Dr. Keith Delaney, a continuing lecturer in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, has been named a recipient of the 2023 Distinguished Teaching Award.
The Centre for Teaching Excellence made the announcement last week. This is a career award and can only be received once.
"Keith was a first time-nominee and it’s a fact that the award is very seldom given to first-time nominees – so this recognition is extra special," said Dr. Mario Coniglio, Department Chair.
His passion, creativity and concern for his students have earned him rave reviews by students from various programs and several teaching awards.
An example of his creativity is the 3 layered cake he uses in his Earth 121 lab to help his students understand the major geologic structures found underground. The cake is helps students visualize some of the earth structures discussed in the lab content, including features like anticlines and synclines as well as fault systems (strike-slip, normal, and reverse). The cake is used in conjunction with other learning methods including cross-sectional block diagrams and map analysis.
"Probably one of the best profs I'll ever have," said a Earth Sciences student with a Hydrogeology Specialization. "Very fun, engaging lectures which are made to get students involved in learning and discussion. He knows how to present content so that it's relevant to students."
Last year, Delaney won the Science Excellence in Teaching Award and was the first faculty member from the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences to win this award. He has also received the 2021 Jane Lang Excellence in Earth and Environmental Sciences Teaching Award and the 2012 Amit & Meena Chakma Award for Exceptional Teaching by a Student.
He has taught a number of courses including Earth 121L - Introductory Earth Sciences Lab, Earth 122 - Introductory Environmental Sciences and Earth 123 - Introduction to Hydrology and has redesigned several course to improve the student experience. He redesigned Earth 122 to include more experiential and active learning through the introduction of GIS and GPS technology. Delaney also developed a module about the scientific method that students could use throughout their career, as a resource when writing up a report or for their thesis project.
A colleague sums up Keith’s teaching philosophy and methods by saying, “Keith is one of the most caring, accomplished, and productive instructors I have observed or worked with in my academic career. He works tirelessly to inspire and improve the learning experience for students”.
Congratulations Keith!
To learn more about the 2023 Distinguished Teaching Award recipients, please visit the Daily Bulletin.