Congratulations to Dr. Blake Madill, Associate Professor, Teaching Stream in the Department of Pure Mathematics, who has received a 2026 Faculty of Mathematics Award for Distinction in Teaching. One to two awards are granted each year to teachers in the Faculty of Math who have “consistently demonstrated outstanding pedagogical skills and a deep commitment to our students’ education.” The award comes with a public citation and a cash prize.
“I feel very thankful for this kind and generous recognition,” Madill says. “I have the best job in the world and I teach the best students in the world.”
Madill earned his PhD from the University of Waterloo in 2017, and has been a faculty member in Pure Math since 2018. “Professor Madill is an outstanding instructor,” says Dr. David McKinnon, chair of Pure Mathematics. “He is beloved by his students, whom he has taught by the hundreds, in courses ranging from first year calculus to fourth year real analysis. Peer reviews extol his virtues as a thoughtful, charismatic, and careful lecturer whose courses are exquisitely designed.”
The most rewarding part of teaching, Madill says, is “watching students make mathematical breakthroughs, where I see both their confidence and their mathematical knowledge grow.” Madill is an enthusiastic believer in explicit instruction, and teaches uses traditional blackboard methods. “I believe that students learn very well when they discover the mathematics along with you while you write,” he says. He notes that, while simple, when done right this teaching method is very effective!
“My colleagues and my students inspire me to put my best foot forward,” he says. “I am particularly thankful to my wife and children for their continued support.”
To learn more about the Award for Distinction in Teaching, and see a list of past winners, visit the Teaching Awards website.