Honours bestowed on two faculty members at Fort Garry convocation ceremonies
At this week’s convocation ceremonies on the Fort Garry campus, two U of M faculty members will be recognized for their outstanding contributions to research and teaching: Dr. Rick Linden will have the title of Distinguished Professor conferred upon him, and Professor Aaran Caza will receive the Olive Beatrice Stanton Award for Excellence in Teaching.
At last week’s Rady Faculty of Health Sciences’ convocation ceremonies, two U of M faculty members were similarly recognized: Dr. James Davie was named Distinguished Professor, and Professor Laura MacDonald received the Dr. and Mrs. H. H. Saunderson Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Eric (Rick) Linden
B.A. (Alberta), M.A. (Alberta), Ph.D. (Washington)
Distinguished Professor Rick Linden
Dr. Rick Linden’s research has made our communities safer. Over the past five decades, he has devoted himself to reducing crime in our society by focusing his research on criminal theory, sexual assault, prison education, Indigenous justice issues, and policing strategies.
Dr. Linden received his PhD in sociology from the University of Washington in 1974 and shortly thereafter joined the University of Manitoba’s department of sociology, attaining the rank of professor in 1987. Over the course of his career, he has held in excess of $2.5 million in research funds, has authored two best-selling criminology textbooks, numerous government reports, and several monographs and peer-reviewed publications.
A specific focus of his research has been the reduction of auto theft. As chair of the Manitoba Auto Theft Task Force, Dr. Linden led the development of a research-based plan that resulted in an eighty per cent decline of auto theft rates in Winnipeg. He is called upon internationally for his expertise and has recently collaborated with agencies to reduce auto crime throughout Latin America.
As a former chair of the Manitoba Police Commission, he is highly respected by law enforcement officials across Canada and is currently studying how provincial investigation units across the country respond to police shootings. He has also worked with police departments to find better ways to reduce property crime rates.
Dr. Linden has also successfully served the University of Manitoba through various academic and administrative appointments, including a term as acting head of the department of sociology; as a senior research fellow in the Centre for Defense and Security Studies; and as associate dean (research) in both the Faculty of Arts, and the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
Dr. Linden’s outstanding contributions to Canadian society have been recognized by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, which presented him with the Quality Policing Award in 2010. In 2013 he received both the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal, and the Nelson Education Excellence Award.
Arran Caza
B.S.Sc. (Ottawa), M.A. (Michigan); Ph.D. (Michigan)
Professor Arran Caza
Dr. Arran Caza has improved learning for thousands of students at the University of Manitoba through his innovative lectures and dedication to ensuring each student has the resources to succeed.
He earned his undergraduate degree in economics and political science from the University of Ottawa in 1994, before completing his master’s in psychology at the University of Michigan in 2004. He then earned his PhD in management and organization from the University of Michigan in 2007.
Dr. Caza taught at the University of Illinois, Wake Forest University, and the Griffith Business School before joining the Asper School of Business in 2015. He consistently receives exceptional evaluations from his students and, in 2017, the Associates of the Asper School of Business recognized his teaching excellence with their Achievement Award for Teaching.
In addition to recognition by students and members of the business community, he demonstrates his commitment to teaching and learning by mentoring new faculty, serving as an academic integrity adjudicator, and advising the President’s Student Leadership Program committee.
His teaching philosophy is based on four principles. First, demand high performance but provide constant feedback to enable success. Second, foster opportunities for peer learning. Third, make students responsible for their own learning and empower them to have control over it. Fourth, teach using methods that have evidence supporting their effectiveness.
The University of Manitoba is proud to honour Dr. Arran Caza with the Olive Beatrice Stanton Award for Excellence in Teaching.