Rupinder Brar
PhD

Background

Toronto born Dr. Rupinder Brar is an Associate Teaching Professor of Physics and Astronomy and the Associate Dean of Teaching and Learning at Ontario Tech University. He earned his Honours BSc from the University of Toronto, his MSc from the University of Waterloo, and his PhD from Queen’s University in Extra-Galactic Astrophysics.

After graduation, Dr. Brar was hired by the University of Massachusetts to transform and teach their freshman Physics courses. In 2008, he returned to Canada to take his position at Ontario Tech. At Ontario Tech, Dr. Brar teaches core and elective courses in Physics and Astronomy for students in every discipline.

Dr. Brar stays active in the research fields of Physics Education Research and Extrasolar Planets. In 2017 he also became the Ontario Tech's first Associate Dean, Teaching and Learning. Dr. Brar’s goal as Associate Dean is to empower faculty to reach their potential as educators, and to move Ontario Tech towards being a leader in teaching excellence, ultimately leading to greater student success.

Dr. Brar has won numerous awards for his teaching including the title of Ontario’s Best Lecturer in TVO’s Big Ideas Best Lecturer Competition. He also gives numerous public lectures through scientific institutions, and is often found in media as an astronomy educator and expert.