Professor Greg Evans (ChemE) is this year’s recipient of the Northrop Frye Award, one of U of T’s Awards of Excellence. The Northrop Frye Award recognizes those who have gone above and beyond the University’s standard of excellence, setting themselves apart through innovation in teaching and their commitment to conveying the excitement and importance of research to undergraduate and graduate students.
Professor Evans has been a leader in innovative curriculum development which integrates teaching and research, parlaying his leadership in research institutes to provide unique learning opportunities for our students. In 2003, he led the development of the Southern Ontario Centre for Atmospheric Aerosol Research (SOCAAR), an interdisciplinary centre for the study of air quality, with a focus on how aerosols impact human health and the environment. In 2008, he co-founded the Canadian Aerosol Research Network (CARN) to unite Canada’s emerging expertise in aerosols science. The 178 undergraduates and 52 graduate students whose research he has supervised have had the opportunity to use these cutting-edge facilities, and to work with his research partners from academia, industry, and government.
While serving as Vice-Dean, Undergraduate (2005-2007), Professor Evans created the Undergraduate Engineering Research Day (UnERD), a one-day research symposium/competition for undergraduate engineering students which has since grown to a large annual event. Professor Evans is also co-leader of Leaders of Tomorrow, the Faculty’s unique leadership education program. Currently, he is leading an initiative to create a PhD program on Engineering Education within the Faculty, and is also part of a parallel effort to create a PhD program in Occupational and Environmental Health at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health.
Professor Evans has been honoured for his innovation in teaching and research with a number of accolades. These include the 2009 Bill Burgess Chemical Engineering Teacher of the Year Award, the 2009 Ontario Professional Engineers Research and Development Medal, the 2010 American Society for Engineering Education Outstanding Teaching Award and the 2010 Engineers Canada Medal for Distinction in Engineering Education.
“I am delighted that Professor Evans’ contributions to research and education have been recognized with this prestigious award,” said Cristina Amon, Dean, Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering. “He exemplifies the qualities of leadership, dedication and innovation the University seeks to encourage through the Awards of Excellence program.”
Professor Evans and other Awards of Excellence recipients will be honoured by the University at a reception at the Great Hall of Hart House on April 10.
