Cota-Sanchez, Longman, Lovrod receive Provost's Awards

Three faculty members of the College of Arts & Science have been chosen for 2015 Provost’s Awards.

The Provost’s Awards recognize outstanding teaching across the University of Saskatchewan. The awards will be presented at the annual Celebration of Teaching at St. Thomas More Theatre on May 1.

Hugo Cota-Sanchez (biology), Mary Longman (art & art history) and Marie Lovrod (English / women’s & gender studies) will be honoured at this year’s celebration.

Hugo Cota-Sanchez - Provost’s College Award for Outstanding Teaching

Hugo Cota-Sanchez is the recipient of the 2015 Provost’s College Award for Outstanding Teaching in the Division of Science.

Up to one Provost’s College Award is presented for each of the college’s three divisions each year; Cota-Sanchez was the sole recipient this year.

Cota-Sanchez, a professor in the Department of Biology and curator of the W.P. Fraser Herbarium on campus, is known for his active, dynamic teaching style that emphasizes student engagement. During one popular lecture in his “Plants and Human Affairs” course, Cota-Sanchez dresses in an all-natural outfit of linen, cotton and burlap as he gives a live demonstration of the methods for extracting these and other fibres from plants.

Cota-Sanchez says he believes building personal connections with students is vital to success in education.

“I truly enjoy educating and building trusting, respectful, long-lasting relationships with my students. I’m very passionate about my teaching methods and strive for excellence. I teach from the heart, hoping to inspire, mentor, touch, and build a healthy and relaxed learning environment for my students.”

Cota-Sanchez is a previous recipient of a USSU Teaching Excellence Award (2003) and two College of Arts & Science Teaching Excellence Awards (2006, 2014).

Mary Longman - Provost’s Award for Excellence in Aboriginal Education

Associate Professor Mary Longman (art & art history) received the Provost’s Award for Excellence in Aboriginal Education.

This award recognizes one individual in the university who makes an exceptional contribution to Aboriginal learning through teaching Aboriginal students, teaching about Aboriginal perspectives, or providing leadership in Aboriginal education.

The selection committee chose Longman for the award on the basis of her work in opening the curriculum in her department's courses to Aboriginal art history and through her studio art courses offered to students in the Aboriginal Student Achievement Program.

“My teaching philosophy in visual art involves three key guiding principles that promote successful student outcomes,” says Longman. “Curriculum content will be clear with a wide spectrum of inclusive representation; modes of delivery will be varied; and teaching style is aimed at creating a classroom dynamic that emanates mutual respect, critical dialogue, support and equity.”

Marie Lovrod - Provost’s Award for Outstanding Innovation in Learning

Assistant Professor of English and Women’s & Gender Studies Marie Lovrod was named the recipient of the Provost’s Award for Outstanding Innovation in Learning.

The Outstanding Innovation in Learning Award is given to a teacher who demonstrates innovative approaches to learning at the U of S. This year, the selection committee noted Lovrod’s achievements in collaboratively improving outcomes for international students for whom English is an additional language, developing field research opportunities and incorporating interdisciplinary perspectives into her course design.

“The feminist classroom was conceived as a social justice laboratory,” says Lovrod. “With it its potentials for community-engaged, multilingual, intercultural and immersive teaching and learning agendas, feminist classrooms hold space for diverse participants and histories that trouble and de-centre normative subjects in dominant discourses. Feminist pedagogies are also deeply rewarding, because students begin to witness in practice how, as engaged citizens, we can all contribute to more just, inclusive and sustainable societies.”

Lovrod is also a recipient of a 2015 College of Arts & Science Teaching Excellence Award and a 2007 USSU Teaching Excellence Award.