2023 Design Educator Award Winners
The RGD announces the winners of our 2023 Design Educator Awards of Excellence
Western Canada
Susan Colberg
The RGD 2023 Design Educator Award of Excellence for Western Canada is presented to Susan Colberg, Associate Professor of Design Studies at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta.
Susan has won numerous national and international design awards for her practice-based research in the areas of book and publication design, typography, information design, visual identity and the book arts. Her work has been exhibited internationally and examples are in the permanent collections of important cultural and educational institutions around the world. Sue served for many years as the National Representative to icograda, now known as ico-D, the International Council of Design.
“I have worked with Professor Colberg for the last 15 years in a variety of capacities and I have been able to observe the care, consideration and, most importantly, the results of Professor Colberg’s teaching. Professor Colberg is an exemplary instructor with a deep passion for curriculum design. This is reflected in both the outcomes of her students and their feedback of her.”
Aidan Rowe, Associate Professor of Design Studies & Chair, Department of Art & Design, University of Alberta
“Susan has made significant contributions to design education through her integrated supervised community projects for undergraduate students, support for students in supervised practicum placements and teaching abilities and impacts at both the undergraduate and graduate levels of design studies. Her work has had a lasting impact on the design education community, and she will forever be an inspiration.”
Justin Pritchard, Sessional Faculty Member, Design Studies, Department of Art & Design, University of Alberta
Eastern Canada
Chris Ambedkar
The RGD 2023 Design Educator Award of Excellence for Eastern Canada is presented to Chris Ambedkar, Professor of Creativity & Communications at Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario.
Chris (he/him) is an award-winning educator, designer and creativity practitioner. His work bridges academia and the industry. He has taught at the Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University in Graphic Communications Managementand the Master of Digital Media programs. He has also worked as the Creative Lead for the Ministry of Colleges & Universities in the Ontario Public Service, where he leveraged visual thinking and communication techniques to shape internal and external communication, including COVID-19 communications. Chris teaches courses in creativity, collaboration, design, digital media and creative research methods. He believes in challenging students to build connections between their education, solve real-world problems and drive positive social change.
“Chris’ teaching contributions at Sheridan have been exceptionally strong, particularly in the Board Undergraduate Certificate in Creativity and Creative Problem Solving at Sheridan College. The breadth of designers that Chris teaches, encompassing interaction designers, experience designers, game designers and interior designers, speaks volumes about his ability to cultivate inclusive learning environments tailored to a diverse range of design disciplines. The feedback from these students has been overwhelmingly positive.”
Dr. Genevieve Amaral, Associate Dean, Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences, Sheridan College
“Chris continuously challenges me to sit with a pedagogical problem a little longer than I normally would before leaping into action, and it always results in a better outcome for students. He keeps the student perspective at the forefront of his teaching decisions, including an acute awareness and caring of students’ mental health and wellbeing, while continuing to provide excellent experiential learning opportunities.”
Diana Varma RGD
Honourable Mention
Glenn McArthur
Glenn McArthur is an Assistant Professor and a Course Leader providing guidance to students and faculty members teaching Colour and Two-Dimensional Design at OCAD University. In 2022, he published a textbook on drawing fundamentals. He is passionate about his ongoing research projects titled ‘Arch&Type:Intersecting Synergies’ and ‘Muqarnas: A Celebration of Islamic Architectural Ingenuity.’
