Prof. Ted Banning Wins Outstanding Teaching Award

Prof. Ted Banning teaching students in a lab course. Photo © Kai-Lii Veer

Professor Ted Banning was one of this year's recipients of the Faculty of Arts and Science Outstanding Teaching Awards. Established in 1993, the awards highlight the value the Faculty places on excellence in teaching. Recipients are selected based on nominations by peers and students.

Prof. Banning's career embodies many of the ideals of U of T – he has integrated students into his research and provided them with innovative and rigorous instruction.

To name just two of his major achievements: he developed the Archaeological Laboratory course (ARC 312) which is a cornerstone of the archeology curriculum and established a field methods course (ARC 306) taught on campus during the summer term. Prof. Banning also has a consistent record of including students at all levels in his laboratory and field research and was the driving force behind the establishment of the interdisciplinary undergraduate program in archeology, an initiative which showed true vision as it anticipated the emerging focus on facilitating interdisciplinary study.

Much of U of T’s strength in archaeology today is due to Prof. Banning's leadership. He's made – and continues to make – an enduring impression on generations of students. His capacity to actively influence future research leaders is perhaps the best testament to his capacity as an instructor.

The Department is very pleased that Prof. Banning has been recognized with this award, and welcome the  announcement that his appointment as Chair of the Department of Anthropology has been approved. He will serve a five-year term as Chair over six years, effective July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2018.

To read about the other recipients of this year's Outstanding Teaching Awards, which includes Anthropology Cross-Appointment Dr. Alison Gibbs from the Department of Statistics, please see http://www.artsci.utoronto.ca/main/newsitems/winners-outstanding-teaching-awards