Celebrating Excellence: Nipissing University Chancellor's Awards Honour Outstanding Faculty Achievements in Research, Teaching, and Service
Each year, Nipissing University proudly recognizes the exceptional contributions of its faculty through the Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence, presented during convocation celebrations. These prestigious awards honour faculty members who have excelled in research, teaching, and service, reflecting their dedication and impact on the university community.
We invite you to join us in congratulating this year's deserving recipients and celebrating their significant contributions to our academic community.
Chancellors Award for Excellence in Research | Dr. Brenda Bruner
The Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Research was created to acknowledge and honour the significant contributions of Nipissing University faculty to research. The research efforts of faculty members and their students are pivotal to Nipissing University's advancement and its students' education. This year, Dr. Brenda Bruner has been honoured with the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Research.
Dr. Brenda Bruner is a professor in the School of Physical and Health Education. Dr. Bruner joined Nipissing University in 2010 as an Assistant Professor, was promoted to Associate Professor in 2014 and Full Professor in 2019. Dr. Bruner received her PhD in Kinesiology in 2009 from the University of Saskatchewan.
Dr. Bruner’s program of research focuses on community-based health promotion and thus takes a community engagement approach which involves establishing community-university research partnerships to tackle issues of importance to partners. The scope of her research focuses on diverse populations including children and youth, emerging adults and Indigenous peoples. She has been awarded over $4.8 million in external research funding; $850,000 as a principal/co-principal investigator through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and over $4 million as a co-investigator.
Notably, Dr. Bruner was the first faculty member at Nipissing University to receive funding from CIHR as a principal investigator. Her research on the implementation and impact of school travel planning on active transportation to school within the context of a northern environment contributed to environmental and policy changes at the community level through speed limit changes and the erection of community safety zone signs around schools in the community.
Dr. Bruner’s collaborative research with Dr. Mark Bruner and Indigenous students at Nipissing University continues to work on the development and validation of the Wholistic Compass, a measure of Indigenous youth development through sport and physical activity. This research has sought to create a valid, reliable, and culturally relevant method of understanding how sport and physical activity impact the holistic well-being of Indigenous youth, which could be used to advocate for sport and physical activity programming.
She is also co-leading CIHR-funded research with Dr. Barbi Law to improve children’s ability to meet the Canadian 24-hour Movement Guidelines (sleep, sit, step, sweat). Using a collaborative whole-school approach, this research involves working with members of the school community to develop and implement evidence-based, low-cost initiatives to have a meaningful impact on children’s movement behaviours.
Dr. Bruner’s SSHRC-funded research has explored the incentivization of children and youth in sports through food rewards. Findings from this novel research are being used to better understand relationships between parental use of food rewards, child motivation, and a child’s social identity related to their sports team.
Dr. Bruner has mentored over 100 undergraduate and graduate student trainees through community leadership placements, independent studies and as a supervisor for master’s and doctoral graduate students and postdoctoral research fellows. She also contributes her research expertise to appraise research grant proposals for CIHR, SSHRC, the Canada First Research Excellence Fund, Mitacs Accelerate Program, and the Canada Research Chair (CRC) program.
Chancellors Award for Excellence in Service | Dr. Jonathan Muterera
The Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Service was created to honour the outstanding service of faculty members who play a crucial role in the education of Nipissing University students. This year we honored Dr. Jonathan Muterera with the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Service.
Dr. Jonathan Muterera is an Associate Professor in the School of Business at Nipissing University. This prestigious recognition celebrates his significant contributions to the university, his profession, and the broader community. Dr. Muterera accepts this esteemed award with great humility and deep gratitude.
Dr. Muterera holds a PhD from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan, a Master of Accountancy from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Brigham Young University in Laie, Hawaii. His professional credentials include being a Forensic Certified Public Accountant (FCPA), Certified Public Accountant (CPA), and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE). His professional journey reflects over 25 years of ascending roles within the accounting field, marked by significant contributions to top firms such as Deloitte LLP and KPMG LLP. As a Forensic Accounting Consultant, he specializes in fraud investigation, having led over 20 complex cases and contributed to recovering millions of dollars in misappropriated assets. His expertise in this dynamic and rapidly growing field has earned him the 'Excellence in Forensic Accounting' award for his outstanding contributions and mentorship.
His innovative teaching methods reflect his commitment to educational excellence. He has developed significant courses like Data Analytics for Accounting and integrated cutting-edge technologies, such as creating a personal assistant chatbot, to enhance student engagement and learning. His efforts have consistently been recognized by students, alumni, and peers, earning him multiple nominations for the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching at Nipissing University.
Dr. Muterera's role as a researcher is a cornerstone of his academic journey. His extensive multidisciplinary portfolio of peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations, spanning leadership, organizational behaviour, organizational psychology, management, auditing, finance, and accounting, has earned him national and international recognition. His research has been honoured with several awards, including two “Excellence in Research” awards and five Best Paper Awards, further highlighting his intellectual contributions. Dr. Muterera's service on numerous editorial boards of academic journals also contributes to advancing knowledge in his field.
Since his appointment at Nipissing University in 2010, Dr. Muterera has played a transformative role in the School of Business's accounting program. As Program Coordinator, he has been instrumental in CPA Ontario’s (Chartered Professional Accountants) recognition of Nipissing University’s accounting program, enhancing the program's curriculum, and fostering solid relationships with professional bodies. He serves on the Board of Governors at Nipissing University and its ancillary committees, such as the Audit and Finance Committee. He also serves on the University’s Senate and its committees, such as the Senate Research Committee and the Senate Budget Advisory Committee. In addition to the Board and Senate, Dr. Muterera has and continues to serve on numerous other committees at the Faculty of Education and Professional Studies and the School of Business levels.
Dr. Muterera's service extends far beyond the university, making a significant impact on the local and professional communities. His past involvement in local organizations, such as the Invest North Bay Development Corporation and the Canadian International Council (CIC) Nipissing Branch, showcases his commitment to community well-being. His volunteer role as Chief Financial Officer at CANAZIAID Poverty Relief further underscores his dedication to humanitarian efforts, providing strategic leadership and financial oversight to support vulnerable communities. His contributions are a source of pride for our university and the broader community.
Chancellors Award for Excellence in Teaching | Dr. Gyllian Phillips & Anna Pearson
The Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching was created to honour the exceptional teaching contributions of faculty members who play a vital role in educating Nipissing University students. This year, two faculty members were selected to receive the Award. Anna Pearson and Dr. Gyllian Phillips are this year’s co-recipients of the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Dr. Gyllian Phillips (FASBU)
Dr. Gyllian Phillips is a Professor in the Department of English Studies at Nipissing. She has a PhD and MA in English from the University of Western Ontario, and a BA (Honours) in English from the University of British Columbia. Dr. Phillips has been teaching at Nipissing University since 1998. Her principal areas of academic expertise include British Modernism, Caribbean and Southern African writing, and 1930s film.
More recently, she has been teaching and researching in the areas of sports literature, outdoor adventure, and postcolonial ecocriticism. Some of the land-focused courses that Dr. Phillips teaches include a second-year film course called “Outdoor Adventure On Screen,” a third-year course about eco-anxiety incorporating experiential learning called “Reading Green” (with help from the Heritage Gardeners of North Bay), and a fourth-year seminar called “Into the Wild.”
A particular passion for her is learning from and teaching on the land; she is deeply indebted to Elder and Knowledge Keeper Larry McLeod Shabogesic from Nipissing First Nation, for generously sharing his knowledge about teaching, land, and spirituality.
They have co-developed and taught a unique first-year course, held outdoors, called “Literature on the Land” combining Anishinaabe land teachings and the study of literature written by Anishinaabe authors. Their pedagogical practice, which Larry draws from many years of experience in diverse educational settings, foregrounds relationships with people, places, and traditional knowledge. Over the years, he has worked with teachers who are stuck in a confined world of information, and he enjoys seeing “the teachers of others sparkle as they become aware of their own gifts.” Dr. Phillips considers Larry to be her teacher, and with his guidance continues to grow as a teacher herself.
Dr. Phillips lives with her family in North Bay and is mindful and appreciative that this beautiful land is the territory of the Nibiising Anishinaabeg and covered by the Robinson Huron treaty of 1850. She is grateful for the rich variety of relationships she has developed here over the years, and especially for the many wonderful students who have chosen Nipissing as their place to shine.
Anna Pearson (CASBU)
Anna Pearson is deeply committed to interdisciplinary learning, research, and teacher education. She is completing her PhD in Education with a specialization in Language, Culture, and Teaching at York University. Her research is centred on experiential learning and postsecondary history education, focusing on developing pedagogy for engaging with sites of conflict, trauma and commemoration. Anna holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) in History and French, a Bachelor of Education, and a Master of Education with an emphasis on Educational Leadership from Nipissing University. Additionally, she completed a graduate diploma specializing in postsecondary education at York University.
Anna has strong roots in Northern Ontario. In 2012, she joined the Near North School Board and taught at Sunset Park Public School as a French Immersion teacher for over eight years.
Anna teaches across disciplines in both French and English. As a Franco-Ontarian, she champions language acquisition, enriching her students' experiences through diverse pedagogical approaches including music, film, immersive activities, and guest speakers from the Francophone world.
In all her teaching, Anna emphasizes the importance of linking the past to the present and provides her students with opportunities to make meaningful connections that empower them to identify as global citizens. Committed to fostering an inclusive learning environment, she stresses the value of empathy whether inside or outside the classroom. Anna is deeply involved with the Ontario Ministry of Education’s development of the Holocaust Education and Countering Antisemitism curriculum. As a critical reader and consultant for these initiatives, she is committed to promoting historical understanding and social justice within educational frameworks.
In 2019, Anna returned to Nipissing as a Professional Associate at the Centre for the Study of State Violence, collaborating with scholars to provide professional development opportunities for pre-service and in-service teachers. In 2021, she joined the Schulich School of Education as a CASBU instructor, teaching Social Studies for the Primary, Junior and Intermediate Divisions. In this role, she is dedicated to nurturing engaged and socially conscious educators. Anna emphasizes the importance of instilling a love of history and social studies in her teacher candidates, encouraging them to become active and engaged citizens who critically examine the world around them.
Anna is committed to lifelong learning. She has participated in numerous professional development opportunities, including the Cleghorn War and Memory Study tour, the Canadian Society for Yad Vashem Holocaust Educators Scholarship Program and the Summer Institute on the Holocaust and Jewish Civilization at Northwestern University.
In recognition of her commitment to fostering inclusive and informed educational practices, Anna has received numerous awards and fellowships including the Prime Minister’s Award of Teaching Excellence and the Canadian Society for Yad Vashem’s Outstanding Educator award.
Anna is grateful to live with her partner Stephen and sons Hunter and James on Nishnaabeg lands stewarded by Nbisiing Nishnaabeg and protected by the Robinson Huron Treaty of 1850.