit of students. His teaching style, knowledge of the course material, which is enriched by the practical engineering expertise that he acquired prior to joining uOttawa, and professional approach in every stage of teaching make him an outstanding TA.

Beyond grading, Emre has also contributed to the development of online course materials. In the midst of the pandemic, he played a pivotal role in converting the APA3121 Human Motor Skill Development course into an online format. His efforts in scheduling assignments and creating online tests have facilitated a seamless learning experience for students. Emre's commitment to providing high-quality education even during challenging times is commendable.


Julia Hussien: Creating an exceptional learning environment

Photo de Julie HusseinJulia Hussien, a TA in the Faculty of Health Sciences' School of Human Kinetics, has made a significant impact on the learning experience of students in across eight courses, including Muskoskeletal Anatomy and Psychomotor Behavior Laboratory. Her dedication to cultivating an exceptional learning environment is evident in her interactions with students. Julia takes the initiative to ensure that her laboratory section provides a supportive and engaging atmosphere for students.

Darrin Wijeyaratnam, staff nominator, highlighted the traits that make Julia special: confident communication, compassion, and dedication to professional development.

Julia's contributions extend beyond the laboratory. She played a crucial role in converting the course into an online format during the pandemic. Her expertise in creating online tests, scheduling assignments, and establishing discussion boards has facilitated a smooth transition for students. Julia's commitment to creating a positive and inclusive learning environment has earned her the respect and admiration of both students and faculty.

Being a returning 40-year-old alumnus, I have learned under hundreds of instructors both academically and professionally,” remarked one of her student nominators. “Julia ranks at the very top of all of them and exemplifies what an educator should strive to be.







 

Congratulations to the 2022 Excellence Award recipients!

 

This year’s awards saw an unprecedented number of nominations. Award recipients were celebrated at a special ceremony led by Teaching and Learning Support Service (TLSS) on June 3rd. Supervisors and students of uOttawa’s exceptional TAs testified to their dedication, agility and creativity, particularly in navigating the challenging circumstances and teaching formats resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Once again this year, we were enormously impressed by the quality of the nominees,” said Vice-Provost of Academic Affairs, Aline Germain-Rutherford (2018-2023). “As has been the case since we launched these awards in 2013, it was an incredibly difficult task for the Committee to select the final recipients of the TA Awards of Excellence..”

Photo de Stéphanie RivestStephanie Rivest, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology 

"What makes Stephanie so special as a TA is that she goes the extra mile. She makes the labs fun and interesting to do. Stephanie is someone who generally cares for her students."  - Sally Ayoub, student

"Stephanie was an amazing copilot in a huge course. She was a huge presence with students, following up with their needs, and was very engaged during the early transition to Teams." - Colin Montpetit, supervisor/nominator

Photo de Annette JubrilAnnette Jubril, Faculty of Education:

 "Annette goes above and beyond in her work and it is clear that she has a passion for teaching. She treats her students as though she were in our shoes, which is something all teachers and professors should strive for. Thanks to Annette, the course was packed with interesting an engaging assignments in a comprehensible way." - Amanda Doonan, student

"Annette is exceptional for the enthusiasm that she brings to all the learning formats we have been through. Her personality shines through, even online. She is a team player. I'm grateful for the time she put in, especially the educational and inspirational relationships with the students in our class." - Michael Fairbrother, supervisor/nominator


Photo de Akalya KandiahAkalya Kandiah, Faculty of Social Sciences, School of International Development and Global Studies.

"Akalya Kandiah is an exceptional teaching assistant who has provided an enriched learning experience through her dedication to students, and commitment to those she works with. She made a positive impact by creating a supportive environment for all students. She encouraged positive participation and created a sense of comfort in which we could share our ideas. This positive impact began due to her understanding of a wide variety of personal struggles that students may face, stemming from her position of being a student herself." - Cassandra Wright, student

"She is an exceptional TA that encouraged positive participation; facilitated a sense of comfort in which we could share our ideas and an understanding of the wide variety for struggles that students can have, stemming from her being a student herself. She helped open up a conversation and space to support students about the mental load created by the difficult and heavy topics in the course." - Susan Spronk, supervisor/nominator

Honourable mentions

  • Tiffany Bretzlaff, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology
  • Nicolas Brodeur, Faculty of Science, Department of Physics
  • Frederico Fagundes Soares, Faculté des sciences sociales, Département de criminologie 
  • Raliat Abioye, Faculty of Science, Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences 

 

Congratulations to the 2018 Excellence Award recipients!

 

Sebastien She-Ming Lau-Chapdelaine
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering

Philippe Desmarais
School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences

Michael Murphy
School of Political Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences

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Congratulations to teaching assistants who received an honourable mention!

Imad Alainachi
Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering

Margaret Peters
Institute of Feminist and Gender Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences

Adèle Bourgeois
Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science

 

Congratulations to the 2017 Excellence Award recipients!

 

Alexander Foo
Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, Faculty of Science

Amanda Montague
Department of English, Faculty of Arts

Radamis Zaky
Institute of Feminist and Gender Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences

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Congratulations to teaching assistants who received an honourable mention!

Tylor Burrows
Faculty of Education

Jonathan Fafard
Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, Faculty of Science

Ifeoma Nnagbo
School of Sociological and Anthropological Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences

Lucy Patterson
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science

Taisa Regina Stumpf
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Faculty of Engineering

Odilia Yim
School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences

 

Congratulations to the 2016 Excellence Award recipients!


Humanities
Julie Raymond
Faculty of Social Sciences

Science
Nicholas Ravanelli
Faculty of Health Sciences

Humanities - Online Learning
Valerie Shepherd
Faculty of Social Sciences

Teaching assistants who received an honourable mention

As the selection committee received a large number of applications, it was decided award 6 honourable mentions in addition to the 3 Excellence Awards.

NameFacultyCategory
Melissa JohnsonFaculty of Social SciencesHumanities
Radamis ZakyFaculty of Social SciencesHumanities
Mark FarineFaculty of ArtsHumanities
Kathy ChanFaculty of ArtsHumanities
Michelle ChaputFaculty of ArtsHumanities
Danijela MarasFaculty of Social SciencesHumanities

 

Congratulations to the 2019 Excellence Award recipients!

 

Jane Shaw MacDonald, Faculty of Science, Department of Mathematics and Statistics

  • Nominated by Professor Monica Nevins.

Mathilde Cames, Institut des langues officielles et du bilinguisme (ILOB), Faculté des arts

  • Nominated by Professor Denny Trotter

Trista Hollweck, Faculty of Education

  • Nominated by professor Linda Radford

Honourable mentions

  • Alaa Eddin Alchalabi, from the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the Faculty of Engineering, nominated by professor Shervin Shirmohammadi.
  • Tiffany Bretzlaff, from the Department of Biology at the Faculty of Science. Sa nomination a été soumise par le professeur Adam Oliver Brown.
  • Selim Muhammad Khan, from the Faculty of Health Sciences (Population Health Program). Sa nomination a été soumise par le professeur James Gomes.
  • Megan Mitchell, from the Department of Criminology at the Faculty of Social Sciences. Sa nomination a été soumise par la professeure Cheryl Webster

 

Congratulations to the 2015 Excellence Award recipients!

 

Humanities - Online Learning
Kelly Naomi Kilgour
Faculty of Education

Science
Maddie Jolyane Venables
Faculty of Science

Humanities
Laura Thomson
Faculty of Arts

As the selection committee received a large number of applications, it was decided award 5 honourable mentions in addition to the 3 Excellence Awards.

Teaching assistants who received an honourable mention

NameFacultyCategory
Laura DunbarFaculty of Social SciencesHumanities
Robina KhanFaculty of LawHumanities
Diman GhaziFaculty of EngineeringScience
Mélanie HouleFaculty of ArtsHumanities
Ahmad ShahroodiFaculty of EngineeringScience

 

Congratulations to the 2014 Excellence Award recipients!

 

Humanities
Kelsey Catherine Schmitz
Faculty of Education

Sciences
Christian Clavette
Faculty of Science

Sciences
Mélanie G.M. Perras
Faculty of Health Sciences

As the selection committee received a large number of applications, it was decided award 4 honourable mentions in addition to the 3 Excellence Awards.

Teaching assistants who received an honourable mention

NameFacultyCategory
Jerie ShawFaculty of ArtsHumanities
Patricia Barra de la TremblayeFaculty of Social SciencesHumanities
Kevin ChurchFaculty of ScienceScience
Maddie Jolyane WaddellFaculty of ScienceScience

 

Congratulations to the 2013 Excellence Award recipients!

 
Sciences
Travis John Saunders
Faculty of Health Sciences

Humanities
Annik Bilodeau
Faculty of Arts

Humanities - Online Learning
Rebecca J. Hogue
Faculty of Education

Although it was the first year of this initiative, we received 42 remarkable applications, making it difficult for the committee to choose only 3 recipients. This is why we exceptionally awarded 9 honourable mentions in addition to the 3 Excellence Awards.

Teaching assistants who received an honourable mention

NameFacultyCategory
Angela AlbergaFaculty of Health SciencesScience
Patrick DumondFaculty of EngineeringScience
Joel LemayFaculty of ScienceScience
Mélanie PerrasFaculty of Health SciencesScience
Sarah WassmerFaculty of MedicineScience
Alexandre BarilFaculty of Social SciencesHumanities
Alexandre SawyerFaculty of ArtsHumanities
Lisa WeightonFaculty of Social SciencesHumanities
Stéphanie TalbotFaculty of Social SciencesHumanities