CAFA Awards
CAFA DISTINGUISHED ACADEMIC AWARDS CAFA Awards 2024 Nomination Form
The Confederation of Alberta Faculty Associations (CAFA) is inviting nominations for the Eighteenth Annual CAFA Distinguished Academic Awards. The 2023 Awards received considerable public attention, and we are hoping to build on this success.
CAFA is a federation of Academic Staff Associations in Alberta. The four contributing members are: Athabasca University Faculty Association, Grant MacEwan University Faculty Association, Mount Royal Faculty Association, and the University of Lethbridge Faculty Association. The objectives of the Confederation are to promote the quality of education in the province and to promote the well-being of Alberta universities and their academic staff.
The CAFA Awards are open to academic staff at all Public Universities. Academic staff at the University of Alberta and The University of Calgary are encouraged to apply. The goal of the Awards is to acknowledge and highlight academic excellence in our provincial universities.
There are four awards:
CAFA Distinguished Academic Award
Recognizing an academic staff member, or group of staff members, who through their research and/or other scholarly, creative, or professional activities have made an outstanding contribution to the wider community beyond the university.
CAFA Distinguished Academic Early Career Award
Recognizing an academic staff member at an early stage of their career, who through their research and/or other scholarly, creative, or professional activity has made an outstanding contribution to the wider community beyond the university.
CAFA Distinguished Teaching Award
The purpose of the Award is to recognize an academic staff member who excels in teaching and goes above and beyond in their role as a teacher and made an outstanding contribution to the wider community beyond the university.
CAFA Distinguished Teaching Award for Precarious Faculty
The purpose of the Award is to recognize a precarious academic staff member who excels in teaching. (Note: the focus of this award is teaching-within-employment: while awards often privilege those who go “above and beyond” their employment requirements, we believe that such a focus can contribute to the exploitation of precarious employees. In this case, we are particularly interested therefore in innovative classroom techniques, stories of pedagogical success, and so on, within the employment situation).
Each Award recipient will receive a cheque for $2,000 and an original piece of artwork.
Eligibility (Distinguished Academic, Early Career and Teaching)
Nominees must be current members of the academic staff association of at least one of an Albertan public university: The Universities of Alberta, Calgary, and Lethbridge, Athabasca University, Mount Royal University, or MacEwan University. For a group nomination, a majority of the group members, including the primary researcher or group leader, must be a Member of the Academic Staff at an Albertan public university.
An early career researcher is a researcher within five years (eight for 2024) the date of their first research-related appointment, minus eligible delays in research, where:
- research-related appointments are defined as those where the individual has the autonomy to conduct research independently; and
- all eligible leaves (e.g., maternity, parental, medical, bereavement) are credited as twice the amount of time taken, and professional leaves (e.g., training, sabbatical, administrative) are not credited.
Eligible Contributions (Distinguished Academic, Early Career and Teaching)
Any type or form of research and/or other scholarly, creative, or professional activity, which makes a contribution to the community beyond the university, is eligible for consideration by the Selection Committee. This is especially the case for the CAFA Distinguished Academic Early Career and the CAFA Distinguished Academic Award but will be a lesser consideration for the CAFA Distinguished Teaching Award.
For the CAFA Distinguished Teaching Award, the focus will be on pedagogical accomplishments: inside and outside the classroom. These pedagogical accomplishments will be the main consideration for the CAFA Distinguished Teaching Award but teaching achievements will also be taken into lesser consideration for the two Distinguished Academic Awards as well.
In making its decision, the Selection Committee, at its discretion, may also take into account such factors as a nominee’s service record, as well as other aspects of their professional life (this is not true of the Distinguished Teaching Award for Precarious Faculty).
Eligibility (CAFA Distinguished Teaching Award for Precarious Faculty)
Nominees must be precariously employed members of the academic staff at one of Alberta’s public universities (U of A, U of C, U of L, AU, MRU or GMU. Broadly, this means a contract that has limited job security relative to tenured faculty – a limited-term or contingent appointment.
Their duties must include teaching or teaching-adjacent activities (lecturing, preparing teaching materials, pedagogical design or review).
Specifically, individuals in the following categories of employment at each institution are eligible:
U of A: Academic Teaching Staff (ATS)
U of L: Sessional instructors, Term-limited position (instructor/professorial)
GMU: Sessionals
MRU: Fixed Term, Continuing and Sessional Instructors, Contract Laboratory Instructor, Contract Clinical Instructor
AU: Term limited professoriate, academic coordinator
U of C: Sessionals, Term limited appointments
Beyond this, applicants may have other precarious appointments at public or private institutions: as long as the individual teaches (as precarious academic staff) at one of the public institutions, they are encouraged to include all of their non-CAFA institution’s precarious employment in their application.
Award recipients must be willing and able to attend the annual CAFA Distinguished Academic Awards dinner and to make a brief presentation on their research and/or other scholarly, creative, or professional activity and its contribution to the wider community. The Teaching Award recipient will also present on their teaching accomplishments and pedagogical methods. Some contact with the media may also be required.
The 2024 CAFA Awards Dinner will take place in Edmonton on Thursday, September 26th, 2024.
Nominations (a signed pdf copy of the package should be e-mailed to admin@cafa-ab.ca)
All Nominations for the Awards must include the following:
1) A completed Nomination Form:
2) A Nomination Letter (please limit to one page): Academic Awards – describing specifically how the research and/or other scholarly, creative, or professional activity of the nominee(s) have made a contribution to the community beyond the university. Teaching Award – describe the contribution of the nominee towards their students and the broader community. Nominations from any source are welcome.
[N.B. The work of the Selection Committee is dependent on the quality and completeness of the information it receives in the Nomination Letters.]
3) Two (2) Letters of Reference (please limit each letter to one page).
[N.B. Letters of Reference should be from persons qualified to comment on the research, teaching and/or other scholarly, creative, or professional activity of the nominee(s), and the contribution it has made to the community outside the university.
For the teaching award (for clarification) – three letters (the nomination letter plus two reference letters). At least one of the reference letters must be from an academic colleague, but the second one can be from another source that you think best fits your application. The letters should address your teaching contributions both inside and outside the classroom, as well as relevant information on your teaching philosophy, innovative pedagogical methods, and curriculum design].
4) The current CV (last 5 years of information) of the nominee(s).
Nominations for the CAFA Awards must be received by April 30, 2024.
Selection Process
The Selection Committee consists of the president of CAFA, as Chair, and the presidents of the four CAFA member associations – AUFA, GMUFA, MRFA and ULFA, or their designates.
Selection of the CAFA Distinguished Academic Award for Precarious Faculty will be selected by a committee of three precarious teaching staff, appointed by CAFA member associations that have precarious academic staff (GMUFA, MRFA, & ULFA). The committee will be chaired by the CAFA president or, if that is not possible, another member of the CAFA Executive. The committee will meet in person or online. Their decision will be made no later than two weeks after the CAFA May meeting.
The Selection Committees may deliberate, consult, and arrive at their decisions, as they shall determine, subject to the Terms of Reference of the CAFA Distinguished Academic Awards. The decisions of the Selection Committees are final.
Award recipients will be selected by May 31, 2024.
CAFA Award Nominations – FAQ
Can I self nominate?
No, all nominations need to be made by another person. This helps the selection committee since it provides three third-party evaluations of your scholarly work and community contributions. The nomination letter can be written by anyone (fellow scholar, administration, community member, etc.). These letters should address your contributions to both the scholarly field and the Albertan community.
Can I re-submit a nomination I made last year?
The Nomination Form has a place to indicate that you want your nomination pulled forward to the next year if unsuccessful. The CAFA office will contact the nominee during the next cycle of nominations to confirm this. The package will be brought forward. The nominee will be given the option to update the package.
If the original nomination was made more than a year ago, you must submit a completely new nomination package, including a Nomination Form, Nomination Letter, CV, and Letters of Reference.
Does the nominee have to be a member of one of the academic staff associations belonging to CAFA?
Nominees must be current members of the academic staff association of at least one of an Albertan public university: The Universities of Alberta, Calgary, and Lethbridge, Athabasca University, Mount Royal University, or MacEwan University.
How can I confirm that a nominee is a member of one of the academic staff associations belonging to CAFA?
If you are uncertain, please contact the local academic staff association for more information.
At what level of detail should the Nomination Letter and other nomination materials describe the nominee’s research or other scholarly activity?
The Selection Committee is composed of association members from a variety of academic disciplines, so any detailed description of the nominee’s research or other scholarly activity should take into account that individual members of the Committee may not have the necessary background to follow overly technical explanations. As far as possible, the nomination materials should attempt to describe the nominee’s contributions in terms accessible to the informed layperson.
For the teaching award, two references (this includes the nomination letter) must be from academic colleagues and one can be from another source that you think best fits your application. The letters should address your teaching contributions both inside and outside the classroom, as well as relevant information on your teaching philosophy, innovative pedagogical methods, and curriculum design.
Does a nominee for one of the CAFA Awards have to have an extensive publication record?
Not necessarily—but for the non-teaching awards, the publication record should be above average for the discipline they belong to and the career stage they are in. The Selection Committee will use its discretion in assigning appropriate weight to publications.
The CAFA Distinguished Academic Early Career Award is intended to recognize specific, recent contributions to the community beyond the academy by academic staff members at an early stage of their careers, perhaps before they have had time to compile an extensive publication record.
In the case of nominees for the CAFA Distinguished Academic Award, expectations of an extensive publication record are likely to be higher, but the Selection Committee certainly may find that a nominee has made an outstanding contribution to the community beyond the academy through their research, creative or scholarly work, without an extensive publication record.
For either Award, it is essential that the nomination materials should explain fully the nature of the nominee’s research, creative, or scholarly activity, and how it has made a contribution to the community beyond the academy.
The CAFA Distinguished Teaching Award is intended to recognize teaching contributions that a professor or lecturer has made inside and outside the classroom. We expect that the majority of teaching accomplishments will be in the classroom or in the university setting but are aware that many candidates will have teaching contributions in the broader community as well.
What is a “contribution to the community beyond the university”?
A “contribution to the community beyond the university” refers to the impact that the nominee’s research, creative, or scholarly activity has had outside the academic world. This impact might be direct, as in a discovery or development of a new process or product of benefit to the public; or it might be indirect, as in scholarship which helps advance understanding of a public policy issue. It could also result from academic research or creative work undertaken in cooperation with or in support of a community project. Work in any discipline is eligible for consideration.
Why do the research Awards recognize “contributions to the community beyond the university”?
In creating the CAFA Distinguished Academic Awards, CAFA wanted to celebrate and publicize the impact on the wider community of the world-class research, creative and scholarly activities undertaken by academic staff at Alberta universities. The sheer range, scale and complexity of these activities has perhaps tended to limit public awareness of, and appreciation for, the major contributions these activities make to our community. The CAFA Awards are designed to help bring into better focus this important aspect of the work of academic staff.
Does the nominee have to sign the consent section of the awards application form?
Yes. Under the privacy laws, it is necessary for CAFA to obtain informed consent from individuals for the collection, use and disclosure of their personal information.
Does the nominee have to be present at the CAFA Awards ceremony to receive the award?
Yes. Only those people who are able to attend the CAFA Awards dinner and presentation in September are eligible to receive an Award. Before filing a nomination, please confirm that the nominee is available to attend the CAFA Awards dinner if he or she is chosen to receive an Award.
Why does CAFA’s Distinguished Teaching for Precarious Academic not include contributions to the community?
CAFA is aware that many precarious-employed academics are pressured to perform non-teaching work even when their contracts do not include research, service, or supervision. CAFA does not intend to reward exploitation by employers, nor to encourage academics to submit to such exploitation.
Can Applicants include work at non-CAFA institutions for the Distinguished Teaching for Precarious Academic?
Nominees must be precariously employed members of the academic staff at one of Alberta’s public universities (U of A, U of C, U of L, AU, MRU or GMU). Broadly, this means a contract that has limited job security relative to tenured faculty – a limited-term or contingent appointment.
Beyond this, applicants may have other precarious appointments at public or private institutions: as long as the individual teaches (as precarious academic staff) at one of the public institutions, they are encouraged to include all of their non-CAFA institution’s precarious employment in their application.
2023
Dr. Trevor Harrison, Professor, Sociology, University of Lethbridge is the recipient of the 2023 CAFA Distinguished Academic Award.
Dr. Veronica Fynn Bruey, Assistant Professor Legal Studies at Athabasca University, has been chosen to receive the 2023 CAFA Distinguished Academic Early Career Award.
Houssem Ben Lazreg, Lecturer, Modern Languages and Cultural Studies, the University of Alberta has been chosen to receive the 2023 CAFA Distinguished Teaching Award.
Dr. Christopher Churchill, Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of History, University of Lethbridge in the inaugural winner of the 2023 CAFA Distinguished Precarious Teaching Award.
2022
Dr. Temitope Oriola, Professor of Sociology at University of Alberta, is the recipient of the 2022 CAFA Distinguished Academic Award in recognition of his contributions to the fields of terrorism studies, African security and the role of policing and protests in Canada.
Dr. Crystal Gail Fraser, Assistant Professor of Native Studies at University of Alberta, has been chosen to receive the 2022 CAFA Distinguished Academic Early Career Award for her innovative and important contributions to Canadian history and the history of residential schools in Canada.
Dr. Sarah Hewitt, Associate Professor of Biology at Mount Royal University has been chosen to receive the 2022 CAFA Distinguished Teaching Award. While Dr. Hewitt has a formidable research and service track record, what really sets her apart from her peers is her commitment to science communication and the scholarship of teaching and learning.
2021
Dr. Sandy Jung, Professor of Psychology at MacEwan University, is the recipient of the 2021 CAFA Distinguished Academic Award in recognition of her outstanding research program in her Psychology Crime Lab (PCL@M) that focuses on the prevention of sexual assault, child sexual exploitation, and intimate partner violence.
Dr. Melissa Tremblay, Assistant Professor in Educational Psychology at University of Alberta, has been chosen to receive the 2021 CAFA Distinguished Academic Early Career Award for her scholarship in the areas of Indigenous child, family, and community health and wellbeing.
Dr. Brett McCollum, Professor of Chemistry at Mount Royal University, has been awarded the 2021 CAFA Distinguished Teaching Award for his innovative pedagogical practices both inside and outside the classroom.
2020
Dr. Maya L. Evenden, Professor of Biological Sciences at University of Alberta, has been chosen to receive the 2020 CAFA Distinguished Academic Award in recognition of both her influential research in the field of insect behaviour and chemical ecology, and specifically on developing pheromone-based monitoring and control tools for the Mountain Pine Beetle that is threatening Alberta’s forests.
Dr. Erin Sutherland, Assistant Professor of Cultural Studies at University of Alberta Augustana Campus, has been chosen to receive the 2020 CAFA Distinguished Academic Early Career Award for her innovative, interdisciplinary research and artistic practices in the fields of indigenous art, reconciliation, and diplomacies.
Dr. Kristine A. Peace, Association Professor of Psychology at MacEwan University has been chosen to receive the 2020 CAFA Distinguished Teaching Award. While Dr. Peace has a formidable research and service track record, what really sets her apart from her peers is her commitment to undergraduate teaching: especially hear long track record of researching and publishing with her undergraduate students.
2019
Dr. Geoffrey Messier, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Calgary is the recipient of the 2019 CAFA Distinguished Academic Award, in recognition of both his influential research in the field of wireless and digital communication network and his committed to humanitarian contribution to serve people living with homelessness in Calgary and Alberta more broadly.
Dr. Tracy Bear, Assistant Professor in the Department of Native Studies, University of Alberta, has been chosen to receive the 2019 CAFA Distinguished Academic Early Career Award for her innovative, interdisciplinary research and artistic practices in the fields of decolonialized sexuality and indigenous feminism.
2018
Dr. André Grace, Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology and Canada Research Chair in Sexual and Gender Minority Studies at the University of Alberta, has been chosen to receive the 2018 CAFA Distinguished Academic Award in recognition of his influential work linking research to advocacy and outreach on behalf of sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth.
Dr. Yvonne Poitras Pratt, Associate Professor in the Werklund Institute, University of Calgary, has been chosen to receive the 2018 CAFA Distinguished Academic Early Career Award in recognition of her leadership in developing community-based teaching and learning strategies designed to further meaningful reconciliation between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples of Canada.
2017
Dr. Colleen Cassady St. Clair, Professor of Biological Sciences at the University of Alberta, in recognition of her influential research and committed public advocacy in the fields of conservation biology and behavioural ecology.
Dr. Lianne Lefsrud, Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, has been chosen to receive the 2017 CAFA Distinguished Academic Early Career Award for her innovative, interdisciplinary research in the field of risk management.
2016
Timothy Caulfield, Professor in the Faculty of Law and the School of Public Health, at the University of Alberta, for his outstanding contributions in the areas of health law and science policy; and
Charlene Elliott, Professor of Communication Studies in the Department of Communication, Media and Film, jointly appointed in the Faculty of Kinesiology, at the University of Calgary, for her influential work on food marketing to children, media literacy, and children’s health.
Scott Jasechko, Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography, University of Calgary, has been chosen to receive the 2016 CAFA Distinguished Academic Early Career Award in recognition of his innovative research in the fields of hydrology and geochemistry.
2015
Dr. Lars Hallström, Professor of Political Studies in the Department of Social Sciences, Augustana Campus, with a joint appointment in the Department of Resource Economics and Environmental Sociology, at the University of Alberta, has been chosen to receive the 2015 CAFA Distinguished Academic Award.
Dr. Ubaka Ogbogu, Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Law, with a cross appointment in the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, at the University of Alberta, is the recipient of this year’s CAFA Distinguished Academic Early Career Award.
2014
Dr. Norm Campbell, Professor in the Department of Medicine, University of Calgary, is the recipient of the 2014 CAFA Distinguished Academic Award for his work in the field of hypertension prevention and control.
Dr. Chris Hugenholtz, Associate Professor in the Department of Geography, University of Calgary, has been chosen to receive the 2014 CAFA Distinguished Academic Early Career Award for his contributions in the field of geomorphology.
2013
Dr. Bryan Kolb, Professor in the Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, is the recipient of the 2013 CAFA Distinguished Academic Award.
Dr. Morris Flynn, Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Alberta, has been chosen to receive this year’s CAFA Distinguished Academic Early Career Award.
2012
Dr. Trudy Govier, Professor in the Department of Philosophy, University of Lethbridge, is the recipient of the 2012 CAFA Distinguished Academic Award.
Dr. Gregory McDermid, Associate Professor in the Department of Geography, University of Calgary, has been chosen to receive this year’s CAFA Distinguished Academic Early Career Award.
2011
Jeffrey Bisanz, Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Alberta has been chosen to receive this year’s CAFA Distinguished Academic Award.
Dr. Glynnis Hood, Associate Professor in the Department of Science at the Augustana Campus, University of Alberta, is the recipient of the 2011 CAFA Distinguished Academic Early Career Award.
2010
Dr. Carole Estabrooks, Canada Research Chair in Knowledge Translation in the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Nursing, has been chosen to receive this year’s CAFA Distinguished Academic Award.
Dr. Paul Hayes, Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Lethbridge, is the recipient of the 2010 CAFA Distinguished Academic Early Career Award.
2009
Dr. Reginald Bibby, Board of Governors Research Chair in the Department of Sociology at the University of Lethbridge, has been chosen to receive the CAFA Distinguished Academic Award for 2009.
Dr. Sara Dorow, Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Director of the Community Service-Learning Program, University of Alberta, and Dr. Candace Nykiforuk, Assistant Professor in the School of Public Health, University of Alberta, will each be honoured with the CAFA Distinguished Academic Early Career Award.
2008
Dr. Claude Couture, a professor at Campus Saint-Jean, University of Alberta has been chosen to receive the CAFA Distinguished Academic Award for 2008.
Dr. Diane Conrad, from the Department of Secondary Education, University of Alberta, is the recipient of this year’s CAFA Distinguished Academic Early Career Award.
2007
Professor Alvin Finkel, of Athabasca University, and Professor Lisa Doolittle, of the University of Lethbridge, have been chosen to receive the CAFA Distinguished Academic Awards for 2007.
Professor Emily Luce, of the University of Lethbridge, is the recipient of this year’s CAFA Distinguished Academic Early Career Award.
