The Canadian Mathematical Society (CMS) is pleased to announce that Dr. Christopher Eagle of the University of Victoria has been named the recipient of the 2024 Excellence in Teaching Award for his innovative teaching style, student mentorship, and depth of subject knowledge.
Dr. Eagle earned his B.Math (2007) and M.Math (2010) in Mathematics at the University of Waterloo, and a M.Litt (2008) in the Philosophy of Mathematics from the University of St. Andrews. Following this, he pursued his PhD in Mathematics at the University of Toronto, completing it in 2015. He then transitioned to the University of Victoria in 2016, initially serving as an Assistant Teaching Professor and later advancing to the position of Associate Teaching Professor in 2023. Throughout his career, Dr. Eagle has secured numerous grants to support research and teaching projects in mathematics. Additionally, he has been an invited speaker on mathematics education at various conferences.
Dr. Eagle is known for his innovative and engaging teaching style. Annually, he coordinates the course MATH 110, Matrix Algebra for Engineers. He has authored an open-source digital textbook specifically for this course, incorporating interactive computer-based exercises. This innovative resource has yielded impressive outcomes within the class and has garnered significant praise from fellow faculty members.
Dr. Eagle’s teaching repertoire spans a wide array of subjects and levels, consistently demonstrating remarkable effectiveness. His classes boast notably low attrition and failure rates, coupled with outstanding student evaluations. Revered by his students, Dr. Eagle is partly credited with catalyzing a notable surge in the enrollment of Majors and Minors in mathematics at the University of Victoria. Esteemed among fellow faculty members and students alike, he is recognized for his compassion, unwavering dedication, fervent love for mathematics, and steadfast commitment to student achievement. To quote some of them:
[Dr. Eagle] has an enormous impact on students, on course delivery, on programs, and on our teaching program as a whole. He maintains excellent, well-functioning professional relationships with all teaching and research faculty.
Dr. Eagle’s office hours are held with an open-door policy. This innovative approach encourages students to collaborate on difficult problems, with Dr. Eagle there to provide guidance as necessary. You will often find large groups of students of various skill levels attending office hours at the same time. Despite the diverse nature of their questions, each student inevitably leaves not only having received the help they required, but having had the opportunity to engage with the material and their peers in a positive learning environment. This is due to Dr. Eagle’s commitment to developing working relationships with each of his students, which allows him to take each student from where they are at, providing just enough guidance to allow them to discover the solutions for themselves.
Engaged in fostering the growth of undergraduate students inside and outside of the classroom, Dr. Eagle has served as a keynote speaker at various events hosted by the undergraduate student society. Additionally, he has actively guided numerous undergraduate research students, including several that resulted in publications in well-respected peer-reviewed journals.
In summary, Dr. Eagle demonstrates remarkable effectiveness in the classroom, exhibiting a profound commitment to teaching, his students, and his broader community of colleagues. His significant contributions to the educational mission of the University of Victoria distinguish him as an exceptional educator. The CMS is proud to present Dr. Eagle with the 2024 Excellence in Teaching Award.
About the Excellence in Teaching Award
The Excellence in Teaching Award recognises sustained and distinguished contributions in mathematics education at the post-secondary undergraduate level at a Canadian institution. The award was established in 2004 to recognise teaching excellence as exemplified by effectiveness in the classroom and/or commitment and dedication to teaching students.
For more information, visit the Excellence in Teaching Award page.
About the Canadian Mathematical Society (CMS)
The CMS is the main national organization whose goal is to promote and advance the discovery, learning and application of mathematics. The Society’s activities cover the whole spectrum of mathematics including scientific meetings, research publications, and the promotion of excellence in mathematics competitions that recognize outstanding student achievements.