Three SFU educators recognized with Excellence in Teaching Awards

While 2020 was a difficult year for everyone, faculty at SFU proved they could deliver a quality education to students under exceptional circumstances.

The 2020 winners of the Excellence in Teaching Awards are three extraordinary educators, nominated by faculty and students, and recognized for their enthusiastic and innovative teaching, their ability to stimulate students to think creatively and critically, and their demonstrated caring for student learning.

The winners are:

Victoria Claydon, professor, Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology

Claydon is a researcher and teacher with a passion for physiology.

Her research focuses on human cardiovascular control in health and disease. She has made significant contributions to understanding how impaired cardiovascular responses contribute to disorders of blood pressure control and fainting, as well as the impact of spinal cord injury on cardiovascular regulation. Claydon also conducts field studies examining the impact of residence at high altitude on the cardiovascular system.

In the classroom, Claydon shares her love of physiology with undergraduate and graduate students, emphasizing experiential learning, critical thinking, and real-world connections in her teaching.

Claydon received her PhD from the University of Leeds (UK) in Cardiovascular Medicine and joined SFU in 2008. She is a Fellow of the American Autonomic Society, a Principal Investigator with the ICORD spinal cord injury centre at UBC, and an Affiliated Investigator with the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute.

To learn more, read the full story on th BPK site.

Carolyn Sparrey, associate professor, School of Mechatronic Systems Engineering

Sparrey is known for her passion in teaching and ability to explain complex concepts through interactive classes.

She believes students can learn anything, and pushes to continuously improve her teaching strategy and methods by welcoming feedback from her students. Her mindfulness of student wellbeing helps create an inclusive environment where students can comfortably share their thoughts and ask for help in class and tutorials.

Sparrey leads SFU’s NeuroSpine Lab and is the scientific director of SFU’s Image TechLab at Surrey Memorial Hospital. Additionally, she is a principal investigator at ICORD (International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries), a research centre for spinal cord injuries. To learn more, read the full story on the Faculty of Applied Sciences’ site.

Tiffany Muller Myrdahl, senior lecturer, Department of Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies, and the Urban Studies Program

In both programs, Muller Myrdahl has been described as the heart and soul of the teaching team.

Muller Myrdahl joined the SFU faculty as a permanent instructor in 2018. In a short time she has designed and taught a diverse slate of courses. As an educator whose interests extend beyond the classroom, she adeptly finds ways for students to incorporate complex information into meaningful research with the community that gives them opportunities to gain experience and expertise. To learn more, read the full story on the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences site.