November Ringers

Bill Gaston (writing) has won the 2018 City of Victoria Butler Book Prize for his 2017 short-story collection The Mariner’s Guide to Self Sabotage (Douglas & McIntyre). Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps and co-sponsor Brian Butler presented Gaston with the $5,000 prize at a gala event on October 17. A set of 10 cautionary tales showcasing Gaston’s range and narrative versatility, The Mariner’s Guide to Self Sabotage earned the praise of judges for his ability to move “seamlessly from the funny to the poignant to the surprising and absurd.” Gaston previously won the Victoria Book Prize in 2007 for his short-story collection, Gargoyles.

Two UVic professors were honoured with a Teaching Award of Excellence by Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia at their annual conference last month. Brad Buckham(Mechanical Engineering) was singled out for his knack for conveying complex concepts, his ability to explain material through metaphors and links to real world examples, discussion of impacts on society, and his mentorship to students. Buckham complements his teaching with leadership of West Coast Wave Initiative, which has enhanced UVic’s visibility in sustainable energy. David Nelles(School of Earth and Ocean Sciences) was awarded for his work as SEOS senior lab instructor. Many of his students noted that the reason they pursued earth science was because of Nelles’ enthusiasm for earth’s complex geological structure and his intuitive and rigorous approaches to observation and interpretation.