Sponsored by the CIC Chemical Education Fund
The CIC Award for Chemistry Education is presented as a mark of recognition to a person who has made an outstanding contribution in Canada to education at the post-secondary level in the field of chemistry or chemical engineering.
View the Terms of Reference and list of Past Winners
The 2024 winner of the CIC Award for Chemistry Education is:
Keshwaree Vima Babooram
University of Alberta
Keshwaree Vima Babooram is a highly dedicated and caring teacher with a profound passion for promoting chemistry. Currently a full teaching professor at the University of Alberta, she has had a distinguished career marked by commitment to education, outreach, and committee service. Fluent in both English and French, she has effectively reached a broad audience throughout her teaching tenure. Before her 2020 appointment, she held a joint tenure-track position at Campus Saint-Jean, teaching General, Organic, and Green chemistry since 2009. Vima’s contributions have been recognized with the Model Green Lab Award in 2016 and an impactful publication in J. Chem. Ed. in 2018.
During the challenges of COVID-19, Vima demonstrated adaptability by restructuring the Organic Chemistry 1 course for online delivery and excelling in virtual Introductory General Chemistry courses. Her commitment to outreach is evident in her involvement with the Faculty of Science Summer Chemistry Camps and contribution to the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion committee. Vima’s compassionate and innovative teaching style has earned her accolades, including a nomination for the COVID-19 remote teaching award in 2022 and the Excellence in Teaching Award in Chemistry in 2023, solidifying her reputation as an exemplary educator and advocate for the field of chemistry.
Vima holds a B.Sc. (Hons) in Chemistry from the University of Mauritius and a Ph.D. in Materials Chemistry from Simon Fraser University.