The University of Alberta Faculty of Law is proud to congratulate our colleague, Professor Barbara Billingsley, for earning the University's premier teaching award, the Rutherford Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. Faculty of Law Dean Paul Paton accepted the award on Prof. Billingsley's behalf at the University's Teaching Awards Ceremony on May 19. Prof. Billingsley, who joined the Faculty of Law full-time in 2001 after practicing civil litigation and teaching as a Sessional Instructor, will also be recognized at Convocation in June and at the Celebration of Teaching and Learning in September.
The Rutherford Award was established in 1982 to recognize teaching excellence at the University by full-time continuing academic staff, to encourage the pursuit of such excellence, and to promote informed discussion of teaching and its improvement at the University of Alberta. Each year, up to five Rutherford Awards - adjudicated by the GFC University Teaching Award Committee - will be funded by the University. Previous recipients from the Faculty of Law include Annalise Acorn (2014), Mitchell McInnes (2011), Rod Wood (2005), Shannon O'Byrne (2002), David Percy, Q.C. (1996), and Bruce Ziff (1988).
"I am thrilled to be receiving this award and am thankful to Dean Paton, Associate Dean Chris Sprysak, and the Faculty of Law for supporting my nomination," said Prof. Billingsley. "I genuinely love teaching and it is always nice to be recognized for doing something that you love! I am also honoured to follow in the footsteps of many of my colleagues at the Faculty who have received this award in the past and from whom I have learned, and continue to learn, so much."
"Professor Billingsley exemplifies teaching excellence in a Faculty renowned for its teaching prowess," said Dean Paul Paton. "She is respected and admired by students and colleagues in the academy and the legal profession for her rigour, scholarship, caring, and commitment to fostering excellence. Given the complexity and ever-changing nature of the law, the range and breadth of her course offerings is simply remarkable, particularly since it is rare that a course can simply be retaught from year to year without significant updating and changes. She is recognized as a leading scholar in two of these areas - Insurance Law and Civil Procedure - and is an innovator, developing our new offering in Class Actions Law to prepare students for new challenges in practice and scholarship. She is a mentor to students and to new faculty, and is a terrific colleague."
The Faculty of Law is proud to recognize Prof. Billingsley's achievement and her ongoing commitment to providing students with an exceptional learning experience. Congratulations, Barb!