The annual Faculty of Science Excellence in Service Awards recognize outstanding staff and faculty whose contributions have had a significant positive impact in achieving the Faculty’s goals.
Award Categories
- Staff awards: up to 6 awards. Each recipient receives $2,000.
- Faculty awards: up to 2 awards. Each recipient receives $2,000.
- Postdoctoral Fellow/Research Associate award: up to 1 award. The recipient receives $1,000.
An individual may receive this award at most once in any ten-year period, and no more than twice in total.
Eligibility
Awards are open to individuals whose primary affiliation is within the Faculty of Science. Eligibility criteria for each category are as follows:
- All staff appointed within a Faculty of Science department or unit with a full-time or part-time appointment of 50% or more and actively employed by UBC at the time of the announcement of recipients.
- Faculty members holding at least a 50% appointment in a Faculty of Science department and actively employed by UBC at the time of the announcement of recipients.
- Postdoctoral fellows (employees) and research associates: Must hold a full-time appointment in a Faculty of Science department or unit and actively employed by UBC at the time of the announcement of recipients.
Ineligible appointments: Dean, associate deans, assistant deans, department heads and directors, postdoctoral fellowship award recipients, honorary appointees, adjunct faculty, contingent workers.
Assessment Criteria
Nominees will be assessed on the extent to which they:
- Exhibit exceptional contributions to the Faculty of Science by consistently excelling in their work above and beyond the scope of their role.
- Advance the goals of the Faculty of Science Strategic Plan by contributing to one or more of its core areas and objectives.
- Identify and implement meaningful, lasting improvements that create demonstrable impact within the past year—impact that is broad in reach and benefits students, colleagues, their unit, or the Faculty of Science as a whole.
Nomination Process
Nomination forms are distributes via email to units in November of each year. Nominations may be initiated by any UBC Science student, faculty, or staff member. All nominations must be submitted through the nominee’s home unit within the Faculty of Science and must be endorsed with the signature of the nominee’s department head or director.
Each department can submit up to four nominations in the following categories:
- Up to two staff members
- One faculty member
- One postdoctoral fellow or research associate
Recipient Selection
Award recipients will be selected by the Dean of Science, with guidance and recommendations provided by an adjudication committee comprised of staff and faculty members appointed by the Dean’s Office.
Announcement of Recipients
Recipients will be announced in January or February of the following year. The award presentation is generally held at the Faculty of Science meeting in March.
2025 Award Winners
Staff
Derek Tan, Manager of Exhibition, Beaty Biodiversity Museum
For outstanding creative direction, exemplary relationship building, and driving meaningful collaboration both on and off campus.
Erin Green, Associate Director, Student Experience, Dean’s Office
Erin Green has been an exceptional leader in creating learning environments and student experiences that are inclusive, accessible, and deeply supportive of student success. Her work has consistently strengthened the connection between academic learning and meaningful engagement, ensuring that students feel welcomed, empowered, and equipped to thrive.
Jacelyn Shu, Research Technician, Zoology
Jacelyn Shu demonstrates exceptional service beyond her lab manager role by implementing broad initiatives, such as pioneering digital efficiencies and teaching a scientific illustration course, which directly enhance research, streamline operations, and provide essential education. Her commitment to community and engagement is further evident in her organization of mental wellness workshops and the creation of inspiring departmental murals, significantly elevating the UBC experience for students and staff alike.
Kevin Lin, Director of Finance, HR and Operations, Statistics
For service and leadership infused with creativity, diligence, empathy, humility, integrity, and intelligence.
Stephen MacDonald, Director, IT Operations, Michael Smith Laboratories; Interim Director of Information Technology, Faculty of Science
Stephen has consistently delivered innovative IT solutions at the Michael Smith Laboratories, enhancing research capacity for faculty, staff, and students. His outstanding troubleshooting skills and unwavering commitment to service has been essential in meeting the complex needs of our research programs.
Susana Alcala Mendez, Large Grants and Awards Officer, Stewart Blusson Quantum Matter Institute
For extraordinary service and leadership in research development, enabling transformative funding success, strengthening institutional sustainability, and advancing an inclusive, people-centred research culture across the University of British Columbia. Millions secured and counting; scientists saved; an institute built to last: Susana Mendez Alcala is doing it all the while also advancing inclusivity and uplifting the UBC community as a whole.
Postdoctoral Fellow / Research Associate
Thomas Rennie, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Physics & Astronomy
We recognize Thomas Rennie for his outstanding outreach contributions, including public talks at VPL, interactive demonstrations for the Faraday Show, engagement at the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, and leadership in PHAS summer camps and school tours—bringing physics and astronomy to diverse audiences with enthusiasm and expertise.
Faculty
Marcia Graves, Associate Professor of Teaching, Microbiology & Immunology; Director, SCIE 113 Program
For leading the Faculty of Science's expansion of Science 113: First-Year Seminar in Science. The expansion involved scaling up the course from 16 sections to ~100 sections per year, while maintaining the course as a high-impact educational experience for all BSc students.
Zachary Hudson, Professor, Chemistry
Zachary Hudson's contributions to government relations has helped strengthen some of the most critical funding programs on which the Faculty of Science relies, and his work on Indigenous outreach has created opportunities for dozens of Indigenous students to learn and build community on our campus.