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School of Environmental Studies

Above & Beyond Award Recipients – Spring 2026

May 05, 2026

Congratulations to our faculty and staff who were nominated for an Above and Beyond Award this spring! And thank you to all those who nominated them.

Caolan Barr
As a Sessional Instructor in Environmental Studies, Caolan has gone above and beyond in inclusive teaching. As one student noted, "Dr. Barr goes above and beyond to provide a comprehensive and balanced education in political ecology. He covers a broad spectrum of topics, and assigns materials that approach these topics from both academic and journalistic viewpoints. There is an abundance [of course content] by Indigenous authors, particularly women and Two Spirited people. He is an exceptional lecturer and listener, who also goes above and beyond to support students with disabilities."

Eric Higgs
As a Professor in Environmental Studies, Eric has gone above and beyond in student mentorship and service to the campus community. As one student noted, "he is a fantastic mentor to myself and my fellow graduate students. He is always searching for ways to uplift our research and further our careers....Dr. Higgs consistently goes above and beyond contributing to the campus community. He has spent years building relationships with the library which recently culminated in the development of a new high-powered digitization lab, the PIXL Lab....He is working with a multitude of partners, including multiple First Nations and the provincial archives, to use the equipment in support of their objectives related to data preservation, environmental management, and Indigenous resurgence. Dr. Higgs additionally serves on the President’s Search Committee which demonstrates his commitment to improving the campus."

Ryan Hilperts
As an Assistant Teaching Professor and Undergraduate Advisor in Environmental Studies, Ryan has gone above and beyond in faculty mentorship and supporting community-engaged learning. As one faculty member noted, "it's difficult to express how immensely impactful Ryan's mentorship has been to me successfully creating and teaching my first CEL course. Ryan has given very interactive and experiential workshops on leading CEL courses, she co-created the CEL community of practice, and has openly shared resources and built relationships with new CEL instructors....Overall, Ryan embodies the principles of 5 R's (e.g., relationship, reciprocity, respect, relevance, and responsibility) in her teaching and mentorship and in her community building approach among faculty, staff, and students."

Sarah Hunt / Tłaliłila’ogwa
As an Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Environmental Studies, Sarah Hunt / Tłaliłila’ogwa has gone above and beyond in Indigenous-informed inclusive teaching. As one student noted, Sarah's "holistic teaching style respectfully informs us of Indigenous territory protocols, including respect and appreciation for the privilege of taking classes in First Peoples House....Dr. Hunt is also exceptionally supportive of students with disabilities, going above and beyond to ensure inclusivity."

Loreisa Lepine and Drew Elves
As Sessional Instructors in Environmental Studies, Loreisa and Drew have gone above and beyond in team-teaching and land-based learning. As one student noted, "I felt grateful to have the opportunity to have an Indigenous teacher like Loreisa help me understand the history of the land and first peoples connections to the land, as well as having Drew teaching alongside her with his strong ecology background and clever sense of humour. They are an unstoppable team, and I hope UVIC will take note of the amazing learning experiences they are providing to students. My experience in ER326 is one that will stay with me. I am also amazed by a 'Place of Medicine' and I hope more gardens like this will be created on the campus. Drew and Loreisa are amazing teachers, full stop!"

James Rowe
As an Associate Professor in Environmental Studies, James has gone above and beyond in inclusive teaching. As one student noted, "James Rowe is an exceptional educator who has created an effective, multi-level approach in response to a broad spectrum of learning styles and disabilities. He has a gift for blending academic education with the spiritual. His assignments can be deceptively simple on the surface, but inspire far-reaching questions that require the student to push themselves in research. He practices what he teaches about mindfulness and compassion, while maintaining academic rigor."

We also extend warm congratulations to all of this year’s recipients. For information on how to nominate someone, please visit this page.