The CAAA Award Committees are pleased to recognize these outstanding recipients who embody the values and mission of the Association: innovators who are committed to promoting and encouraging excellence in education and research in our field.
George Baxter Award for Outstanding Contributions to the CAAA
Linda Thorne, York University
For exemplary contributions to the Canadian Academic Accounting Association through participation on the Board of Directors or through various committee and task force work that illustrates a dedication to helping CAAA accomplish its mission.
The committee is pleased to announce that Professor Linda Thorne is the 2021 recipient of the George Baxter Award for Outstanding Contributions to the CAAA.
Professor Thorne has been a dedicated contributor to the Association, supporting the CAAA for many years. She served on the board of directors as Chair of the Education Committee (2001-2003), Chair of the Professional Liaison Committee (2002-2003), as a Member of the HR Committee (2002-2003, 2005-2006), President Elect (2002-2003), President (2003-2004) and Past President (2004-2005). She also served as a member of the following committees: Research Committee (1998-2000); CAR Editor Search Committee (2001-2003); Corporate Governance Review Committee (2016-2017); and L.S. Rosen Outstanding Educator Award Committee (2017-2018).
At the time when Professor Thorne served as President of the CAAA, the association was going through a significant period of growth and change, involving the need to professionalize, to hire full-time staff and to develop a set of workable human resource policies and procedures. In addition, Professor Thorne spearheaded the organization’s move to a professional office space including searching for an appropriate location and negotiation of the lease. This move to professionalize allowed for more efficient and effective service to association members at a crucial time in the life of the CAAA.
Professor Thorne has also contributed significantly in the editorial capacity of both CAAA Journal. She has been a member of the Car Editorial Board (2003-2014) and served as Ad hoc Associate Editor on five occasions during this period. She is currently a member of the Editorial Board of Accounting Perspectives (2000-present) as well as Associate Editor (2004-present). She has also published three articles in Contemporary Accounting Research.
Professor Thorne is a significant contributor to the CAAA annual meeting through submission of her own work, acting as moderator and discussant at research sessions and encouraging her PhD students to participate in the conference.
The Award Committee unanimously determined that Professor Linda Thorne more than meets the criteria of exemplary contributions to the CAAA over a sustained period of time to deserve the 2021 George Baxter Award.
L.S. Rosen Outstanding Educator Award
Sherif Elbarrad, MacEwan University
For contributions to Canadian accounting education through excellence in teaching, educational innovation, publications, guidance for students, and involvement in professional and academic societies and activities.
The 2021 L.S. Rosen Award Committee is pleased to recognize Dr. Sherif Elbarrad from MacEwan University as the recipient of the 2021 L.S. Rosen Outstanding Educator Award.
Dr. Elbarrad’s career in accounting highlights his contributions to accounting education, including the receipt of many teaching awards over his career. He was the lead author of the second Canadian edition of Pearson Education’s Financial Accounting textbook (2016), has published many papers in peer-reviewed journals, and is a contributor to various CPA magazines and newsletters.
Dr. Elbarrad’s innovative research in transforming accounting education seems prescient in today’s educational environment. His research efforts have focused on improving both the student and the educator’s experience. Specifically, his work in the development of online, interactive educational tools, web-based accounting games, self-correcting assessments, and a crowd-authored e-textbook in cost accounting demonstrates his foresight into the future of accounting education.
Dr. Elbarrad has led, and continues to lead, several committee and programs, focusing on the quality of education delivered to students. Most notably, in the past five years, he revamped the mandate for MacEwan’s Institute for Innovation in Management Education in 2016, which lead to the establishment of a new centre, CALIBER (Center for Applied Learning & Innovation Business Education & Resource) in 2017/2018. His progression in administrative responsibilities within MacEwan are further evidence of the quality of his leadership in academia.
The award committee, comprising Suzanne Tucker, Antonello Callimaci, and Osama El-Temtamy, is pleased to recommend Sherif Elbarrad as the recipient of the 2021 L.S. Rosen Outstanding Educator Award.
Haim Falk Award for Distinguished Contribution to Accounting Thought
Ken Klassen, University of Waterloo
For excellence in scholarly achievement that clearly contributes to the advancement of accounting thought.
Ken Klassen is widely perceived to be the most distinguished tax professor in Canada. He has a distinguished reputation among Canadian and US academics, as well as Canadian tax practitioners. His insights on tax issues are highly sought after, and valued, by academics (many wrote of how much they valued his discussant comments), tax professionals and government regulators.
Ken Klassen is a leading tax scholar and expert on international taxation, and specifically on multi-jurisdictional income shifting by corporations. He has published extensively in FT 50 journals as well as other journals, served as an editor or associate editor for three prominent journals (Journal of the American Taxation Association, Contemporary Accounting Research, and The Accounting Review), presented at doctoral consortiums, received extensive tri-council research funding, and is ranked by BYU as the 5th most prolific tax researcher worldwide. Several professors from both Canada and the US (and tax practitioners) wrote about the impact of his work on their thinking, and how several of his papers are required reading in their PhD seminars.
Ken Klassen has served on many PhD student committees, and almost all prominent tax professors in Canada are graduates of the University of Waterloo, and students of Ken. Ken Klassen has also fostered extensive engagement with the tax professional community and set up a successful tax conference attended by both academics and tax practitioners. Ken Klassen will bring honor to the Haim Falk Award for distinguished contribution to accounting thought.
Howard Teall Award for Innovation in Accounting Education
Sherif Elbarrad, MacEwan University
For educators who go "above and beyond" to create original learning activities and to motivate students to pursue future learning opportunities, with unique and innovative approaches to accounting education.
The proposal Mastering Excel Skills: A Web-Based Self-Marking Application is a unique and innovative approach in teaching accounting. The committee acknowledges that it could be a game-changer in accounting education. In response to the 2020 CPA Competency Map and the revised Data Analytics and Information Systems (DAIS) competencies, accounting students need to master more advanced excel skills and to develop an analytical mindset. This application helps them reach these competencies while being self-directed and active learners. Additionally, it helps instructors/faculty members to evaluate students using more Excel-based assignments and provide them with a valuable tool to give personalized feedback to their students and to detect plagiarism.