The recently established Award for Teaching Excellence in the Faculty of Environmental Design (EVDS) celebrates teaching excellence among faculty, adjunct professors and sessional instructors.
Richard Levy, professor of planning and urban design, was recently honoured with this award. With over 20 years’ experience with the faculty, the public acknowledgement of Levy’s ongoing commitment and dedication to his students is not only significant to the faculty, but to the planning profession as well.
“I am greatly honoured to be the first recipient of the Annual Teaching Award for Excellence given by EVDS,” Levy says. “A primary responsibility of all professional schools is to create the next generation of practitioners. Only through a strong commitment to teaching excellence by both faculty and administration can we accomplish this goal.”
The new award considers teaching excellence in the classroom, innovative teaching methods, contributions to the curriculum, and student evaluations. Student nominators praised Levy for his subject matter expertise, pedagogical effectiveness, student engagement, and how he facilitates individual learning in the classroom.
“An amazing teacher, if not for his depth of knowledge and breadth of experience, then for his sincere interest in the success of his students,” notes Kari Idland, municipal planning intern at the Town of Olds, and Master of Environmental Design alumnus. “Richards’ enthusiasm, encouragement, and respect cultivated a great atmosphere in which to learn.”
In addition to being a professor of planning and urban design, he is also the director of computing for the faculty. Further, he is the director for the Real Estate Development Program in Continuing Education and adjunct professor in the Department of Computer Science.
Levy is a founding member of the Virtual Reality Lab and a co-director of the Computational Media Design Program at the University of Calgary. Most recently, he and fellow colleague Peter Dawson were acknowledged for their project using 3D laser scanning to digitally capture images of historical Fort Conger on Ellesmere Island, Nunavut.
Article by Jessica Wallace. Image of Richard Levy, professor of planning and urban design in the Faculty of Environmental Design, with faculty Dean Nancy Pollock-Ellwand.