Congratulations to Dr. Brian Forrest and Prof. Barbara Forrest, recipients of the Canadian Mathematical Society’s 2025 Adrien Pouliot Award. The award is given annually to individuals who have made “significant and sustained contributions to mathematics education in Canada.”
Prof. Forrest is a professor emerita who began working in the Math Undergraduate group in 2002. Her husband, Dr. Forrest, is a professor of Pure Mathematics who came to Waterloo in 1989.
“It is a great honour to be recognized by the Canadian Mathematical Society and by our peers,” they say. “We would like to thank our many colleagues and students that we have worked with through the years.”
The award committee noted Prof. Forrest’s pioneering work in online education. She began creating and teaching digital courses in 2002, as well as co-authoring digital textbooks that were free for users worldwide.
Dr. Forrest has also been a leader in online mathematics education, and together with his wife has advocated for Open Educational Resources. He is a recipient of the University of Waterloo’s Distinguished Teacher Award and the CMS Excellence in Teaching Award, and became a Fellow of the CMS in 2021.
The two professors, the CMS notes, “have made significant contributions to mathematics education through decades of collaboration that have transformed the way mathematics is taught and learned in Canada. Their work is shaped by a shared commitment to accessibility, innovation and high-quality learning experiences, from undergraduate classrooms to graduate teacher training.”
“There are so many people we would particularly like to thank,” they say. “Dr. Alan George (former Dean of Mathematics) and Dr. David Taylor (former Associate Dean of Undergraduate Mathematics) supported online education in the early 2000s, as well as Dr. Mario Coniglio (former Associate Vice President, Academic), who also supported online education and open educational resources.” They’re grateful as well to former deans of Math Dr. Ian Goulden and the late Dr. Tomas Coleman for “their vision and support in the creation of the Master of Mathematics for Teachers online degree.” Finally, they expressed thanks for the continuing and unwavering support of Dr. David McKinnon (chair of Pure Mathematics) and the staff at the Centre for Extended Learning.
To learn more about the Forrests’ careers in mathematics education, read the CMS release about the award.