Steve Patterson is the recipient of the E.N. Skakun Award for Service to Education
Prestigious awards are often given to recipients who have no connection to the namesake. But Steve Patterson, academic associate chair and professor at the School of Dentistry, knows exactly who E.N. Skakun is.
In fact, they even sat on some of the same committees together.
Patterson is the recipient of the E.N. Skakun Award for Service to Education, an award created to honour Dr. Ernest N. Skakun, a leader in psychometrics and medical education in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry. The award recognizes the achievements of an individual who has made long-term contributions to educational leadership and scholarship. It was given Nov. 4 at the Celebration of Teaching & Learning, an annual event recognizing teaching excellence among the faculty.
"Ernie stood for excellence in the work of education, assessment and in our professionalism as educators," says Patterson. "He was one who also challenged us to adopt new teaching approaches and he always ensured everyone's work was of the highest quality.
"It is an honour to join other distinguished educators as a recipient of this award named for such an inspirational colleague."
Anyone who knows Patterson knows he shares many of these same sentiments. He is an ambassador of education and an educator who has dedicated his entire career to enhancing the student learning experience.
"It's a great privilege to be a teacher, and to contribute to the teaching mission of this faculty and university. Any career is rarely a solo effort and is truly the compilation of work and effort of many," he says. "I give tribute to the many who have so powerfully influenced me in my career and have given me the inspiration to do better.
"I express my appreciation to all those colleagues who I have learned from and have taught me. I encourage all of us to continue that search for and passion for scholarship and professionalism in our role as teachers."
Celebration of Teaching and Learning award recipients 2015
Faculty Awards
E.N. Skakun Award
Steven Patterson
Dr. William A. Shandro Award
Kenneth Steward
David Cook Award
Integrated Women's Health Curriculum
Sudha Koppula
Shelley Veats
Mary Wittenberg
Cindy Heisler
Arnold P. Gold Foundation, Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Awards
Cassandra Hirt
Allison Hobbs
Sara Horne
Scott McLeod
Daniel Sawler
Noah Switzer
Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry 'Excellence in Humanism' Awards
Charles Butts
Jonathan Choy
Morley Kutzner
Shona MacLachlan
Tania Nordli
Vincent Thai
Gary Wolch
Faculty Recognition:
CAME Certificate of Merit
Susan Andrew
Vijay Daniels
Jennifer Walton
CDHA Teaching Excellence Award
Ava Chow
DDS Excellence in Clinical Teaching Award
Ashraf Abd-Elmeguid
DDS Pre-clinical Excellence in Classroom Teaching Award
Tyler Verhaeghe
DDS Pre-clinical Excellence in Clinical Teaching Award
Doris Lunardon
DH Excellence in Classroom Teaching Award
Ava Chow
DH Excellence in Clinical Teaching Award
Sally Lockwood
FoMD Clinical Mentoring Award
Maryam Amin
Jonathan Martin
Ross Tsuyuki
Jack Tuszynski
R.E. Fraser Award for Excellence in Teaching
General Surgery-Johan Bolton
Specialty Surgery-David Saliken
Gibb Award for Clinical Teaching in Dentistry or Dental Hygiene
Sally Lockwood
Gibb Award for Teaching Scholar in Dentistry or Dental Hygiene
Anthea Senior
Outstanding Teaching & Mentoring in Periodontics Award
Teresa Debevc
Marilyn Pawluk Award
Alexandra Sheppard
William Harvey Alexander Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching
Adrienne Wright
2015 Killam Annual Professorship
Finlay McAlister
MSA Year 1 Awards
Block of the Year
Cardiology: Brian Sonnenberg
Teacher of the Year
Sarah Forgie
Teaching Excellence
Brian Sonnenberg
Discovery Learning Preceptor of the Year
Isabelle Vonder Muhll
Discovery Learning Preceptor Excellence
William Dafoe
Physical Skills Preceptor of the Year
Adel Labib
Physical Skills Preceptor Excellence
Vijay Daniels
MSA Year 2 Awards
Block of the Year
Gastroenterology: Lana Bistritz
Teacher of the Year
Anna Oswald
Teaching Excellence
Andrew Scarfe
Discovery Learning Preceptor of the Year
Anil Walji
Discovery Learning Preceptor Excellence
Fraulein Morales
Physical Skills Preceptor of the Year
Vijay Daniels
Physical Skills Preceptor Excellence
Lillian Au
Pre-Clinical Awards
Pre-Clinical Mentorship Award
Raymond Cheung
Recognition of Pre-Clinical Mentorship
Sarah Forgie
MSA Year 3 Awards
Preceptor of the Year
Magali Benard
Preceptor Excellence
Kevyn Letley
MSA Year 4 Awards
Preceptor of the Year
Kenneth Joffe
Preceptor Excellence
Roseanne Yeung