TORONTO, Oct, 5, 2020 – Joel Faflak, a professor in the Department of English and Writing Studies at Western University, has been named one of Ontario’s most outstanding university teachers by the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA). He is receiving a 2019-2020 OCUFA Teaching Award for his outstanding contributions to improving the quality of higher education at Ontario’s universities.
“When developing his courses, Joel Faflak centres self-discovery and experiential education, inspiring students to embrace the idea of life-long learning.” said Professor Judy Bornais, Chair of OCUFA’s Award Committee. “Being a dedicated educator, Joel has influenced colleagues at universities across Ontario.”
The other recipients of a 2018-2019 OCUFA Teaching Award are:
- William Cluett, Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry at the University of Toronto
- Kim Hellemans, Instructor and Chair of the Department of Neuroscience at Carleton University
- Aaron Langille, Master Lecturer in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at Laurentian University
- Shoshanah Jacobs, Associate Professor in the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of Guelph
“Faculty are at the heart of Ontario’s vibrant universities. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the dedication and boundless energy demonstrated by faculty like Joel Faflak continues to inspire students to embrace new ideas and build a brighter future,” said OCUFA President Rahul Sapra. “This year’s distinguished award recipients are all dedicated and passionate teachers and mentors. OCUFA is honoured to recognize them with teaching and librarianship awards.”
This year, recipients of the 48th annual TALA awards were honoured in a special video celebrating their achievements.
Founded in 1964, OCUFA represents 17,000 faculty and academic librarians in 30 faculty associations across Ontario. For more information, please visit the OCUFA website at www.ocufa.on.ca.
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For more information, contact:
Ben Lewis, Communications Lead at 416-306-6033 or communications@ocufa.on.ca