2015 TD Canada Trust Distinguished Teaching Award winners announced

Beedie School of Business lecturers Kamal Masri and Kathleen Burke, 2015 TD Canada Trust Distinguished Teaching Award winners.

Beedie School of Business lecturers Kathleen Burke and Kamal Masri have been announced as recipients of the 2015 TD Canada Trust Distinguished Teaching Award – the highest teaching honour available at SFU’s Beedie School of Business.

The TD Canada Trust Distinguished Teaching Awards are presented each year to the two teachers at the Beedie School of Business who exemplify qualities such as engagement, organization, discipline, enthusiasm and support in their teaching.

In winning the 2015 TD Canada Trust Distinguished Teaching Award, Masri becomes a two-time winner, having been first awarded the honour in 2009.

Prior to joining the Beedie School of Business Masri spent over 15 years developing information systems with a company he co-founded in the 1990s. His company focused on developing custom-built solutions for a variety of industries, including professional sports, entertainment event services, health care, transportation, and manufacturing.

In addition to teaching, Masri is engaged within the Beedie Case Competition community. Most recently he acted as team coach for the Beedie team that brought home the bronze medal at the prestigious APEX Business-IT Global Case Challenge.

“I am thrilled to be chosen for this award from among the many great instructors at Beedie,” says Masri. “As a teacher, I am constantly motivated to improve my students’ learning experience. To me, this award is an indication of their appreciation. I am truly grateful for this award and look forward to continuing along this trajectory.”

Burke, a senior lecturer, teaches Business, Society and Ethics. She joined the Beedie School of Business after a decade of teaching Ethics, Leadership and Decision-making courses to mid-career professionals in SFU’s innovative Liberal and Business Studies program. She was nominated for the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Cormack Teaching Award in 2011.

“I am very honoured by this recognition, but want to emphasize that teaching is a team activity,” says Burke. “I share this award with all of the students, faculty and staff who have variously enabled me to create learning environments that students find most valuable.”

Since 1990, Beedie School of Business students, faculty and alumni have nominated teachers from both undergraduate and postgraduate programs for the prestigious award based upon excellence and distinction in teaching and in teaching-related activities such as course development and teaching materials preparation.

For more information on the TD Canada Trust Distinguished Teaching Awards, visit beedie.sfu.ca/teaching/distinguished-teaching-awards/