Historian, physicist win College of Arts and Science teaching awards

By Chris Putnam

Two early-career educators known for their creativity in the classroom are the newest recipients of University of Saskatchewan (USask) College of Arts and Science teaching awards.

Dr. Kyle McLeister (PhD), a lecturer in the Department of History, and Dr. Matthew Toohey (PhD), an associate professor in the Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, have been chosen for the college’s 2025-26 New Teacher Awards. The awards recognize excellence in teaching by instructors who began their appointments in the College of Arts and Science less than 10 years ago.

“A great university teacher can spark confidence and curiosity that changes the entire trajectory of a student’s life. We are proud to recognize two educators near the start of their careers who are already inspiring new generations of learners,” said Dr. Jennifer Lang (PhD), vice-dean academic in the College of Arts and Science.

The New Teacher Awards are part of the annual College Teaching Awards program.

Kyle McLeister

New Teacher Award in BA, BMus or BFA Programs

Many USask students say Kyle McLeister is the reason they fell in love with history.

The instructor’s lively, interactive classes bring the content alive and put students firmly in charge of their own learning.

“My goal is to act as a guide for my students. To shepherd them to an understanding of the topic, rather than just explaining it to them. To help them develop the skills necessary to tackle problems on their own and the confidence to draw conclusions for themselves,” said McLeister.

McLeister teaches courses in history, Latin and medical terminology. His classrooms are animated spaces where discussions are the priority and students are encouraged to piece together answers from clues found in historical documents, texts and material culture.

McLeister remembers being intimidated about speaking up in class as an undergraduate, so he strives to create a safe, non-judgmental environment where students feel comfortable participating—even in large classes.

“I firmly believe that the more participation there is, the more engaged students feel, and the more that the large size of the class becomes a benefit rather than a drawback,” he said.

In Latin classes, McLeister gets students translating passages of Classical Latin on day one—an experience he knows is more rewarding than starting with grammar rules. It’s one example of the innovative use of primary sources that won him a national teaching award from the Canadian Historical Association last year.

McLeister has also won a USask Provost’s New Teacher Award, the College of Arts and Science  Pandemic Service Award for educational leadership, and a USSU Teaching Excellence Award.

The history lecturer is the co-author of two textbooks, compiler of nine primary source readers and creator of countless online quizzes and flashcards. His teaching resources are used by students and instructors at many universities.

Matthew Toohey

New Teacher Award in BSc Programs

Teaching physics is a serious responsibility for Matthew Toohey—and a source of joy.

“I believe that the skills and knowledge that a student learns in physics courses build an important foundation for tackling many of the most pressing problems of our age. I also think that through my interactions with students, I have a critical opportunity to enhance public trust in science by demonstrating integrity, competence and care,” he said.

“At the same time, we better be having some fun in the lectures and the labs, or else none of that other stuff matters.”

In his classes, Toohey—a previous winner of his department’s Teaching Excellence Award—looks for ways to make physics feel relevant by relating lesson topics to current news and policy discussions, and by connecting science concepts to students’ daily lives.

The associate professor of physics is famous for bringing his guitar to first-year lectures to demonstrate standing waves and harmonics. He created a series of “kitchen labs” during the COVID-19 pandemic that allowed remote students to test physics concepts using items lying around their homes. An atmospheric physics expert, he exposes undergraduate students to the cutting edge of physics by bringing his and others’ research into the classroom.

Among other courses, Toohey coordinates and teaches PHYS 156, a foundational course for first-year USask engineering students. He has worked to ease the challenging transition from high school to university physics by giving students extra opportunities to show their understanding as they work toward mastering the material. Under Toohey, students describe this challenging, fast-paced course as fun and engaging.

Toohey sees a physics classroom as a place where students should play, see the beauty of the world and experience a sense of wonder.

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