Fearless Innovator Awards: Celebrating Boldness and Creativity

Have you ever taken a leap into the unknown in your role at the university? Whether you're an instructor, student, or staff, we know that innovation in teaching and learning comes with risks, and not every innovation hits the bullseye. Enter the Fearless Innovator Award—our way of celebrating those bold innovators and the invaluable lessons that come through our failures.

In alignment with the University of Alberta’s A Culture of Care, this award embraces psychological safety by celebrating the creative risks and inevitable missteps on our path to innovation. By acknowledging and learning from our failures, we foster a supportive environment where everyone is encouraged to develop a growth mindset, ensuring that every member of our community feels safe to explore and express new ideas. This award embraces the SEAP principles of exploration is essential and challenge accepted! This award further aims to support the SHAPE initiative to foster a culture rich in creativity and steadfast in the pursuit of continuous improvement.

Fearless Innovator Award

Eligibility

Open to all current University of Alberta community members—instructors, staff, and students. This award invites individuals who have undertaken a bold initiative or project to enhance teaching and learning to share their experiences. Efforts can span innovations in administration, student services, community engagement, and other areas integral to university life.

Each category of the university community has its own Fearless Innovator award to recognize their unique contributions: one for instructors, one for staff, one for graduate students, and one for undergraduate students.