Teaching Awards 2024: Celebrating Passion and Innovation
The Teaching Awards are a project initiated this year by the Association of Science Students (AESc) following discussions with the Dean’s office. Their aim is to celebrate teaching in all its forms and to offer recognition to those who stand out for their dedication to students and their ability to convey a passion for science. For us, these awards are a way to say thank you to the teachers who play a key role in their students' success, but also a way to inspire other teachers to continually improve their teaching methods.
The Teaching Awards share one thing in common with the Nobel Prize: unfortunately, not the prestige they represent, but rather the fact that, as with that prestigious prize, there are many deserving winners, as well as some who are not always recognized for their true worth. This is why we have decided this year to honor five recipients who have particularly stood out to students for the quality of their teaching and their dedication. We hope this pilot project, launched this year, will continue into the future.
The winners were chosen by you, the students, through the evaluation questionnaire that you all received. In this survey, you were asked to evaluate teachers across various teaching categories. To ensure fairness in the process, a selection committee composed of students from each section was also set up. This committee ensured that the choices truly reflect the students’ appreciation and that those who made a significant impact are appropriately recognized.
The winners of this first edition are:
- Karl Perron, Biology Section
- Michelle Bucher, Mathematics Section
- Ross Milton, Chemistry and Biochemistry Section
- Martin Kunz, Physics Section
- Eduardo Solana, Computer Science Deaprtment
We are currently conducting interviews with these selected professors to gather their perspectives on teaching and their pedagogical methods. An article summarizing their reflections and feedback will soon be published. We look forward to sharing with you their secrets for captivating us during their lectures.
For this first edition, we chose a simple approach: students voted for their teachers from those they had during the 2023-2024 academic year. However, we believe there are many ways to develop the Teaching Awards in the future. For example, by adding additional criteria or recognizing different aspects of teaching, such as pedagogical innovation, classroom management, or student mentoring in their projects. We therefore invite you, dear fellow students, to share your ideas and suggestions for future editions.
Your active participation is essential to ensure that this project truly reflects your expectations and continues to evolve in the coming years. If you have suggestions for improvements, potential additions, or if you would like to help us organize the next edition, please write to us at . Together, let’s make the Teaching Awards a highlight of our academic community and a true source of motivation for all teachers to continue innovating and sharing their passion for science.
A big thank you again to all this year’s awardees, who embody the excellence we aim to encourage, and thank you to all of you for your participation and future ideas!
Association des étudiant.e.s en sciences (AESc)
SHARE THIS ARTICLE: