Five courses have been selected as the inaugural recipients of the Principal’s Teaching and Learning Grants. From the Office of the Principal, and stewarded by the Centre for Teaching and Learning, the grants are intended to advance the university’s strategic priorities and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Successful applicants will receive grants ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 in one-time funding to support the development of innovative, values-driven teaching practices in new or existing undergraduate core courses. The grant program builds on the success of the Principal’s Teaching and Learning Awards, which recognize and celebrate the many ways educators and educational support staff enrich the student learning experience at Queen’s. 

“I am ever amazed by the creativity and dedication of instructors and educational support professionals at Queen’s,” says Patrick Deane, Principal and Vice-Chancellor. “The proposals for these grants reflect a strong and enthusiastic commitment to championing student learning in inclusive and innovative ways that will not only transform the classroom but also equip students to make meaningful contributions to communities here and around the world.”

2026 Grant Recipients

MECH 485 Introduction to Nuclear Reactor Engineering
Recipient: Francesco Ambrogi, Assistant Professor, Smith Engineering

MECH 485 will leverage virtual reality (VR) technology to create an immersive educational experience showcasing four nuclear reactor designs. This innovative VR environment advances learning by providing a dynamic, interactive platform that transcends traditional textbook- and lecture-based instruction. Specifically, the VR experience supports experiential learning by allowing students to visualize spatial relationships, simulate real-world scenarios, and engage with reactor functionalities that are otherwise inaccessible.

HLTH 210 - Health and Human Performance: Foundations Through Experiential Learning
Recipient: Nicole Beamish, Assistant Professor, School of Kinesiology and Health Studies

HLTH 210, a foundational experiential learning course, will be co-created with instructors, community members, and students, guided by community-engaged pedagogy. Students will be introduced to practical and professional skills for careers in kinesiology, athletic therapy, strength and conditioning, and community health. Through reflective practice, they will develop proficiency in communication, collaboration, interprofessional practice, and ethical behaviour. Seminars and peer mentorship will connect theoretical knowledge to real-world applications. By the end of this course, students will be prepared for experiential opportunities in clinical, high-performance, or community-based settings.

CISC 472 - Health AI: 2D and 3D Image Analysis
Recipient: Rebecca Hisey, Term Adjunct, School of Computing

A hands-on learning activity will be developed within the broader redesign of CISC 472 that will prioritize the ability for students to apply modern AI concepts to real clinical and clinical-training problems. The learning activity will be designed to give students hands-on experience with full AI workflows, including model selection, training, evaluation, and integration into a complete software system. Students will work with realistic datasets and common AI frameworks to tackle real-world challenges in the field of medical computing. 

FILM 318 - Curating Media Practices
Recipient: Gabriel Menotti, Associate Professor, Film and Media

This course engages students with a broad sphere of curatorial activities within and beyond the film industry and contemporary visual arts. Students will explore the role of curatorial practices in media, science, and culture through class discussions, field trips to various exhibition sites and events, and the organization of a final exhibition project.  A student-led mini arts festival will be integrated into the course activities and students will collectively organize and deliver this public event, taking responsibility for all stages of its production.

PSYC 100 - Principles of Psychology
Recipient: Meghan Norris, Associate Professor and Chair of Undergraduate Studies, Psychology

As the largest course on campus, PSYC 100 introduces students to the broad range of topics studied in the field of psychology, including research, cognition, development, mental health, social phenomena, and more. A flagship experience will be introduced in this large course that prioritizes multi-disciplinary teams, critical thought, alignment with the UN SDGs, professional development, and more. The course’s operation during the summer term will also be updated.

Following the announcement of these inaugural recipients, grant proposals will continue to be accepted throughout the academic year for consideration. Decisions will be made and communicated ideally within four weeks of the submission date.

Specifically, courses that promote the following areas, aligned with the goals of the Queen’s Strategy and the UN SDGs, are encouraged to apply:

• Indigenous Education
• Engaging Students as Partners in Learning
• Educational Leadership
• Educational Technologies
• Globally Engaged Education   
• Promoting Student Inquiry

For more information, visit the Centre for Teaching and Learning’s website.