By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
Dr. Heather Lawford, a distinguished professor in Bishop’s University’s (BU) Department of Psychology, has been honored as one of this year’s ten 3M National Teaching Fellows, signifying her position among the most impactful educators in higher education.
Her outstanding contributions have been acknowledged through prestigious teaching awards, and she is recognized as a Canada Research Chair and a leading authority on generativity, a field that explores how and why people create legacies to benefit others.
Lawford has been part of BU since 2012, where she has fostered a culture of curiosity around teaching and research. She values collaboration with her students and has actively engaged with diverse communities across Canada. She is committed to helping other faculty and administrators incorporate student perspectives into decision-making.
In 2021, Lawford earned the William and Nancy Turner Teaching Award, the highest teaching recognition at BU, according to a May 6 press release. Her exceptional work has also been recognized by the Robert Gordon Educational Leadership Fund and the Student Representative Council Social Sciences Division Teaching Award. She is actively involved with the Students Commission of Canada, a non-profit that amplifies youth voices and supports their legacy projects.
Lawford holds a Canada Research Chair in Youth Development and has secured over $8 million in research funding from Tri-Council, Public Safety Canada, UNICEF, and other organizations. Much of this funding has supported her mission of compensating students and youth for their valuable contributions.
Her forthcoming book, “Unlocking Superhero Powers: Metaphors and Mentorship in the Marvel Cinematic Universe”, co-authored with BU’s Dr. Jessica Riddell, aims to inspire readers to harness generative qualities for a more equitable and just world.
Riddell, a 3M National Teaching Fellow (2015) and Jarislowsky Chair of Undergraduate Excellence at BU, nominated Lawford for this fellowship. She has praised Dr. Lawford’s teaching style.
