Four extraordinary faculty members are the 2025 recipients of the President’s Awards for Outstanding Contributions to Teaching and Learning. The awards are the highest distinction for teaching excellence a faculty member can receive at McMaster. 

“This year’s recipients exemplify the spirit of innovation, creativity and dedication to student success that has long fueled McMaster’s global reputation for teaching excellence,” says McMaster President David Farrar. “I thank each of these outstanding faculty members for their deep commitment to student learning and for elevating teaching excellence at McMaster.” 

Award recipients are nominated by peers, campus leaders or partners within the campus community, and nominations are evaluated by a selection committee appointed by the president. The accomplishments of the award recipients are highlighted during convocation celebrations. 

Meet this year’s recipients through excerpts from their citations:  

Selina Mudavanhu, Associate Professor in Communication Studies and Media Arts 

Mudavanhu’s courses take students on a transformative journey, providing them with the skills and confidence to make intellectual contributions to a more just, diverse, equitable and inclusive world. Her peers describe her as an important mentor and trailblazer, who invests significant time in supporting emerging educators. Students laud her dedication to their success and growth both within the classroom and in non-academic settings. Mudavanhu is a thought leader in decolonial teaching and learning at McMaster and in international intellectual communities. She is an outstanding educator who has made a significant impact on students, the university and in the international academic community. 

Seshasai Srinivasan, Associate Professor in the W. Booth School of Engineering Practice and Technology 

Srinivasan is an exceptional scholar who excels in teaching, research and educational leadership, providing a transformational learning experience for his students. In the classroom, he sees himself as a facilitator, providing an active learning environment that enables students to become capable human-centric leaders to advance society. Srinivasan is himself a lifelong learner, honing his approaches to teaching through frequent feedback loops with students and peers. As students explain, Srinivasan’s passion for teaching and mentorship, coupled with his unparallelled commitment to fostering a stimulating and supportive learning environment have had a lasting impact on their academic and professional journeys.  

Shelir Ebrahimi, Assistant Professor in Chemical Engineering and the Experiential Learning Office 

 From a young age, Ebrahimi knew she wanted to make a meaningful contribution to shaping a better world by educating the next generation of engineers and leaders. Ebrahimi goes beyond, developing students’ technical skills to nurture the whole engineer and shaping creative thinkers who approach problems with ethical reasoning and an understanding of their societal impact. Ebrahimi empowers students to take ownership of their learning and to build resilience through iterative growth. She fosters inclusive, accessible environments where diverse perspectives can thrive. Students describe her as a “pivotal mentor” whose commitment to authentic experiential learning opportunities, even in the largest first-year Engineering course, demonstrates her commitment to teaching excellence.  

Jasdeep Dhir, Assistant Professor in the School of Rehabilitation Science 

Dhir exemplifies the qualities of an exceptional educator, mentor, and leader. Her teaching philosophy centers on fostering inclusive learning spaces, promoting critical thinking and clinical reasoning, encouraging self-directed education, and providing experiential learning opportunities. One former student describes Dhir as “a tireless advocate for students, a compassionate mentor and an educator who consistently goes above and beyond to ensure her students’ success.” Dhir’s work to foreground equity, diversity, inclusion and Indigenous reconciliation in healthcare is transforming learning environments at McMaster and the broader educational landscape, contributing to a culture of excellence in education that resonates at local and national levels.