Nipissing University is proud to honour four exceptional faculty members whose work exemplifies academic excellence, leadership, and deep commitment to student success. Presented annually during convocation, the Chancellor's Awards for Excellence highlight outstanding contributions in research, teaching, and service that help shape the university experience and strengthen our campus community.
Please join us in celebrating the 2025 recipients of the Chancellor's Awards.
Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Research | Dr. Kirsten Greer
Dr. Kirsten Greer is a globally respected historical geographer whose scholarship exemplifies community-driven research and interdisciplinary collaboration. An Associate Professor in the Departments of Geography and History at Nipissing University and a member of the Master of Environmental Studies/Environmental Sciences program, Dr. Greer has held the Canada Research Chair in Global Environmental Histories and Geographies since 2015.
Greer earned her BA in Geography from McGill University, MA in Geography from Wilfrid Laurier University/University of Waterloo, and PhD in Geography from Queen's University. Before joining Nipissing in 2013, she completed a prestigious Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) postdoctoral fellowship in History at the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom.
Her Canada Research Chair program is rooted in reparative environmental histories, work that is integrative, interdisciplinary, and grounded in meaningful relationships with communities. At the heart of her research is collaboration with Dokis First Nation and Nipissing First Nation on projects including Bringing Our Ancestors Home: The Robinson-Huron Treaty / Chicago Field Museum Repatriation Project, the Lake Nipissing Beading Project, and the Nbisiing Guides of the Carnegie Museum Project. Through these initiatives, Greer actively supports knowledge repatriation, community empowerment, and historical justice.
An expert in historical military geographies, Greer is the author of Red Coats and Wild Birds: How Military Ornithologists and Migrant Birds Shaped Empire (UNC Press, 2020), which explores the entangled histories of empire, ecology, and scientific knowledge.
She has secured more than $1.8 million in funding through the Canada Research Chair program, Canada Foundation for Innovation, and SSHRC programs. These resources have been widely shared across institutional and community partners, including Nipissing University, Dokis First Nation, Nipissing First Nation, the North Bay Museum, and an expansive network of national and international collaborators.
A trailblazer in interdisciplinary research, Greer's work bridges the humanities and geophysical sciences, collaborating with experts in fields such as dendrochronology, hydrology, climatology, glaciology, ornithology, biogeochemistry, and beyond. Her leadership continues to expand the scope of environmental research and to deepen our understanding of the relationships between people, places, and planetary change.
Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching (FASBU) | Dr. Susan Srigley
Dr. Susan Srigley is a Professor of Religions and Cultures who has been teaching at Nipissing University for 20 years. She previously received the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2008 and is once again being recognized for her dedication to pedagogy and her enduring impact on students.
In addition to teaching courses in religious studies, Dr. Srigley has developed innovative offerings in death studies and palliative care. These interdisciplinary courses attract students from both the humanities and professional programs such as Nursing and Social Work. Her teaching explores subjects like death, dying, and spirituality, as well as the social justice dimensions of end-of-life care.
Dr. Srigley is committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and compassionate classroom environment, particularly when addressing sensitive topics. Her students often remark on how her openness and enthusiasm allow them to engage deeply with their own perceptions of death. By encouraging thoughtful discussion, she helps students cultivate greater death awareness, which they carry forward into their personal lives and professional practices.
She has shared her pedagogical approach internationally, including at the Contemplative Care Symposium at the Garrison Institute in New York, and she has co-presented with her students at Lifting the Lid, an international online death festival. Dr. Srigley has also contributed to several podcasts and recently authored an article on cultivating death awareness in the university classroom.
Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching (CABSU) | Dr. Tiffany Roberts
Dr. Tiffany Roberts is a passionate educator, dedicated mentor, and lifelong learner. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and History (Honors) from Trent University, a Bachelor of Education from Queen's University, a Master of Education and PhD in Education from Nipissing University and is currently completing a Master of Arts in Social Justice at Lakehead University. She has also completed numerous additional qualifications in education and a certificate in Creative Writing from the University of Toronto.
Dr. Roberts has worked in education for nearly three decades. After teaching secondary school for ten years, she became a curriculum coordinator at the Rainbow District School Board in Sudbury, a role she has held for the past 18 years. In this capacity, she collaborates with educators to support curriculum design, assessment, and professional learning across multiple subject areas.
While completing her doctoral studies at Nipissing, Dr. Roberts served on the Board of Trustees for the Nipissing University Consortium for the Study of Leadership and Ethics in Education (NUCSLE) and regularly presented her research at international conferences hosted by the affiliated Consortium for the Study of Leadership and Ethics in Education (CSLEE). Her dissertation, supervised by the late Dr. Heather Rintoul, received the Paul T. Begley International Award for Graduate Student Research. She now serves as a board member and awards committee chair for CSLEE and is co-editor of the Journal of Authentic Leadership in Education (JALE).
Since joining Nipissing University as a part-time instructor in 2021, Dr. Roberts has brought her expertise, energy, and compassion to the Schulich School of Education. Her students consistently highlight her commitment to authentic, student-centred teaching and her ability to model effective relationship-building, lesson design, and assessment practices. She considers it a privilege to help shape the next generation of educators.
Dr. Roberts is honoured to receive the 2025 Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching (CASBU) and dedicates this recognition to her students. She also extends heartfelt thanks to her family for their unwavering support of her personal and professional journey.
Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Service | Dr. Siva Prasad Ravi
Dr. Siva Prasad Ravi is a Professor in the School of Business and served as its Director from 2016 to 2024. With 24 years of international teaching experience across Canada, China, Fiji, and India, Dr. Ravi has authored 134 academic publications and is the recipient of multiple institutional awards for excellence in teaching, research, and service.
Since joining Nipissing University in 2016, Dr. Ravi has led numerous transformative initiatives. He developed and implemented the successful Post-Baccalaureate in Business program, which became a model for other academic units. Under his leadership, the School of Business revised its flagship BBA and BComm programs, expanded international recruitment efforts, and established partnerships with 10 Indian universities, significantly increasing international student enrollment.
Dr. Ravi championed experiential learning across the university's offerings. He launched a Co-op Program that has placed over 40 students in paid roles and helped Nipissing achieve accreditation through Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning (CEWIL) Canada in record time. He also led the School through its IQAP self-study, the first such review completed at Nipissing since 2008.
At the institutional level, Dr. Ravi has served on the Senate and several key committees, including the Academic Quality Assurance and Planning Committee and the Research Ethics Board. He has contributed to numerous hiring processes and supervised more than 70 student-led research and experiential learning projects. His mentorship, open-door approach, and active support for the Nipissing University Business Community (NUBC) have had a lasting impact on student success.
Beyond the university, Dr. Ravi has cultivated partnerships with over 20 local businesses, secured recurring annual donations, allowing the University to earn accreditations from key professional associations. He also led the establishment of the Executive in Residence program, which welcomed Redpath CEO Dr. George Flumerfelt as its first appointee.
Internationally, Dr. Ravi serves on editorial and advisory boards, reviews doctoral theses, and has delivered keynote addresses at more than 15 global conferences. In 2024, he was recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Global Knowledge Foundation for his contributions to the academic profession.
Congratulations to this year's recipients for their dedication, innovation, and lasting impact on the Nipissing University community.
