Sponsored by the friends and colleagues of Margaret–Ann Armour including the Chemical Education Fund, CSC Inorganic Division, CIC Macromolecular Science and Engineering Division, University of Alberta, Office of Science & Society at McGill University, University of Ottawa, University of British Columbia, University of Victoria, Brock University, and Wilfrid Laurier University. Donations to the Margaret-Ann Armour Award endowment may be made through the Chemical Education Fund.
This award is presented in memory of Dr. Margaret-Ann Armour as a mark of recognition to an early career educator who has made an outstanding contribution in Canada to undergraduate education primarily at the post-secondary level in the chemical sciences, chemical engineering, or chemical technology.
View the Terms of Reference and list of Past Winners
The 2023 winner of the Margaret-Ann Armour Award for Early Career Chemistry Education is:
José Rodríguez Núñez, MCIC
The University of British Columbia
José Rodríguez Núñez was born in Quito, Ecuador and immigrated to Canada in 2001. He completed his undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of Alberta where he met Dr. Margaret-Ann Armour in her role as undergraduate advisor. He experienced firsthand her encouraging and empathetic personality and received knowledgeable advice; qualities which he seeks to emulate in his interactions with students. In 2012, he joined the Department of Chemistry at UBC where he has taught students at all levels of the undergraduate program. José has demonstrated sustained teaching excellence specializing in analytical and materials chemistry education. His friendly demeanor and dedication to student mentorship have undoubtedly enriched UBC.
José has taught lectures and laboratories receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback. Through the use of research-based teaching practices, José’s students engage in lively discussions that improve learning. His innovative laboratory design improves students’ technical abilities, hones transferable skills, and connects students with modern research. Overall, his classes are inclusive environments that encourage students in the learning process. He has contributed to the scholarship of teaching and learning through three peer-reviewed publications and multiple presentations in national and international conferences.
His heart for educating and mentoring are well-known. José has participated in outreach events with varied populations ranging from grade seven students to marginalized adults. He has also supervised over thirty students, many of them minorities in STEM, in curriculum development work. Just as Prof. Armour, José sees the capacity of anyone to make a positive impact in society.