Economics professor Simon Power named one of Ontario’s top teachers

(Ottawa)–Carleton University economics professor Simon Power has been named one of Ontario’s most outstanding university teachers. He will be presented with an Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) Teaching Award at a special ceremony in Toronto on June 6.

“The OCUFA Awards Committee noted Dr. Power’s dedication to his students, and his excellent reputation among his peers for his pedagogical experience, ideas and techniques,” said OCUFA President Brian E. Brown.

Dr. Power teaches difficult concepts and uses a formidable array of amusing and appealing real-life examples and analogies that resonate with his students. “These often involve chocolate, health tips, and dating advice,” he says.

He specializes in the teaching of econometrics – the specification, estimation, and testing of statistical models in economics – which is regarded as one of the most difficult areas of the economics curriculum. He also teaches operations research – the application of mathematical and statistical tools to practical problems in business and economics, such as the determination of the optimal number of checkouts in a supermarket.

Dr. Power is widely recognized at Carleton for routinely going the extra mile for his students. In the words of one recent graduate, “Professor Power is very popular and well-known among Carleton students not only for his teaching excellence, but also for his devotion to and genuine care for his students.”

Another alumnus observed that, “he is a highly dedicated professional who knows how to motivate his students to strive for excellence. Both in the lecture hall and in person, Dr. Power is a dynamic and powerful communicator who possesses the gift of being able to make complex subjects understandable.”

No stranger to winning teaching awards, Dr. Power has won eight previous teaching awards, including the Ontario Leadership in Faculty Teaching Award, and the Capital Educators Award.

He obtained his PhD in Economics from the University of Western Ontario, an MA in Economics from the University of Saskatchewan, an MA in Soviet and East European Studies from the University of London, and a BA in Economics from the University of Durham. He came to Canada in 1980 and joined Carleton University in 1988.

OCUFA has been celebrating outstanding achievement in teaching and academic librarianship at Ontario universities since 1973. The awards committee selects up to six teaching award recipients and one academic librarianship award recipient each year.