Staff and Faculty Awards
Celebrating scholars, teachers, innovators and leaders the world needs
Our university community recognizes the outstanding contributions of our 2025 staff and faculty award recipients – individuals who exemplify USask's commitment to be the university the world needs.
Please note, the Distinguished Researcher Award and USask Distinguished Teacher Award are recognized and presented at Convocation.
President's Staff Excellence Award
Liz Duret
Liz Duret, Senior Inclusion and Diversity Consultant, Human Resources
"What motivates me most is the opportunity to educate others on a topic that I believe can help shape a kinder, more equitable world. I’m driven by the hope that this work leads to real, actionable change. Being surrounded by colleagues who are deeply committed, passionate, and dedicated to this work has truly been the highlight of my career."
Marcy Hildebrand
Marcy Hildebrand, Director, Strategic Events, University Relations
"I’m motivated by the challenge of transforming a concept into something tangible and impactful. I believe thoughtful design can create experiences that matter—moments that not only reflect who we are as a university, but also invite others to feel part of that story."
Provost's College Award for Outstanding Teaching
Jan Gelech
Dr. Jan Gelech (PhD), Lecturer, Department of Psychology and Health Studies, College of Arts and Science
"Where I am successful in creating a curious, reflective, and relevant classroom environment, I benefit as much as my students. By urging students to engage in critical and creative thinking, I am exposed to new ideas, critiques, and questions that deepen my understanding of psychology."
Rachel Loewen Walker
Dr. Rachel Loewen Walker (PhD), Assistant Professor, Department of Political Studies and Chair, Women’s and Gender Studies Program, College of Arts and Science
“Throughout my life, I have approached teaching through a feminist pedagogy that sees the classroom as a site of possibility and liberation. It is our students, after all, who will shape the equitable and just societies of tomorrow. Our role as educators is to provide the space, the support, and the trust that they need to do exactly that.”
Julia Kassis
Dr. Julia Kassis (DDS), Group Practice Lead, College of Dentistry
“I am honoured and privileged to be a part of a team who helps to shape a new generation of dentists at the University of Saskatchewan. My favorite quote is by Albert Einstein: ‘Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think.’”
Paula MacDowell
Dr. Paula MacDowell (PhD), Assistant Professor, Curriculum Studies, College of Education
“In every student who dreams up a game, designs a virtual world, or collaborates on an AI toolkit, I see the future take shape. Teaching is the most hopeful and impactful work I know. It is my honour and privilege to walk alongside learners who care deeply about knowledge, community, and innovation that amplifies our shared humanity and elevates learning in the communities we serve.”
Carolyn Augusta
Dr. Carolyn Augusta (PhD), Lecturer, Finance and Management Science, Edwards School of Business
“The 'lightbulb moment' is such a deeply satisfying feeling. I love seeing that moment of realization, when conceptual threads finally weave together. Teaching statistics to students who do not plan to go on in the field is a dream come true, because these moments happen all the time. When students tell me they’re no longer afraid of math and stats, my heart sings.”
Brian Berscheid
Dr. Brian Berscheid (PhD), Barbhold Chair and Associate Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering
“I strive to provide engaging and practical learning opportunities in order to prepare students for their future careers. My greatest satisfaction as an educator comes from seeing students grasp complex technical material and demonstrate an ability to apply it in a real-world situation.”
Lee Schaefer
Dr. Lee Schaefer (PhD), Associate Professor, College of Kinesiology
“Some of my most powerful learning moments began outside the classroom, planting in the garden with my grandmother or fishing with my family. These experiences taught me that learning is rooted in relationships, reflection, and the land. In my teaching, I invite students to explore how their own stories and passions for movement and health can shape equitable, compassionate futures.”
Benjamin Ralston
Benjamin Ralston, Assistant Professor, College of Law
“I encourage students to examine law from multiple perspectives, and they often challenge me to do the same. I’ve been fortunate to teach in diverse programs, including the Nunavut Law Program, the Kanawayihetaytan Askiy program, and the School of Environment and Sustainability. Particularly in these settings, dialogue with students reshaped my own views just as much as I hope it contributed to theirs.”
Jacqueline Kraushaar
Dr. Jacqueline Kraushaar (MD), Regina Area Department Lead & Assistant Professor, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation; Year 1 Regina Site Coordinator and Year 2 Chair, College of Medicine
“One of the greatest skills that I can impart to my students is a love of learning and a desire to continually pursue opportunities to expand their knowledge. I aim to create a supportive, inclusive learning environment by encouraging learners to remain curious, embrace challenges, seek feedback, and recognize that learning is an ongoing process.”
Jodie Bigalky
Dr. Jodie Bigalky (PhD), Assistant Professor, College of Nursing
“I view teaching as a dynamic, reciprocal relationship where both educator and learner grow together. I actively encourage students to share their unique perspectives, creating a diverse and collaborative learning environment. Over the years, I’ve learned as much from my students as they have from me.”
Erin Yakiwchuk
Erin Yakiwchuk, Assistant Professor, College of Pharmacy and Nutrition
“I have been fortunate to work with many amazing students, and their passion, curiosity, and creativity inspire me to continue to challenge myself to be the best clinician and educator I can be. I consider it an honour and a privilege to have the opportunity to help shape the knowledge, skills, and values of future health-care providers and colleagues.”
Claire Card
Dr. Claire Card (DVM, PhD), Professor, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine
“Learning can and should be creative, relevant and fun. I have an inclusive open-door policy in terms of learning and generally feel there is always space for one more learner in the room. It’s not just learning and mastering the knowledge and skills the profession demands of you, but learning about your role and the profession’s role in solving world problems.”
Danielle Spence
Danielle Spence, PhD candidate, School of Environment and Sustainability
“I often design learning activities that confront students with the complexities of sustainability and encourage creative thinking around solutions to these problems. Knowing my teaching made a positive impact on students has reinforced how educating future sustainability changemakers contributes to deeper – not to mention, more fulfilling – impact.”
Provost's Outstanding Teacher Award
Nicole Fernandez
Dr. Nicole Fernandez, Associate Professor, Department of Veterinary Pathology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine
“For me, good teaching doesn’t just happen. Good teaching is hard work. It is as much about learning as it is about teaching. It takes time and thoughtful reflection. It involves seeking out feedback and working to improve. It is about knowing you will never be done improving, and that there is always more to learn.”
Provost's New Teacher Award
Jan Gelech
Dr. Jan Gelech (PhD), Lecturer, Psychology and Health Studies, College of Arts and Science
“I approach teaching as the curation of meaningful experiences with my discipline. I seek to design engaging encounters with psychology that inspire curiosity, connection, and deeper understanding of self and world.”
Provost's Support of Teaching and Learning Award
Tracene Harvey
Dr. Tracene Harvey (PhD), Director / Curator, Museum of Antiquities, College of Arts and Science
“One of the greatest privileges I have had is being able to teach for, and support, a variety of colleges, disciplines and programs at the University of Saskatchewan.. It is in the spirit of collaboration with many colleagues and students over the years that I have grown as a teacher and established the Museum of Antiquities as a valuable experiential learning resource on campus.”
Provost's Graduate Student Teacher Award
Andrea Escalante
Andrea Escalante, PhD student, College of Dentistry
“Unlike a traditional classroom, the clinic is a dynamic environment where theoretical knowledge meets practical application. Here, students are not only learning but also directly impacting patients’ lives. This requires a balance between fostering clinical skills and maintaining a compassionate, patient-centered approach. In the clinic, I emphasize the importance of adaptability, critical thinking, and empathy.”
Matthew Chapelski
Matthew Chapelski, PhD student, College of Kinesiology
“My favorite teaching moment is watching a student connect a complex theory to their personal experience. I choose to teach because I’m passionate about helping students make those connections and value what they’re learning. It’s a powerful reminder that learning is most meaningful when it feels relevant.”
Sylvia Wallace Sessional Lecturer Award
Joel Ens
Dr. Joel Ens (PhD), Sessional Lecturer and Micro-credential Developer, Department of Soil Science, College of Agriculture and Bioresources
“For me, teaching is at its best when it’s unscripted, whether that’s from student questions, field courses or preparing interviews for online courses. Student and teacher both get to have learning moments that stick when we’re able to stop and have a conversation. There is always something to be gained from sharing perspectives.”
Distinguished Graduate Mentor Award
Janet Hill
Dr. Janet Hill (PhD), Professor and Department Head, Department of Veterinary Microbiology. Western College of Veterinary Medicine
"For graduate students, I’d offer the advice to learn how to appreciate and talk about your skills and knowledge in a general way because virtually no one has a career in their thesis research topic. When you’re doing job interviews, it’s unlikely anyone will ask you to trouble-shoot a lab experiment but they will ask you about your problem-solving skills."
Global Research Leadership Award for Faculty
Hui Wang
Dr. Hui Wang (PhD), Professor, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering
“Working with Canadian Light Source’s beamline scientists, we have developed state-of-the-art instrumentations and methodologies for catalysis studies and made them available to the public users. My work, to some extent, demonstrates that collaboration between all members of society is of utmost importance. I hope that the students in my group engage this same collaborative mindset, in order to open up new opportunities in their future work and careers.”
J.W. George Ivany Internationalization Award for Faculty
Karen Tanino
Dr. Karen Tanino (PhD), Professor, Department of Plant Sciences, College of Agriculture and Bioresources
"As Maya Angelou wisely said, 'People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did,
but people will never forget how you made them feel.' Student excursions and international exchange
programs often become transformative experiences – broadening horizons, shifting perspectives, and leaving lasting emotional imprints that shape lives."
International Engagement Service Award for Staff
Paul Hodgson
Dr. Paul Hodgson (PhD), Director of Operations and Strategic Partnerships, VIDO
"The importance of global partnerships to make international impact was clearly demonstrated during the pandemic. Creating and supporting these partnerships has been one of the most gratifying successes of my career."
Global Research Leadership Award for Students
Caelan Osborne
Caelan Osborne, undergraduate student, Linguistics, College of Arts and Science
"Language is something that links everyone, and I believe that studying language offers a unique insight into history, culture, and people’s connection to their shared identities. If you get the opportunity to do fieldwork – take it. There is no experience more valuable than doing research or studying language in its cultural context."
New Researcher Award
Yang Yang
Dr. Yang Yang (PhD), Associate Professor, Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy
“My research started from my curiosity about the gap between what traditional economic theory predicts and how people actually behave in the real world. Our brains are story processors, not logic processors. So, communication strategies matter, and the format can shape people’s acceptance.”
Jennifer Lang
Dr. Jennifer Lang (PhD), Interim Vice-Dean Academic, College of Arts and Science, and Associate Professor Choral / Music Education, School for the Arts
“I really endeavour to have the arts recognized as a form of research, in addition to an esthetic form of beauty and expression. Music is indeed about individual and collective well-being and connection, but it is also research creation, research translation, and mobilization.”
Publicly Engaged Scholarship Team Award
Lisa Feldman
Dr. Lisa Feldman (PhD), Department Head and Professor, Civil Geological and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering
“Working with industry partners and connecting with them to understand their needs, and then doing research that might help move towards finding solutions for them, it makes the research – at least to me – more meaningful, that I know I’m helping people today.”