CIC Award for Chemical Education

The 2010 winner is:

Andrew Dicks, MCIC
University of Toronto
Department of Chemistry

Andrew (Andy) Dicks, MCIC, joined the University of Toronto Chemistry Department in 1997. After undergraduate and graduate study in the United Kingdom, he became an organic chemistry sessional lecturer in 1999, and was hired as part of the university teaching-stream faculty two years later. He has research interests in undergraduate laboratory instruction that involve designing novel and stimulating experiments, such as synthesis of an anti-narcoleptic drug, and procedures that showcase green chemistry principles. This work has lead to over twenty peer-reviewed publications in the chemical education literature. Since 2001 he has helped train high school students to compete at the annual International Chemistry Olympiad and twice acted as a national mentor (in Moscow and Cambridge). Following promotion in 2006, he became associate chair for undergraduate studies for two years and developed an ongoing interest in improving the student experience in his department. He has won several pedagogical awards including the Faculty of Arts and Science Outstanding Teaching Award and Student Excellence in Teaching Award; the Association of Part-Time Undergraduates Teaching Award and more recently the University of Toronto President’s Teaching Award.

Previous winners of the CIC Award for Chemical Education

Nomination Form: submit your nomination form as a PDF

Terms of Reference

This award is presented as a mark of recognition to a person who has made an outstanding contribution in Canada to education at the post-secondary level in the field of chemistry or chemical engineering.

Deadline: July 2 of every year.

Sponsor: CIC Chemical Education Fund

Award: A framed scroll, $1,500 cash.

The award shall be presented at the annual Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition or Canadian Chemical Engineering Conference. The recipient will be required to present an award lecture.

Supporting letters: Supporting letters for this award might include such information as: description of special methods and procedures (models, instruments, computer programs, etc.), reorganization of course content, innovations in teaching methods and professional activities of the candidate. Details of teaching effectiveness are important, i.e. testimonials from students describing the effect of the nominee on their attitudes towards chemistry, and teaching awards that the nominee has received with the component of student evaluation described. Details of chemical education activities such as publications, lectures, curriculum development and administrative positions are also useful.

Membership in the Institute is not a prerequisite for receiving this award.

The nomination shall remain in force for three consecutive years. Nominators are responsible for keeping the record of the nominee up to date and complete.

The award shall be presented annually unless the Committee considers that no suitable candidate has been nominated.