We are delighted to announce that Assistant Professor Sanghyun (Kris) Kim has been named as a recipient of the University of Toronto Early Career Teaching Award (2022-2023).
The Early Career Teaching Award is created by the University of Toronto’s Division of the Vice-President & Provost. This award recognizes faculty members who are effective teachers and demonstrate an exceptional commitment to student learning, pedagogical engagement, and teaching innovation.
In July 2019, Professor Kim joined the Department of Physical & Environmental Sciences (Scarborough) and the Department of Chemistry (St. George) as an Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream. Since joining, Professor Kim has always championed student success. Namely, he collaborated with a first-year teaching team at UTSC to co-develop a peer-review writing activity and digital resources. First-year can be extremely challenging for many students. Hence, these tools led to a successful first-year transition, as they equipped students with solid writing skills. He has spearheaded several-student led research projects through collaborations with the UTSC Campus Farm and Toronto Zoo. These projects helped his students receive local and provincial awards and co-op opportunities. When attending international conferences and publications, Professor Kim always shares these experiences and their impact on student learning, hoping to inspire fellow educators.
Professor Kim was a member of the Community Engaged Learning Faculty Fellowship Program (with the Centre for Community Partnerships). This role inspired him to implement community-engaged learning projects in his second-year analytical chemistry course. As well, he helped his students learn more about their communities. In particular, he taught his students how to use their chemistry knowledge to help community partners address their challenges.
His mentorship isn’t limited to students; it is also for fellow faculty members. Before joining the Department, he participated in peer-to-peer coaching sessions through the Teaching Assistants’ Training Program. Overall, Professor Kim has fostered an environment for academic and professional success.
Professor Kim has gone above and beyond his role. His initiatives have enhanced student learning and cultivated community engagement. The Department of Chemistry would like to congratulate him on this achievement!