UNBC and UBC Northern Medical Program faculty member Dr. Sean Maurice has been recognized with a 2022 3M National Teaching Fellowship, one of Canada’s top teaching awards at the post-secondary level.

He is one of only 10 educators from across the country to receive a 2022 fellowship from the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE) and 3M Canada. Dr. Maurice was celebrated this month, as part of the 2022 award cohort, at the STLHE Annual Conference held in Ottawa.

“I’m deeply honoured to have been recognized for my efforts in teaching and learning broadly,” said Maurice. “I am delighted to join this great national fellowship of post-secondary educators, to continue to elevate teaching and learning at UNBC and UBC, and to now have the opportunity to collaborate on larger initiatives supported through the National Council of 3M Fellows.”

During his time as a Senior Lab Instructor with the Northern Medical Program (NMP), Maurice found that incorporating a philosophy of adventure into his lesson plans helps foster even greater learning enthusiasm. 

“I try to be a reflective practitioner and I try to identify and address needs that surround me,” explained Maurice. “It is also good to feel adventurous in the classroom, and for teachers and learners alike to seek out that sweet spot, where we experience just enough risk and uncertainty, to motivate us to really invest ourselves in a subject matter or learning environment.”

“As a comparison, outdoor adventures involve interacting with nature in all its beauty and unpredictability, and using technical skills, the tools you have with you, teamwork, and decision making, to keep everyone safe and still enjoying the experience at hand. And I like to apply this same approach to teaching and learning.” 

Created in 1986 by the STLHE, the fellowship award recognizes exceptional contributions to teaching and learning in Canadian post-secondary education.

“The 3M National Teaching Fellowship is a highly prestigious national award and we are very fortunate to have such an excellent and committed teacher in the Division of Medical Sciences at UNBC and teaching for the Northern Medical Program,” said Dr. Paul Winwood, Assoc VP, Div. of Medical Sciences, UNBC, and Regional Assoc. Dean, Northern BC, UBC Faculty of Medicine.

In addition to his lab instructor role, Maurice is also NMP Assistant Director of Histology, NMP MEDD Site Director for Years 1 & 2, and the Provincial Lead for the Healthcare Travelling Roadshow. 

“I have been teaching and learning in the Northern Medical Program for 15 years,” noted Maurice,” and I feel very privileged to have had a role in training current and future physicians for the north.”