Ten to be honoured at 2014 Faculty of Arts Awards

In an academic community as diverse as the Faculty of Arts, with disciplines ranging from the performing arts to economics, the research being done is vast in scope and, each year, the Faculty of Arts Awards reflects that fact wonderfully.

This year is the same, with distinguished research awards going to a food marketing researcher, an expert in psycholinguistics and cognitive psychology, a world renowned climate change scientist and a promising young organizational psychologist.

But a host of new awards have also been added for the 2014 Faculty of Arts Awards, being held at MacEwan Hall B on May 20. These new honours will recognize leaders in internationalization, outstanding teachers and a distinguished support staff member.

“It’s critical that we shine the spotlight on those who are making an exceptional contribution to our faculty,” said Dean Richard Sigurdson in a recent interview, commenting on the expansion of the awards ceremony. “They inspire us, and act as role models to demonstrate what can be achieved.”

Vice Dean Florentine Strzelczyk adds that the new awards demonstrate further how well rounded the Faculty of Arts is as the University of Calgary works towards its Eyes High goal of becoming one of the top five universities in Canada by 2016.

Ten honours will be handed out at the Faculty of Arts Awards 2014. The recipients include:

Professor Penny Pexman (Psychology), Established Scholar
Currently in her second term as associate head of the Department of Psychology, Pexman has also been elected president of the Canadian Society for Brain, Behaviour, and Cognitive Science and she is the editor of the Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology.

Professor Charlene Elliot (Communication and Culture), Established Scholar
The CIHR Canada Research Chair in Food Marketing, Policy and Children’s Health, Elliot designed the Media Literacy and Food Marketing lesson plan for elementary and junior high students, which has been provided to over 1,400 children across Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario in 2014.

Professor Shawn Marshall (Geography), Established Scholar
A world renowned glaciologist and climate change scientist, Marshall was awarded a Canada Research Chair (Tier 2) in Climate Change in 2007. This title was renewed for a second term in 2012. A highly prolific researcher, in the past two years alone Marshall has published 11 peer reviewed articles in the most prestigious journals in his field, along with one book and five book chapters.

Assistant Professor Thomas O’Neill (Psychology), New Scholar
Organizational psychologist O’Neill has been published in 13 peer reviewed publications since his arrival at the University of Calgary in 2011, nine as a senior author. He’s also made 27 conference presentations.

Ella Wensel (Political Science), Outstanding Staff Member
An invaluable and beloved member of her department, Wensel has served in Political Science since 1983, working in various capacities before settling in to her current position as department manager. Wensel’s duties are wide ranging, from keeping track of the budget, helping to prepare the annual course timetable and supporting the department head, and she excels at all of them.

Professor X. Jie Yang (Linguistics, Languages and Cultures), Leader in Internationalization
As a long serving professor of Japanese, Chinese and East Asian Language Studies, Yang has contributed greatly to the internationalization of the Faculty of Arts, establishing academic networks and research collaborations with international partners.

Paul Chastko, instructor (History), Leader in Internationalization
An accomplished history instructor with a research focus on the history of the petroleum industry and energy policies, Chastko has been coordinator of the International Relations undergraduate program for eight years. In that capacity he’s actively promoted opportunities for students to study abroad.

Professor Jeremy Brown (Music, School of Creative and Performing Arts), Established Teacher
A teacher of saxophone and conducting, Brown elevated the standing of the University of Calgary Jazz Ensemble to the point where they’re now being invited to such prestigious international festivals as the 2014 Elmhurst College Jazz Festival in Chicago.

Dawn Johnston, instructor (Communication and Culture), Established Teacher
A popular and dedicated teacher with excellent range, Johnston teaches a wide array of classes ranging from communication studies, film studies and women’s studies, to food culture, a class she was instrumental in developing. She also coordinates the honours program in Communication and Culture.

David Dick, Assistant Professor (Philosophy), Emerging Teacher
A teacher of business ethics, Dick introduced a pilot class on the philosophy of money, which has now become a permanent part of the Department of Philosophy curriculum. He also gives special seminars on ethics to PhD students in the Haskayne School of Business.