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.
Nola Etkin, MCIC
University of Prince Edward Island
Nola Etkin is a Professor of Chemistry at the University of Prince Edward Island, where she has taught organic since 1997. Nola’s first teaching experiences came as a PhD student at the University of Alberta where she discovered that she loved helping students find their way to understanding and applying the basic concepts of chemistry. It was also during this time that Nola developed a life-long passion for social justice and equity through her involvement with Women in Science and Engineering and the campus GLBTQ group. Nola’s numerous contributions to the academic mission at UPEI include her role in developing and leading the first M.Sc. program at UPEI, serving as department chair, as Faculty Association President, and her current role as Interim Dean of Science. On a National level, Nola has served the Chemistry Education community as Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Council of University Chemistry Chairs, Treasurer of the Chemistry Education Division, and Director of Student Affairs on the CSC Board. Nola’s outstanding teaching record has previously been recognized with the Hessian Award for Excellence in Teaching. Arguably Nola’s most significant contribution is her work on equity in the academy, which includes organizing several CSC symposia on Equity and Diversity in Chemistry, and editing of the book “Making Chemistry Inclusive.”