FPA Celebrates Excellence Award Winners

The Faculty of Public Affairs recognized outstanding members of its community at the annual Spring Social. Awards were given for Research Excellence, Staff Excellence, Public Commentary Excellence, Teaching Excellence (faculty and contract instructor), the Teaching Fellowship, and the FPA Research Excellence Chair at the Full Professor level.

Social Work Professor Sarah Todd was also awarded the 3M Teaching Fellowship during the ceremony.

“This is a chance for the Faculty to express our gratitude for your hard work throughout the academic year,” said Mary Francoli, Associate Dean and Director of Arthur Kroeger College. “There were many strong nominations for these awards and it was difficult to decide, which reflects the caliber of our faculty and staff.”

The awards were handed out by Mary Francoli; Christopher Worswick, Associate Dean (Research and International); and David Mendeloff, Associate Dean (Academic).

2019 Excellence Award Winners

 

FPA Research Excellence Chair (Full Professor)

William Walters, Department of Political Science

William Walters was granted a three-year term as the FPA Research Excellence Chair at the Full Professor level for his research on the deportation of illegalized migrants via public routes. While his previous research focused on airlines, he plans to use the fellowship to investigate the infrastructure of ports, routes, hubs, vehicles, and agencies.

According to Professor Worswick, who chaired the selection committee: “Professor Walters’ stature in the field of border studies and governmentalities of migration is surpassed by none.”

Professor Walters is credited with authoring/co-authoring 3 books, 3 edited volumes, 44 refereed journal articles and 19 book chapters.

He is one of three FPA Research Excellence Chairs. The other two are Amanda Clarke of the School of Public Policy and Administration at the assistant professor level and Graeme Auld of the School of Public Policy and Administration at the associate professor level.

FPA Research Excellence Award

Dale Spencer, Department of Law and Legal Studies

Dale Spencer won this award for his research project, “Youth, Neotribes, and Digital World”. The project is “expected to highlight how digital worlds can act as a gateway to potential networking opportunities; how digital worlds foster and aid in youth’s development of identity, peer networks, and supports; as well as the potential benefits arising from media literacy.”

The FPA Research Excellence Award recognizes excellence and leadership in research by a faculty member or research team in FPA in the preceding two years as well as recognizes a research proposal with a significant contribution to their field of research.

Professor Spencer has authored/co-authored three books, three edited volumes, 34 refereed journal articles and 18 book chapters. He also won an Ontario Early Researcher Award and has received more than $650,000 in research funding.

The recipient of this award agrees to hold a public lecture or symposium organized and funded by the Office of the Dean, Faculty of Public Affairs. They will receive either a $10,000 research grant or a $5,000 research grant plus half credit teaching release.

Teaching Excellence Award (Faculty)

Joan DeBardeleben, Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (EURUS) and Department of Political Science

This award is given to a faculty member who demonstrates excellence in teaching and a commitment to the co-curricular student experience.

“Joan was selected from among a large group of excellent candidates,” said Professor David Mendeloff. “The committee praised Joan’s long-established record of teaching innovation and student engagement, particularly her vast number of supervisions.”

 Joan Debardeleben is also a Chancellor’s Professor and the Jean Monnet Chair in Politics and Society in Russia and the European Union.

FPA Teaching Fellowship

Simon Power, Department of Economics

This award provides full-time FPA faculty and instructors an opportunity to innovate and demonstrate leadership in teaching, as well as to reward teaching excellence. The Fellowship is awarded on the basis of a candidate’s teaching record and on a project proposal focused on teaching innovation.

Professor Simon Power received the fellowship for his proposal to use popular culture in the teaching of introductory Economics.

“The committee particularly noted Simon’s impressive commitment to teaching and, as one member noted, his [evident] gift for conveying complex ideas,” said Professor Mendeloff.

Public Commentary Excellence Award

Mira Sucharov, Department of Political Science

This award recognizes a significant contribution by a faculty member over a two-year period ending in the nomination year in sharing expertise and research with the media or community, enhancing public understanding of the issues of the day, and stimulating dialogue and discourse among the public at large.

Mira Sucharov is a specialist in the Israel/Palestine region, a frequent blogger for Haaretz.com and other outlets, and shares ideas on Twitter as @sucharov. She recently co-wrote the book, Public Influence: A Guide to Op-Ed Writing and Social Media Engagement.

Staff Excellence Award

Melanie Leblanc, Communication and Media Studies

The Staff Excellence Award recognizes excellence in the workplace, customer service, innovation, continuous improvement, collaboration, and a dedication to unit, Faculty, and University priorities.

The award went to Melanie Leblanc, Graduate Administrator and Assistant to the Communication and Media Studies program.

Josh Greenberg, Director of the School of Journalism and Communication, described Melanie Leblanc as “an excellent ambassador not only for her program, but also for the university. She displays a consistent ethic of understanding and care, always showing our students that she is available to listen and help address their needs.”

Teaching Excellence Award (Contract)

Jamie Brownlee, Department of Law and Legal Studies

This award is given to a contract instructor who demonstrates excellence in teaching and a commitment to the co-curricular student experience.

“The committee noted Jamie’s excellent teaching record, but also his particularly clear and thoughtful teaching philosophy,” said Professor Mendeloff in giving the award.

Friday, May 10, 2019 in Communication and Media Studies, Department of Economics, Department of Law and Legal Studies, Department of Political Science, FPA Excellence Awards, General, Institute of European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies, Teaching
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