Psychology professor Daniel Smilek wins Distinguished Teacher’s Award
| July 10, 2026
Daniel Smilek, a psychology professor, was one of four recipients of the Distinguished Teacher’s Award in May.
Smilek specializes in cognitive science, with a research background in cognition. He describes winning the award as very humbling, rewarding and motivating for that work to be recognized, knowing that students are paying better attention.
“I want to be the kind of teacher that I would have liked when I was an undergraduate student,” he said.
When asked for advice for those hoping to get into academia, Smilek encourages prospective academics to attend all their classes to find good and bad examples of teaching and develop presentation skills – which can influence their own style someday.
This philosophy was something Smilek developed throughout his undergraduate at McMaster, where he developed an interest in psychology from natural sciences. “My overarching goal in my teaching is for students to be able to learn optimally and mature as individuals.”
He currently teaches a second-year physiological psychology course (PSYCH 261). Emily Hu, an incoming fourth-year psychology student enrolled in the class, discussed how Smilek impacted her undergraduate education. She said if students have the opportunity to take a course with Smilek, they should, as it was an enjoyable experience.
When asked about how she would describe his teaching style, Hu said, “[He is] very captivating, and he’s very passionate about his work. He always shares real life examples. He’ll always share… other articles outside of the class that are [related] to the content just because he finds it really fascinating.”
Hu described how Smilek was one of the reasons for her to switch her program from global business and digital arts to psychology, and her growing interest in neuroscience due to the course. “Seeing him very passionate about the content… influenced my own passions[,] and I found myself… seeking more opportunities related to that field.”
The award has been recognized since 1975 by the UW Senate as a way to award exemplary teachers and instructors. Each year, the Distinguished Teaching Award Committee reviews the nominations put forth based on the criteria of educational impact beyond the classroom, inclusive teaching and support, lasting impact on students and colleagues, and gaining interest in the course.
Imprint reached out to the Centre for Teaching Excellence for disclosure of nominations. The nominations are confidential and cannot be disclosed by the Centre for Teaching Excellence.
