UBC Sauder announces winners of Research and Teaching Awards for 2025/2026

The UBC Sauder School of Business has recognized six faculty members for their outstanding achievements and efforts in teaching and research for the 2025/2026 academic year.

Killam Teaching Award for excellence in undergraduate teaching

Xin Zheng is the recipient of the UBC Killam Teaching Award for excellence in undergraduate teaching. Xin demonstrates excellence in undergraduate teaching through his engaging, innovative, and student-centered approach to financial accounting. Known for transforming complex material into accessible and compelling learning experiences, he combines clear explanations with creative multimedia resources and real-world examples. He thoughtfully adapts his courses to meet the needs of diverse student audiences, tailoring learning goals and materials for both business and economics students. His “high-touch” teaching philosophy fosters strong classroom communities and meaningful connections with students, both inside and outside the classroom. Consistently receiving outstanding teaching evaluations in large introductory courses, Xin exemplifies sustained excellence in undergraduate education.

The Arne Olsen Teaching Prize for part-time instructors

Rui Basto da Silva is the recipient of The Arne Olsen Teaching Prize for part-time instructors. He is recognized for his sustained excellence in teaching across a wide range of undergraduate and graduate courses, his engaging use of case-based learning to develop students’ critical thinking, and his deep commitment to student success. Over more than a decade at UBC Sauder, Rui has taught thousands of students, created and published impactful teaching cases, and mentored students in competitions and career development. His passion for teaching, real-world approach to marketing education, and extensive contributions to the student community exemplify the spirit of this award.

CPA Teaching Award for excellence in graduate teaching

Julia Yan is the recipient of The CPA Teaching Award for excellence in graduate teaching. She is recognized for her outstanding ability to make complex statistical concepts accessible and engaging for diverse graduate student audiences, using intuitive, real-world examples and a problem-driven teaching approach. By connecting statistical theory to practical business applications and encouraging critical thinking through both successful and failed real-world cases, she fosters deep understanding and confidence among her students. Her consistently excellent teaching evaluations and strong commitment to student learning and mentorship reflect a sustained record of excellence in graduate education.

Talking Stick Award

Darrell Kopke is the recipient of the UBC Sauder Alumni Talking Stick Award. He is recognized for his outstanding pedagogical innovation in venture capital education, creating a transformative experiential learning environment where students actively engage in real-world investment decision-making. By integrating academic rigor with hands-on practice, including deploying real capital, conducting due diligence, and presenting to industry professionals, he enables students to develop practical skills and professional confidence. His courses have had a significant impact on student learning, career development, and the broader entrepreneurship ecosystem, exemplifying innovation in teaching and learning.

Research Excellence Award, Junior Category (For candidates at most 10 years post-Ph.D.).

Ken Kikkawa is the recipient of the UBC Sauder School of Business Research Excellence Award in the Junior category. He is recognized for his outstanding contributions to international economics, advancing understanding of trade, market power, and global production networks through innovative theoretical and empirical research. Since earning his Ph.D., he has built an exceptional publication record in top-tier journals and developed influential work on firm-to-firm trade and two-sided market power. His research impact, strong funding record, and growing international reputation mark him as a leading scholar in his field.

Research Excellence Award, Senior Category (For candidates more than 10 years post-Ph.D.)

David Hardisty is the recipient of the UBC Sauder School of Business Research Excellence Awards in the Senior category. He is recognized for his influential and wide-ranging contributions to marketing and behavioural science, particularly in consumer decision-making, financial behavior, and sustainability. His extensive body of work, published in leading journals and widely cited, has advanced understanding of how individuals make decisions over time and in complex real-world contexts. Through impactful research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and thought leadership, he has established an international reputation for excellence and continues to shape both academic scholarship and practice.

We would also like to recognize those who were nominated but did not win this year. We are fortunate to have exceptional faculty, and hence we had numerous strong nominations. We are grateful to the nominators who wrote letters of support—thank you for taking the time to honour your colleagues’ accomplishments. Finally, a huge thank you to the members of the APAC Committee for their work soliciting and reviewing nominations: Hasan Cavusoglu (Chair), Karl Aquino, Mary Chong, Tom Davidoff, Kai Li, Steven Minns, Rebecca Paluch, Joe Paat and Rajesh Vijayaraghavan.