The Association of Atlantic Universities (AAU) recognized its top teachers Thursday in Halifax, and the recipients include a Memorial University professor.
The three AAU teaching award recipients are Geoff Rideout, faculty of engineering and applied science, Memorial University; Greg Doran, department of English, University of Prince Edward Island; Charlottetown, PEI, and Dr. Emin Civi, faculty of Business, University of New Brunswick, Saint John, N.B.
“While wearing in-line skates, he throws a bag of cement to demonstrate how conservation of motion will propel him backwards,” Rideout’s award certificate noted.
“Using a foam pool noodle and a cordless drill, he demonstrates shaft whirl. He asks students to predict how far ice will be thrown from the blades of a wind turbine and to verify the police report concerning the speed of a vehicle in a traffic accident in which he was involved. Using techniques such as these, Geoff makes mechanical engineering concepts clear and relatable, and motivates student to solve real and challenging engineering problems.”
The recipients of the AAU’s annual regional awards for excellence in teaching educational leadership were held at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax.
AAU member universities proposed nominees for the teaching awards program and recipients are selected by the AAU’s co-ordinating committee on faculty development.
Doran and Rideout, the director of first-year engineering at MUN, each received the 2018 AAU distinguished teaching award recognizing outstanding teaching over a number of years.
Civi received the 2018 AAU Anne Marie MacKinnon Educational Leadership Award for a demonstrated commitment to the improvement of university teaching.
The AAU represents the 16 universities in Atlantic Canada.
