From left to right: Associate Professor Dr. Gabrielle Lee, Associate Professor & Associate Dean (Research) Dr. Nicole Neil, and Assistant Professor Dr. Albert Malkin.
Faculty and students earn ONTABA awards
Members of Western University’s Faculty of Education have once again been awarded by the Ontario Association for Behaviour Analysis (ONTABA).
During ONTABA’s annual conference, four awards were handed out to faculty and students, the most in a single year for Western Education.
The conference, which took place this year on Nov. 7 and Nov. 8, offered attendees a variety of keynote speakers, poster presentations and networking opportunities.
The event aligns with ONTABA’s vision of fostering a culture of excellence, integrity, and expertise for the advancement and promotion of the science of behaviour analysis.
MA students Yahui Liu (middle) and Tianyue Ma (right) share their research during a poster presentation at ONTABA Conference 2024.
Just last year, Associate Dean (Research) and Associate Professor Dr. Nicole Neil was awarded the ONTABA Research Award, after having won the ONTABA Teaching Award in 2018.
The awards come at an exciting time for Western Education, with the Faculty having launched a Doctor of Education in Applied Behaviour Analysis earlier this year.
Scroll down to see our latest ONTABA winners and read what they have to say.
Dr. Gabrielle Lee (right) receives her award from ONTABA President-Elect Dr. Jessica Cauchi / Photo credit: ONTABA
Dr. Gabrielle Lee, Associate Professor — ONTABA Research Award
"I am truly honored to receive this award. This accomplishment would not be possible without the incredible support of my colleagues, mentors, collaborators, and students, whose insights and encouragement have profoundly shaped my work. The recognition from ONTABA further reinforces my commitment to exploring new ideas and contributing to our vibrant ABA research community,” Lee said.
“Finally, and most importantly, I am grateful to my family — my husband and our five children — whose love and support have made this possible.”
Dr. Albert Malkin receives his award from ONTABA President-Elect Dr. Jessica Cauchi / Photo credit: ONTABA
Dr. Albert Malkin, Assistant Professor — ONTABA Teaching Award
“I am deeply honoured to receive ONTABA's Teaching Award. I can trace all of my major career highlights and achievements back to opportunities made possible by the ONTABA community, and this award is yet another highlight,” said Malkin.
“I truly owe an immense debt of gratitude to our community, my colleagues and students at Western University, and most importantly, my family, whose unwavering support has made this journey possible.”
Lina Hawi (middle) receives the Ontario Behaviourists for Social Responsibility Award / Photo Credit: ONTABA
Lina Hawi, PhD student — Ontario Behaviourists for Social Responsibility Award
"Receiving the Ontario Behaviourists for Social Responsibility Award is an incredible honor, and I want to extend my sincere gratitude to my research supervisor Dr. Nicole Neil for her mentorship and guidance, to my faculty professors for shaping my knowledge and skills, and to my lab mates whose contributions were instrumental in bringing this work to life,” said Hawi.
“Earning this award means, as a researcher, I have greater responsibility to disseminate evidence-based practices to support children with autism. Finally, I would also like to thank ONTABA for giving me this opportunity to highlight the importance of equitable access to autism services.”
Arezu Alami, EdD student — ONTABA Student Award
“Working and studying full time is no joke! This award validates a lot of my hard work, and I appreciate it tremendously—I’m very thankful to the ONTABA Board for the recognition and scholarship in support of my education,” said Alami.
Alami previously won the ONTABA Teaching Award in 2022, followed by the ONTABA DEI Award in 2023. She is one of only two people to have received three awards from ONTABA.
“This is the first year of Ontario doctoral programs in ABA, and all of us students are in a really unique position as the first cohorts. I couldn’t ask for a more collaborative, engaging, and supportive cohort at Western to complete this journey with — I am constantly inspired by the insights and commitment they bring to our field,” Alami added.
“I’m also so grateful to all staff and professors for their dedication and ongoing support — I feel so lucky to learn from such great minds at Western.”
