Teaching Awards

Rutherford Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching

Several members of the Faculty of Law have received the university’s highest teaching award, the Rutherford Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. Named for the first Premier of Alberta and later Chancellor of the University of Alberta, the Rutherford Award was instituted in 1982. Past recipients from the Faculty of Law include Professors Mitchell McInnes (2011), Shannon O'Byrne (2002), David Percy QC (1996), Roderick Wood (2005) and Bruce Ziff (1988).

The Honourable Tevie H. Miller Teaching Excellence Award

In honour of Justice Tevie H. Miller of the Alberta Court of Appeal, and a former Chancellor of the University of Alberta, an annual award for teaching excellence has been established by the Faculty of Law. Past recipients of the Tevie H. Miller Award for Teaching Excellence include Professors Sanjeev Anand (2009), Richard Bauman (1997), Barbara Billingsley (2004), Russell Brown (2006), Lewis Klar QC (2008), Mitchell McInnes (2007), Shannon O’Byrne (2001), David Percy QC (1999), Wayne Renke (2000), Gerald Robertson QC (2002), and Roderick Wood (2003).

Award Procedure and Criteria (pdf)
Teaching Philosophies of the 2011 Tevie H Miller Teaching Excellence Award Nominees (pdf)

Faculty of Law Sessional Teaching Excellence Award

The Sessional Teaching Excellence Award annually recognizes excellence in teaching by a sessional instructor who teaches at the University of Alberta Faculty of Law. Past recipients include Justice Adam Germain (2006), David Hicks (2007), Alexander Pringle QC (2005), Peter Royal QC (2004), Dan Scott (2009) and Don Sommerfeldt (2008).

Award Procedure and Criteria (pdf)
Teaching Philosophies of the 2011 Sessional Teaching Excellence Award Nominees (pdf)

Research Awards

J Gordin Kaplan Award for Excellence in Research

The J Gordin Kaplan Award for Excellence in Research, named after the first Vice-President (Research) at the University of Alberta, is the most prestigious University of Alberta research award. Professor Lewis Klar QC received this award in 2007.

Martha Cook Piper Research Prize

The Martha Cook Piper Research Prize was established to commemorate the significant contribution Dr Martha Cook Piper made to the research community while she was Vice-President (Research) and Vice-President (Research and External Affairs) at the University of Alberta between 1993 and 1996.

Prizes are awarded to recognize faculty members who are at the early stage of their careers, enjoy a reputation for original research, and show outstanding promise as researchers. Professor Timothy Caulfield received this prize in 2000, as did Professor Joanna Harrington in 2007.

McCalla Professorship

Named after the first Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, Dr Arthur McCalla, McCalla Professorships are awarded to those who have made significant contributions to their field of research, teaching, and learning. McCalla professors value excellence in teaching, acknowledge the importance of students, conduct themselves in an ethical manner, are collaborative and open to change, take pride in history and traditions, and are committed to integrating their research and teaching.

Past McCalla professors have included: Annalise Acorn (1999), Richard Bauman (1998), Catherine Bell (2005), Elaine Hughes (2011), Linda Reif (2002), Rod Wood (2006).