Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia (EGBC) has awarded Dr. Peter Ostafichuk with the EGBC 2020 Teaching Award of Excellence. Now in its hundredth year, EGBC regulates the engineering profession in BC, maintaining standards of professional and academic practice and providing licensing for its 37,000+ members. This award is a testament to his impact on engineering students from across the Province.
Dr. Ostafichuk has been a leader in classroom innovation, some of his contributions including introducing the “flipped classroom” or Team-Based Learning technique to UBC engineering, integrating multi-level peer feedback in his classes, as well as the creation of more than 50 videos introducing first year engineering. As the inaugural Chair of First Year Engineering he has shown a high dedication to students, providing mentoring and advising sessions open to all 1000+ engineering first years at UBC, and working with the Engineering Undergraduate Society on issues of curriculum, health and wellness, and students’ transition to university.
He has had a large impact on engineering curriculum at UBC, having redeveloped the first year curriculum, as well as leading the creation of UBC Vancouver’s award-winning second year Mechanical Engineering curriculum. He is currently writing an introduction to engineering textbook. His contributions to curriculum have also furthered EGBC’s objective of ensuring public safety:
Dr. Ostafichuk has integrated the fundamental tenet of the Engineers & Geoscientists British Columbia code of ethics throughout the first year introduction to engineering courses and beyond. Students are required to hold the safety, health, and welfare of the public, and the protection of the environment, above all else as they wrestle with ethical dilemmas, assess project risks, and formulate engineering decisions and recommendations.
In June, Dr. Ostafichuk was also recognized for his significant contribution to engineering education and development of engineering teaching by the Canadian Engineering Education Association who elected him one of their inaugural Fellows.
EGBC has featured Dr. Ostafichuk’s accomplishment in their September/October issue of Innovation magazine, and he was presented with the award by the organization’s President Liannah Mah, P. Eng. in a virtual ceremony on October 7th.