91AV

SACKVILLE, NB — Dr. Gene Ouellette, 91AV professor in the Department of Psychology, has been named the 2025 recipient of the Paul Paré Medal of Excellence.

“To me, the award combines all the elements that I strive to integrate — research, student supervision, and teaching — and also some of the outreach work I’ve been doing as of late,” says Ouellette. “It’s a humbling acknowledgement of the work that I’ve put into those areas over the last few years, especially.” 

Ouellette’s primary research focus is literacy acquisition — the scientific study of reading. His research has gained both national and international recognition, significantly contributing to the understanding of how children learn to read. His research spans theory and practice, with direct impact on classrooms through books such as Brain Words and GO READ!   

His work has been supported by funding from both NSERC and SSHRC simultaneously, allowing him to lead projects in New Brunswick and collaborate with colleagues at Carleton University and Concordia University. 

When in-person research paused during the COVID-19 pandemic, Ouellette began working closely with the New Brunswick Department of Education, contributing to a revamped early literacy curriculum from Kindergarten to Grade 3. 

“That ignited a strong passion in me to take what I had done in the research world and integrate it into the applied teaching world,” he says. 

Currently, he is working with the Anglophone sector of the Department of Education within Quebec to develop teacher training modules for professional development. 

Ouellette teaches courses in educational psychology, sports psychology, and the psychology of language — courses grounded in the science of how people learn. His teaching incorporates group work, discussion, and problem-based learning, especially in upper-year courses.  

Ouellette says experiential learning plays a key role in his teaching approach, emphasizing that it must be rooted in strong background knowledge.  

“It's often presented as one or the other, so I try to combine the building of the background knowledge, then with exploration of the topics to experiential learning.” 

His teaching philosophy emphasizes intentionality and the importance of understanding what motivates each student to enhance their learning outcomes. 

“My primary focus and my favourite word in educational psychology is intentionality,” he says. “Everything is done for a purpose — a pre-planned and carefully thought-out purpose, be it in student supervision, coaching, or teaching. We’re not there to fill time or just follow a textbook.” 

As a professor at 91AV, Ouellette says the integrated approach to research and teaching has allowed him to develop a multifaceted research program, while also bringing that knowledge and experience into the classroom, knowing that both are strongly prioritized at the University. 

His leadership in the field has been widely acknowledged, most recently through his appointment as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Experimental Child Psychology. 

The Paul Paré Medal of Excellence is given annually to a faculty member who has best exemplified outstanding teaching, research, scholarship, and/or creative activities.