\u201cAs a chemist, I spend much of my life thinking about transformation.\u201d<\/p>\n
The idea of growth \u2014 and the power of perseverance \u2014 was central to Assistant Professor of Chemistry Divya Kaur Matta\u2019s message as she addressed Brock\u2019s newest graduates on Thursday, June 11 during the University\u2019s 119th\u00a0 Convocation.<\/p>\n
The Faculty of Mathematics and Science 2026 Excellence in Teaching Award drew on lessons from the process of photosynthesis, and her own experiences moving from India to the U.S. and Canada, to remind graduates of the ways challenges can be catalysts for positive change.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust as light becomes energy, may you take what life gives you \u2014 even the uncertainty, even the pressure, even the unexpected \u2014 and transform it into something generous, something courageous, something life-giving,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Matta also reminded graduates that success, and transformation, become meaningful when people use what they have to make a difference in the world around them.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe real power of education is not only what it allows you to become, it is what it allows you to make possible for others,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
That philosophy is woven into Matta\u2019s own teaching philosophy.<\/p>\n
She is determined to help students, particularly those in their first year, overcome any apprehensions they may feel about studying chemistry.<\/p>\n
\u201cTeaching is not only about transferring knowledge,\u201d Matta said. \u201cIt\u2019s about changing what students believe is possible for themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rather than focusing on formulas and calculations, she aims to help students understand why concepts matter and how they connect to the world around them.<\/p>\n
\u201cChemistry shouldn\u2019t feel like only equations,\u201d Matta said, \u201cIt should feel like a language of curiosity. What\u2019s going on in the universe? What\u2019s going on beneath the surface? Then you discover the patterns.\u201d<\/p>\n
Matta\u2019s teaching philosophy has evolved through her own sense of curiosity.<\/p>\n
Building on student feedback, which revealed many struggled to visualize concepts and felt overwhelmed by mathematical components of first-year chemistry, she has re-examined her approach and pursued professional development in pedagogy.<\/p>\n
Now, Matta uses active-learning strategies to make complex ideas accessible, incorporating videos, visual representations and polling activities into lessons. Before introducing information, she takes the time to engage students in discussion about why the lecture material is relevant.<\/p>\n
Her goal is not to make chemistry easy, however, but to make difficult chemistry feel approachable, meaningful and connected to the processes students are trying to understand.<\/p>\n
Building trust is another cornerstone of the classroom experience, Matta said, especially as first-year students are often navigating one of the most vulnerable stages of their academic journeys.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf students don\u2019t feel welcomed, they will struggle throughout the course,\u201d she said. \u201cWhen you become their guide and mentor, you build trust.\u201d<\/p>\n
She strives to build that trust through regular interaction, opportunities for participation and one-on-one conversations during class. Over time, students feel more comfortable asking questions, sharing ideas, engaging with course material and making mistakes.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce students begin to feel interested; they become more curious and less intimidated,\u201d Matta said. \u201cThey start to believe that they can understand challenging concepts.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Matta, teaching extends beyond helping students master course content. It is about helping them develop confidence, problem-solving skills and a belief in their own potential.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen students leave the class, they should have built their confidence, courage and curiosity,\u201d Matta said. \u201cThey should have the confidence to go into any lecture or course and continue building from there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Receiving the award is meaningful, Matta said, because it recognizes a style of teaching centred on connection, inclusion and student growth.<\/p>\n
\u201cTheir success feels like your success,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The Excellence in Teaching Award is among several faculty honours being celebrated during Brock\u2019s 119th Convocation, which takes place Tuesday, June 9 to Friday, June 12. Also being recognized is Professor of Biological Sciences Liette\u00a0Vasseur, who has been awarded the title of Distinguished Professor.<\/p>\n
The University\u2019s highest honorary academic designation, the lifetime appointment recognizes full professors who have demonstrated exceptional research, scholarship or creative activity within their discipline.<\/p>\n
Vasseur serves as the UNESCO Chair in Community Sustainability: From Local to Global, a Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute Fellow and a faculty affiliate with the Brock Environmental Sustainability Research Centre.<\/p>\n
From Tuesday, June 9 to Friday, June 12, about 3,000 graduands from seven Faculties will receive their degrees as part of Brock\u2019s 119th Convocation. All ceremonies take place in the Ian D. Beddis Gymnasium of the University\u2019s Walker Sports Complex and will be livestreamed online at brocku.ca\/livestream<\/a><\/p>\n For more information and the full schedule of Brock\u2019s Spring Convocation, visit brocku.ca\/convocation<\/a><\/p>\n A full collection of Convocation photos by ceremony will be available on\u00a0Brock University\u2019s official Flickr galleries<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\t