Congratulations to the 2016 recipients of the Amit & Meena Chakma Awards for Exceptional Teaching by a Student!
- Tiffany Bayley, Management Sciences
- John Doucette, Computer Science
- Hadi Hosseini, Computer Science
- Laura Sauder, Biology
Tiffany Bayley
Management Sciences
Recipient of the 2016 Amit & Meena Chakma Award for Exceptional Teaching by a Student
Tiffany Bayley is an Engineering PhD candidate in Management Sciences. She is recognized by students for her dedication and preparedness in her teaching roles for a variety of courses. In 2010, Bayley received a department award for her performance as a teaching assistant. In 2011, she received the Sandford Fleming Teaching Assistant Award. One student remarked that “Bayley’s passion for teaching and deep expertise of the complex concepts [were] evident throughout the entire semester.” Another undergraduate student commented that “her teaching clarifies concepts magically.” Bayley has been described by a faculty member as “a very valuable asset to me, enriching the course with her technical expertise and enabling me to more seamlessly manage different aspects of the course.” Bayley continues to make a difference in the lives of her students by going above and beyond their expectations.
John Doucette
Computer Science
Recipient of the 2016 Amit & Meena Chakma Award for Exceptional Teaching by a Student
John Doucette, a doctoral candidate at the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science at the University of Waterloo, is recognized for being approachable, thorough, and passionate about teaching. When ranking Doucette’s teaching on a scale from 1 (unsatisfactory) to 4 (outstanding), one student asked, “Can I give John a 5? Because he deserves one. John is phenomenal!” And another student remarked that “even though it was an 8:30am lecture, his classes were always full.” A faculty member praised Doucette by expressing that he “is a top-ranked candidate, with an unmatched array of talents and experience.” Doucette began his undergraduate studies at the age of 15. Given his long and proven track record for exceptional teaching, Doucette is a very deserving recipient of this award.
Hadi Hosseini
Computer Science
Recipient of the 2016 Amit & Meena Chakma Award for Exceptional Teaching by a Student
Hadi Hosseini is a highly-motivated PhD candidate at the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science. He is able to get his students actively involved in the classroom and encourages them to answer (and ask) questions. He shows students that he is genuinely interested in them by learning their names and entertaining “tangential conversations about Computer Science after lectures.” This personal engagement is reflected in Hosseini’s high course evaluations. One undergraduate student commented that “he clearly showed that he cared about his students and their success.” Along with his studies and teaching, Hosseini works at the Centre for Teaching Excellence as a Teaching Assistant Workshop Facilitator to help guide other Waterloo graduate students in advancing their knowledge, techniques, and skills as instructors. One professor remarked that, “As a teaching assistant, Hosseini has always done a phenomenal job.”
Laura Sauder
Biology
Recipient of the 2016 Amit & Meena Chakma Award for Exceptional Teaching by a Student
Laura Sauder, a PhD student in Biology working with the Neufeld Research Group, is recognized by students for her unconventional but effective teaching methods. She taught BIOL 240, a course she never took as an undergraduate student, for Josh Neufeld during his sabbatical, and “exceeded his highest expectations.” When her students recall their time at UWaterloo, they will think of her interactive class demonstrations, microbiology art contests, personal anecdotes, and her microbiology Twitter account (@Biol240_2015). Multiple undergraduates commented that Sauder made students in her 300-plus student lectures feel like they were sitting in a class of thirty. On the last day, she provided her students with tips for long-term success in Biology. One undergraduate student remarked that Sauder was “really dedicated and passionate about the material she was teaching.” A Biology professor commented, “Laura Sauder is a rising star of Canadian academia and demonstrates a perfect storm of research and teaching