CBS announces winners of the 2026 Teaching and Mentorship Awards
The College of Biological Science is honouring five exceptional educators and mentors with the 2026 CBS Teaching and Mentorship Awards. The awards recognize individuals who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and commitment to student learning, well-being and success.
Congratulations to the recipients of the 2026 CBS Teaching and Mentorship Awards:
- Faculty Teaching Excellence Award: Dr. Robert Hanner
- Staff Teaching Award of Excellence: Elspeth Smith
- Graduate Mentoring Award: Dr. Karl Cottenie
- Graduate Teaching Assistant Award of Excellence: Ashley Fisher
- Mentorship Award for Post-Doctoral Fellows: Dr. Kendal Prill
Faculty Teaching Excellence Award
Dr. Robert Hanner, Integrative Biology
Nominated by Koya Basso, MSc student in Integrative Biology
Through his passion for teaching and commitment to student learning and success, Dr. Robert Hanner has made a lasting impact on his students, particularly those in the Biodiversity major, for which he has served as a faculty advisor for many years.
Hanner has supported many students throughout their academic and professional journeys, encouraging undergraduates to pursue research opportunities and graduate studies and connecting them with resources and professional networks across academia, government and industry. As a mentor, he provides guidance while allowing room for students to grow independently, prioritizing students’ well-being and work-life balance.
Hanner is known for bringing courses to life through memorable learning experiences in the classroom, lab and field, connecting academic concepts with current biodiversity challenges. Through student-led discussions and hands-on learning, he encourages intellectual curiosity, critical thinking and the confidence to explore and defend new ideas.
In the fourth-year Biodiversity capstone course, Interpreting Biodiversity, which he developed and teaches, students work as collaborators on complex, real-world problems alongside researchers, conservation professionals and community stakeholders. Through these experiences, students gain a deeper understanding of how their studies apply beyond the classroom, while building professional connections that support future studies and careers.
Staff Teaching Award of Excellence
Elspeth Smith, Undergraduate Teaching Coordinator, Molecular and Cellular Biology
Nominated by Dr. Jim Uniacke, Molecular and Cellular Biology
Over nearly a decade as a course coordinator in Molecular and Cellular Biology, Elspeth Smith has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to student learning and success. Through innovative teaching practices, curriculum development and a focus on experiential learning, she has helped shape educational experiences that prepare students for future studies or careers in the life sciences.
Smith has shown leadership in MBG*3350, a flagship laboratory course that provides students with essential training in molecular biology techniques. Under her guidance, the course has moved beyond traditional, step-by-step laboratory exercises to more closely reflect authentic research environments. She has introduced bioinformatics training using the programming language R, developed workshops on scientific writing and data analysis, and created instructional resources that help students build practical skills increasingly sought after in research settings. With her changes, MBG*3350 is now recognized as an experiential learning course.
Smith has also played a key role in curriculum assessment and improvement within the department. She developed tools to evaluate students’ mastery of core concepts across the Molecular Biology and Genetics program and conducted extensive analyses of program pathways and learning outcomes, helping identify changes that will allow significantly more students to achieve proficiency across all program-level learning objectives.
Graduate Mentoring Award
Dr. Karl Cottenie, Integrative Biology
Nominated by Elizabeth Porter and Dr. Eleonore Lebeuf-Taylor
Dr. Karl Cottenie has fostered a graduate training environment that is both intellectually rigorous and deeply supportive, where students feel comfortable seeking guidance, navigating challenges and pursuing ambitious goals. Through his person-centred approach to mentorship, Cottenie has helped many students develop into confident scientists and well-rounded professionals in a wide range of fields.
Cottenie tailors his mentorship to each student’s needs, goals and learning style, creating individualized development plans and prioritizing regular opportunities to connect through weekly one-on-one meetings, team discussions and co-working sessions. He proactively identifies resources, professional development and networking opportunities to meet each student’s needs, including chances for them to develop their own mentorship skills. Students describe him as accessible, compassionate and genuinely invested in their wellbeing and success.
Beyond his own lab, Cottenie has contributed to graduate education through eight years as graduate program coordinator. He also developed and implemented frameworks outlining expectations of the student-supervisor relationship that promote transparency, accountability and student success. Committed to continuous growth as a mentor, he regularly participates in professional development opportunities, seeks feedback from students and implements meaningful changes based on their experiences.
Graduate Teaching Assistant Award of Excellence
Ashley Fisher, PhD student in Molecular and Cellular Biology
Nominated by Satinder Gidda and Elspeth Smith
Ashley Fisher, a teaching assistant for MCB*2050 and MBG*3350, is known for her enthusiasm, compassion and commitment to student success. Passionate about teaching and learning, she actively seeks opportunities to develop as an educator and incorporates evidence-based teaching practices into her seminars and labs to create engaging and effective learning experiences.
In her teaching, Fisher takes the time to understand where students are struggling and adapts her approach to meet their needs. She refines presentations and learning materials, explores new ways to explain challenging concepts and provides one-on-one support when needed. Students describe her as approachable, knowledgeable and supportive, noting her detailed feedback and willingness to work through difficult concepts with patience and care.
Beyond her own teaching responsibilities, Fisher has contributed to teaching and learning initiatives at the university. As a coordinator with the STEM Teaching Assistant Training Initiative, she helped develop resources and programming to support fellow teaching assistants. She has also been involved in research on authentic assessments in health science courses, and was able to translate that research into practical tools and recommendations for instructors.
Mentorship Award for Post-Doctoral Fellows
Dr. Kendal Prill, Molecular and Cellular Biology
Nominated by Jessica Su, Bio-Medical Science student
A dedicated mentor with a passion for research, Dr. Kendal Prill has created an environment where undergraduate and graduate students feel supported, capable and excited to learn. Questions are welcomed, challenges are viewed as opportunities for growth, and trainees are treated as developing scientists rather than assistants.
Prill tailors her mentorship to each student’s experience, interests and goals, helping them develop skills and independence while encouraging them to think critically, troubleshoot problems and contribute their own ideas. Through regular check-ins, thoughtful feedback and open conversations about her own experiences, she helps students build resilience and view challenges as a part of the scientific process. Feedback is direct and specific, framed as an opportunity for growth rather than criticism. In her teaching and mentorship, she emphasizes not only how research is conducted, but why it matters, connecting the day-to-day work in the lab with its real-world applications.
Alongside her roles ensuring the lab runs smoothly and mentoring students, Prill has also strengthened the sense of community in the lab. She organizes social gatherings and leads team initiatives, such as the lab’s entry in the annual departmental pumpkin-carving and Christmas door decorating contest.