Laura Williams Email and Phone Number

Higher education is a collaborative effort between instructor and student. I believe that instructor responsibilities to students are described in two broad categories: to engage students critically and creatively with the fundamental principles demanded of their discipline, and to inspire students to take initiative and ownership for their own learning. I attained my PhD in Kinesiology at the University of Waterloo with a focus on the relationship between brain and behaviour. I took initiative to build a knowledge base in pedagogical practices while pursuing academic excellence in the discipline of kinesiology as my motivation for pursuing my PhD was to position myself to teach as a subject matter expert in the field while also being able to contribute to the design and development of teaching and learning within higher education. My career objective is to attain a full-time position at a tertiary educational institution to become a leading force in developing and implementing undergraduate and graduate instruction and to contribute to pedagogical development. My MSc. and PhD have both been in the neuroscience stream of Kinesiology graduate studies at the University of Waterloo, with a focus on the relationships between brain and behaviour. My doctoral thesis examined the relationship between exercise and brain health. Highlights & Skillsets:- 10+ years leading development, design, delivery, and evaluation of courses- Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to liaise effectively with people from diverse backgrounds, campus departments, and academic support units- Supervision and mentorship of instructors, administrators, and students as expressed within the strategic priorities of the institution and faculty- Designed and disseminated original research at national and international conferences, for a range of technical and general audiences- 5 educational and instructional development certificates for university teaching- Average course evaluation score for teaching = 4.53/5