The 2024-25 Western Awards for Excellence in Teaching have been announced, recognizing faculty members for their “outstanding contributions to the academic development of students.”
The selection process is overseen by the Senate Committee on University Teaching Awards (SUTA). The following profiles are based on nominations from across campus.
EDWARD G. PLEVA AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING
Named in honour of Edward Gustav Pleva, Western’s first geography teacher (1938) and head of the department (1948 to 1968).
Sandra Smeltzer (Jim Kost)
Sandra Smeltzer, Faculty of Information and Media Studies
Sandra Smeltzer’s colleagues describe her as a “heads-on, hands-on, hearts-on” educator who strikes “the perfect balance of pushing her students towards excellence while supporting them along the way.”
Smeltzer’s former students, whom she empowers to become creative, critical and conscientious citizens, consistently comment on her “tireless mentoring, care and compassion.”
Her impact on education extends beyond Western and Canada, from her scores of conference presentations on university education, lectures and keynotes on teaching excellence to her many years of educational outreach in Asia, Africa, and Australia.
Aara Suksi (Christopher Kindratsky/Western Communications)
Aara Suksi, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, department of classical studies
With “combined energy and rigor” Aara Suksi is recognized “as a superb teacher and scholar who engages critically and creatively with pedagogy at all levels.”
Suksi’s nominators also applauded her kindness and empathy for students and colleagues, noting, “Aara has something extra, without which education doesn’t truly matter – she brings her soul to her roles as administrator, teacher and mentor.”
From enormous success in teaching Greek to revealing the world of classical mythology in online classes of up to 650 students, Suksi also led the launch of the PhD program in classical studies. Most recently, she became the director of the School of Advanced Studies in Arts and Humanities.
Anita Woods (Christopher Kindratsky/Western Communications)
Anita Woods, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, department of physiology and pharmacology
Anita Woods “has an enviable record of institutional and provincial awards for teaching excellence over the past decade, inspiring students to integrate knowledge across disciplines and commit to lifelong learning,” her nominators wrote.
Known for her innovative use of smart technology, Woods has created virtual labs and incorporated augmented reality using digital platforms. She also established a video production studio now available to all instructors in the department, which her nominators described as advancing a culture of collaborative teaching and learning.
Her most recent notable work was leading the transformation of teaching labs to an online experience, which was retained after the COVID-19 pandemic. Woods’ best innovations include a combined course where students from physiology and pharmacology work together on data analysis and application of shared concepts.
THE MARILYN ROBINSON AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING
Presented for outstanding contributions in classroom, laboratory or clinical instruction, this award is named after physiology professor and educational development office coordinator Marilyn Robinson, who prized the idea of students’ active learning and problem-solving.
Claire Houston (Frank Neufeld)
Claire Houston, Faculty of Law
Claire Houston is being celebrated as an exceptional instructor, mentor and leader in family law.
“Her contributions to student learning are nothing short of transformative,” said one nominator, while others called her “an inspiration to colleagues, students and community.”
In the classroom, Houston fosters engagement through peer learning and creative activities, enriching discussions on complex topics by inviting guest speakers and examining the law’s role in reinforcing hierarchies. Her dedication to student success and mentorship is evident in the individual reading and study programs she voluntarily facilitates.
Her impact beyond Western includes serving as co-editor of a leading Canadian family law casebook and leading seminars for family court judges.
Ashley McKeown (Christopher Kindratsky/Western Communications)
Ashley McKeown, Faculty of Health Sciences, Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing
An anchoring principle across professor Ashley McKeown’s teaching and educational leadership is her “deep and enduring commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and decolonization.”
She inspires students to think critically about the broader determinants of health and to grow as ethically conscious nurse leaders who advocate for health equity and social justice, her nominators wrote.
A former student said McKeown played a profound role in shaping them as a nurse and scholar, saying, “Ashley’s commitment to addressing and challenging the structural power imbalances contributing to health inequities taught me the importance of advocacy and activism within health care.”
McKeown has led efforts to decolonize the nursing curriculum as co-chair of the Decolonization, Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression Committee in the Faculty of Health Sciences.
THE ANGELA ARMITT AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING FOR PART-TIME FACULTY
Presented for outstanding contributions in classroom, laboratory or clinical instruction, this award is named after physiology professor and educational development office coordinator Marilyn Robinson, who prized the idea of students’ active learning and problem-solving.
Jacob Evoy (Submitted)
Jacob Evoy, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, department of gender, sexuality, and women’s studies
Jacob Evoy reshapes classrooms into deeply personal spaces, maximizing student agency and fostering deep personal growth. Evoy’s “teaching as reparative” philosophy transforms the classroom into a haven for healing and understanding, his nominators wrote, emphasizing shared humanity within subject matter, past stories and amongst students.
Evoy’s students report feeling “seen, heard and empowered,” crafting personal meaning from knowledge by connecting it to their own narratives.
With a teaching philosophy that adds a profound dimension to narrative exploration, Evoy cultivates a sense of possibility, fostering the belief that learning serves as a catalyst for personal and social change and making the classroom a truly transformative environment.
VICE-PROVOST (ACADEMIC PROGRAMS) AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN COLLABORATIVE TEACHING
This award was created to recognize instructors whose exemplary collaborations in university teaching enhance student learning.
Tracy Wong and Mark Ramsay (Christopher Kindratsky/Western Communications)
Mark Ramsay and Tracy Wong, Don Wright Faculty of Music, music education
Mark Ramsay and Tracy Wong are being praised as “inspiring and transformative” teachers who foster “an environment where students feel empowered and engaged.”
Their partnership has enriched student learning through thoughtful redesign of both the master of music in choral conducting and the doctor of musical arts in choral conducting , with an aim to “disrupt the established belief that the act of conducting is a soloistic venture.”
Besides organizing residencies with renowned artists and facilitating community engagement initiatives, their collaboration extended to research and creative pursuits, including commissioned works and contributions to the Canadian Music Educator journal.
A former undergraduate student described Ramsay’s and Wong’s efforts to integrate community into learning as having “tremendous impact.”
“It was eye-opening,” they said. “It’s helped me question current music education pedagogy, while still learning and exploring the basics of teaching and choir and connecting with the outside world.”
THE WESTERN AWARD FOR INNOVATIONS IN TECHNOLOGY-ENHANCED TEACHING
This award was created to recognize and reward the contributions of faculty members who have significantly improved student experience and outcomes by incorporating technology into their teaching practice.
Kyle Maclean (Submitted)
Kyle Maclean, Ivey Business School
Kyle Maclean is being celebrated as “an innovative thinker,” whose teaching philosophy centers on leveraging technology to scale personalized feedback, automate assessments and improve student preparation – efforts that have “significantly impacted students and inspired faculty adoption across Ivey,” his nominators said.
Maclean recently developed the ConVOE (Concurrent Video-Based Oral Exam), a scalable, video-based assessment tool that reinforces spontaneous reasoning and academic integrity.
As chair of Ivey’s teaching and technology committee, Maclean leads with vision, creativity and a deep commitment to inclusive, data-informed pedagogy.
His nominators said, “Kyle’s innovative use of technology has transformed large classrooms into spaces where critical thinking, collaboration and innovation thrive.”
