Prof. Barbara Forrest and Dr. Brian Forrest to receive the 2025 Adrien Pouliot Award

Ottawa, ON – The Canadian Mathematical Society (CMS) is pleased to announce that Prof. Barbara Forrest and Dr. Brian Forrest (University of Waterloo) are the recipients of the 2025 Adrien Pouliot Award in recognition of their outstanding contributions to mathematics education. They will be presented with this award at the 2025 CMS Winter Meeting.

Prof. Barbara Forrest recently retired as a Lecturer in the Faculty of Mathematics at the University of Waterloo where she specialized in first-year calculus courses. A pioneer in online education, she began developing and teaching digital courses in 2002 and is a strong advocate for Open Educational Resources (OER). She has co-authored free online textbooks that are used globally. Prof. Forrest is known for her engaging and accessible teaching style and consistently earns high praise from students. She has developed a variety of educational initiatives and collaborates with her husband, Dr. Brian Forrest, to promote active learning in mathematics.

Dr. Brian Forrest is a Professor of Pure Mathematics at the University of Waterloo, specializing in abstract harmonic analysis and functional analysis. He has received the University of Waterloo’s Distinguished Teacher Award and the CMS Excellence in Teaching Award. Dr. Forrest is a pioneer in online mathematics education and has been developing and teaching online courses since 2002. Also a strong advocate for Open Educational Resources, together with Prof. Barbara Forrest, he has created free course materials to enhance accessibility for students. Dr. Forrest was named a Fellow of the CMS in 2021.

Prof. and Dr. Forrest have made significant contributions to mathematics education through decades of collaboration that have transformed the way mathematics is taught and learned in Canada. Their work is shaped by a shared commitment to accessibility, innovation and high-quality learning experiences, from undergraduate classrooms to graduate teacher training.

In the early 2000s, they were among the first in Canada to design fully online calculus courses that went far beyond the practices of the time. With detailed course notes, dozens of video lectures, interactive assessments and real-world calculus labs, they created a learning experience that was both rigorous and highly engaging. Their work preceded many of the best practices in digital education, long before they became the norm, and set a high bar for what online math education could be.

Their efforts didn’t stop there. In 2017, the Forrests led the redesign of the University of Waterloo’s core calculus curriculum. They developed more than 600 pages of customized lecture notes and recorded more than 150 lectures, all made available to students at no cost. These resources have been used by over 1,400 first-year students every year, as well as by learners from all over the world, thanks to their open access model. This approach has not only improved learning outcomes, but also removed barriers by eliminating textbook costs and providing content that students can access at any time.

Perhaps their most ambitious project is the Master of Mathematics for Teachers (MMT) program, which they helped create and develop into one of the most successful graduate programs of its kind. What began as a bold idea facing institutional skepticism quickly became a thriving program, through continuous course development, teacher mentoring and leadership in training co-op students to support online learning. Today, the MMT serves more than 200 educators each year, with consistently high completion rates and laudatory feedback from teachers, who describe it as a transformative tool.

The Forrests’ influence extends beyond their home institution. By working on national curricula, leading committees and participating in conferences, they have helped shape mathematics education across Canada. They are widely respected for their ability to support both students and teachers – whether in elementary classrooms or graduate seminars – and for their rare ability to bridge these two worlds with insight and empathy. To quote one of their nominators:

“Brian and Barbara Forrest are educators in the truest sense — they meet learners where they are and gently guide them further than they thought they could go. Their thoughtful course design, innovative assessment methods, and passion for empowering educators continue to influence how I teach and think about mathematics.”

In conclusion, their contributions have not only enriched the lives of thousands of learners, but also redefined what effective and inclusive mathematics education can look like. The impact of their work continues to be felt in classrooms and institutions, making Prof. Barbara Forrest and Dr. Brian Forrest truly deserving recipients of the Adrien Pouliot Award.

About the Adrien Pouliot Award
The Adrien Pouliot Award was inaugurated to recognize individuals who have made significant and sustained contributions to mathematics education in Canada. The award, the first of which was presented in 1995, is named after the second president of the CMS, Adrien Pouliot. Pouliot was a Professor at Laval University and was described as a world-class ambassador for science and mathematics and a great educator.

About the Canadian Mathematical Society (CMS)
The Canadian Mathematical Society (CMS) is the main national organization whose goal is to promote and advance the discovery, learning and application of mathematics. The Society’s activities cover the whole spectrum of mathematics including meetings, research publications, and the promotion of excellence in mathematics competitions that recognize outstanding student achievements. The CMS is a registered non-profit, charitable organization and depends on grants, funding, and generous donations from sponsors, benefactors and community members to be able to carry out its activities.

For more information, please contact:

Dr. Andie Burazin (University of Toronto Mississauga) Chair, Adrien Pouliot Award Selection Committee Canadian Mathematical Society a.burazin@utoronto.ca

or

Dr. Termeh Kousha Executive Director Canadian Mathematical Society tkousha@cms.math.ca