2018 Design Educator Award Winners

New this year, RGD is recognizing faculty who have made outstanding contributions to student development and pedagogical research. We are thrilled to announce the 2 recipients of our inaugural Canadian Design Educators Award of Excellence.

RGD and GDC invited our professional Members to nominate educators who had made outstanding contributions to student development and pedagogical research. Members of RGD's Education Committee reviewed the submissions and selected our winners. 

"It gives me great pleasure that RGD is acknowledging excellence in design pedagogy," says Saskia van Kampen, Chair of RGD's Education Committee. "The RGD Design Educators Award of Excellence reflects the dedication that Canadian design faculty have for the success of their students, as well as for the success of their institute, their personal practice, and in bolstering the design community as a whole. I would like to extend a wholehearted  congratulation to our two inaugural winners and also to the other talented nominees."

We are thrilled to announce the 2 recipients of our inaugural Canadian Design Educators Award of Excellence. One Award is being given to a Design Educator at a College and one to a Design Educator at a University:

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2018 Educator Award of Excellence Winner (University)

Milena Radzikowska CGD, Mount Royal University, Alberta

From her nomination:

"Milena is conscientious, hardworking, insightful and talented. I have come to rely on her input, to consult her whenever I can and to try to work with her whenever I have a research project related to her areas of interest and expertise. She is the kind of person who won't let a problem beat her. She persists until there is a good outcome."

"I know when students who have learned and have grown under Dr. Radzikowska are in my classroom because they are confident, competent and they have a language with which to articulate their understanding of the graphic surface or the designed object, and not only this, but they connect their understanding to the social, technical and material conditions that produced that object."

2018 Design Educator Award of Excellence (College) Winner

Adam Antoszek-Rallo RGD, Sheridan College, Oakville 

From his nomination:

"Adam inspires you to do more, do better. Most good teachers do this with their students, but not all do this with colleagues — Adam does. His enthusiasm and his openness to new ideas and approaches allows you to feel comfortable sharing and collaborating."

"I see Adam as a forward thinker in this time of flux and uncertainty. He develops curriculum that digs to the roots of why colleges still have classrooms, and engages in thoughtful critique and dialogue. Adam transforms the classroom into a space for creative thinking and critical thought, well beyond what is available through online lectures. He facilitates an environment that both nurtures students and challenges them to reach new levels."

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Awards will be presented at DesignThinkers in Toronto in 2018 and at DesignThinkers in Vancouverin 2019.