Celebrating Faculty Achievement: 2026 Chancellor’s Awards Honour Excellence Across Nipissing University
Each year, Nipissing University recognizes faculty members whose dedication, innovation, and impact help shape the student experience and advance the institution’s mission. Presented during convocation, the Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence celebrate outstanding achievements in teaching, research, and service, honouring those who go above and beyond in their contributions to the university community.
Please join us in congratulating the 2026 recipients of the Chancellor’s Awards.
Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Research | Dr. Carly Dokis
Dr. Carly Dokis is an environmental anthropologist whose research focuses on Indigenous relationships with land and water, environmental governance, and the impacts of resource development in Canada. For more than twenty years, she has worked with Indigenous communities in the Northwest Territories and Northeastern Ontario, conducting community-led research that explores environmental and social change.
Carly received her PhD in Anthropology from the University of Alberta in 2009 and joined Nipissing University in 2010 as a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Post-Doctoral Fellow. She was hired as an Assistant Professor of Anthropology in 2013 and promoted to Associate Professor in 2017.
Her current SSHRC-funded research, conducted in partnership with Dokis First Nation, explores community stories about relationships with the land and experiences of environmental and social change over time. Guided by the principles of respect, relevance, reciprocity, and responsibility, Carly is committed to community-led research and mentoring emerging researchers, including graduate and undergraduate students.
Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching (FABSU) | Dr. Manuel Litalien
Dr. Manuel Litalien is an Associate Professor in Nipissing University’s Department of Social Welfare and Social Development. His teaching focuses on critical development, social policy, and experiential learning, helping students explore complex social issues through both local and global perspectives.
Manuel is an executive member of the Canadian Philanthropy Partnership Research Network (PhiLab), co-director of the Observatoire des droits de la personne at Université de Montréal, and co-founder of the Consortium of Rural and Northern Philanthropy (CORNPhil). His research examines the relationships between welfare systems, non-profit organizations, and social policy, with projects spanning Canada and Southeast Asia. He has published extensively in scholarly journals and books and currently serves as an Adjunct Professor at Mahidol University in Thailand.
Committed to creating meaningful learning experiences, Manuel encourages students to engage critically with issues such as inequality, community development, human rights, and social change. Through his teaching and mentorship, he inspires students to connect academic learning with real-world challenges and opportunities.
Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching (CASBU) | Mary Thornton
Mary Thornton is an instructor in the Schulich School of Education where she teaches the Senior Instrumental Music teachable. She directs both the Nipissing University Eddie Concert Band, and Second Wind, a seniors woodwind group. The Eddie Concert Band brings together community musicians along with Arts, Science, and Education students. She actively promotes the importance of music education and strongly supports making community connections through music. Mary has adjudicated in Ontario and at the national level for MusicFest Canada.
The author of six sets of curriculum books on teaching music for grades 7 to 12, Mary continues to develop curriculum for music teachers through classroom, workshops, and clinics. She was inducted into the North Bay Hall of Recognition for Musicians and Entertainers, and received Honourary Lifetime Membership to the Ontario Music Educators Association for her contributions to music education across the province.
A passionate advocate for music education in schools, Mary believes that every child deserves a strong foundation in music to become a well-rounded individual.
Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Service | Dr. Natalya Brown
Dr. Natalya Brown was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, where she earned a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Economics from the University of West Indies at Mona. Natalya also earned a Master of Arts (MA) in Economics from the University of Houston and a Master of Science (MSc) and a PhD in Economics from the University of Texas at Austin. Natalya joined Nipissing University in 2005 as a faculty member in the then School of Business and Economics. She currently holds a cross-appointment in the School of Business and the Department of Political Science, Philosophy and Economics. Over the years, Natalya has served the university community in various roles, including President of the Nipissing University Faculty Association, member of the President’s Equity Action Planning Task Force, founding member of the Caucus of Racialized Persons, and as a faculty supervisor for several international travel courses taking groups of students to Jamaica and Norway. Natalya also enjoys being an active member of the North Bay community, including playing trombone with the North Bay Community J.O.Y. Band.