Gavan Watson, PhD
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gavan.ca
Gavan Watson, PhD
@gavan.ca
840 followers 570 following 190 posts
Dad. Vice-Provost, Teaching and Learning at Queen’s University. Educator and lifelong learner. Sharing thoughts on pedagogy, higher education, and local nature around Kingston, Ontario. He/him. Views here are my own.
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gavan.ca
Cheering on the Kingston Chestmates Dragon Boat Team today, competing this weekend in Vancouver, all the way from the waters of Lake Ontario! #ConcordPacificDragonBoatFestival #DragonBoatBC
Two boys cheer enthusiastically in front of a television showing an instant replay of a dragon boat race. The TV displays multiple dragon boats nearing the finish line, marked by coloured buoys. The boys stand in front of a modern fireplace, visibly excited as they support their mom’s team from home
June 21, 2025 at 4:51 PM
gavan.ca
Cherry trees in flower on the #QueensU campus
Close-up of cherry blossoms in full bloom, with clusters of pale pink and white flowers covering the branches. A few green leaves are visible, and the background shows a concrete building partially obscured by the dense blossoms.
May 9, 2025 at 10:59 PM
gavan.ca
I was a regular runner until 2017, then injured my ankle and stopped. Eight weeks ago, I started again with the goal of running 5km comfortably. Today, I finished the program and met my goal. Ran 6km.

The next goal: stay injury-free and keep it going—5km, three times a week will make me happy!
Screenshot from 5k app, showing the completion of an outdoor run. A “5k” logo appears at the top. The stats read: Active Calories – 367 CAL, Distance – 6.01 KM.
May 3, 2025 at 7:00 PM
gavan.ca
From today: a cluster of hepatica / liverwort in full bloom.
A cluster of delicate purple Hepatica wildflowers in bloom, nestled among dry leaves and forest floor vegetation. The flowers have rounded petals and white stamens, and are surrounded by fuzzy stems and lobed green leaves.
May 2, 2025 at 8:08 PM
gavan.ca
Grateful to have taken a day for myself today, spending the morning in the glory of spring ephemerals and returning migrants (23 birds species) at Frontenac Provincial Park.

ebird.org/checklist/S2...
A white man wearing a red Queen’s University cap, light blue shirt, and black backpack takes a selfie on a forest trail in Frontenac Provincial Park. The background features early spring trees with fresh green growth and a winding dirt path.
May 2, 2025 at 8:03 PM
gavan.ca
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of joining teacher candidates from our Faculty of Education at Elbow Lake Environmental Education Centre for the final class of their Environmental Education course.

Excited to see how they’ll integrate what they’ve learned into their future classroom practice!
A group of students kneels along the edge of a clear, shallow lake under a blue sky, closely observing the water. They are gathered near a dock and shaded by tall pine trees, participating in an outdoor learning activity. A dog is seen swimming in the lake nearby.
May 1, 2025 at 12:41 PM
gavan.ca
Trout Lilly and Bloodroot in flower; went looking for flowers yesterday without luck. That’s changed today! #SpringEphemerals
A close-up of a bright yellow Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum) blooming on the forest floor, surrounded by green mottled leaves and fallen logs in early spring sunlight. A single white Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) flower with bright yellow stamens, standing among dry leaves and twigs in a woodland area, its large, veined leaf partially wrapping the stem.
April 27, 2025 at 11:07 PM
gavan.ca
Cold water and warm air made for a misty scene on the St. Lawrence this afternoon—the view from the Brockville waterfront.

Tool the quick trip downstream from Kingston to pick up a maple sap bucket, lid and spile for youngest’s school project.
A large green cargo ship, the M/V Ragna, moves through a grey, mist-covered body of water under a heavily overcast sky. To the left in the distance, a small island is visible, covered with sparse, leafless or dead trees, creating a stark silhouette against the low-lying mist.
April 19, 2025 at 9:35 PM
gavan.ca
Advance voting start today, and there’s already a line up at this Kingston and the Islands poll.

Whether it’s today or April 28, get out and vote!

#ItsOurVote #CdnPoli #Elxn45 #Elections101 #DemocracyChampions #VotingMatters #ReadyToVote
A yellow Elections Canada sign indicating the location of an advance polling station. The sign reads “Advance Poll – Lineup Starts Here” in both printed and handwritten text, and “Bureau de vote par anticipation” in French. The sign is displayed on a tripod stand in a public indoor space.
April 18, 2025 at 12:57 PM
gavan.ca
Had the pleasure of joining Mechmania to judge second year Smith Engineering students’ design & build culminating project this afternoon. Saw some amazing work! #QueensU #SmithEngineering
A large gymnasium filled with second-year engineering students participating in Mechmania 2, a culminating engineering project event at Queen’s University. Students are seated at tables, engaging with machines they’ve built and tested over the week. A group of facilitators in yellow “Mechmania” shirts stands at the front, observing and supporting the activity.
April 4, 2025 at 6:41 PM
gavan.ca
Congrats to this year’s Nossal winners—Drs. Albaugh and Dunton.
A digital slide showing Dr. Quinn Albaugh as an award recipient of the Kim Richard Nossal Undergraduate Teaching Award. Their photo appears on the left, and their credentials are listed on the right: Assistant Professor; B.A. and M.A., McGill University; M.A. and Ph.D., Princeton University. Their research focuses on Canadian Politics, Gender and Sexuality Politics, LGBTQ+ Politics, Political Behaviour, and qualitative, quantitative, and multi-method research. A digital slide displaying Dr. Caroline Dunton as an award recipient of the Kim Richard Nossal Undergraduate Teaching Award. Her photo appears on the left, and her credentials are listed on the right: Skelton-Clark Post-Doctoral Fellow; PhD (Ottawa); MA (George Washington); MA (Ottawa); BKI (Waterloo). Her research focus is Canadian Politics.
April 1, 2025 at 7:10 PM
gavan.ca
Get the pleasure of joining the #QueensU Department of Political Studies—and their annual recognition of teaching excellence.

Thanks to the Department Student Council and the leadership in the Department of Political Studies for their work underpinning this recognition.
A digital display screen showing a slide from Queen’s University Political Studies Department Student Council. The slide announces the Kim Richard Nossal Undergraduate Teaching Award, recognizing and celebrating teaching excellence. Logos for Queen’s University and Political Studies appear at the top. The date shown is Tuesday, April 1st, 2025.
April 1, 2025 at 6:55 PM
gavan.ca
Beautiful last day of Winter, and it’s a sea of spike ball on Tindall Field. #QueensU #YGK
A busy scene at Tindall Field, Queen’s University, with students engaging in various recreational activities. Some are playing sports, while others are sitting or standing in groups. The yellow goalpost stands prominently in the foreground, with a backdrop of residential houses and trees under a partly cloudy sky.
March 19, 2025 at 8:55 PM
gavan.ca
Was asked to go out and purchase snacks for kids’ choral concert:
A screenshot of a text message conversation between two people. One person suggests buying a 1.6 kg bag of pitted prunes, attaching a photo of the bag in a store. The recipient reacts with a thumbs-down emoji. The sender responds, calling prunes a “great kids snack,” and lists other items they are getting: 40 juice boxes, 54 Rice Krispie treats, 54 chips, and the 1.6 kg of prunes.
March 1, 2025 at 12:14 AM
gavan.ca
My feeling, as an academic who did some consulting for a University, now setting up a profile in a University's procurement portal.
A lone figure in a long coat stands at the entrance of an ancient, eerie underground city, illuminated by an otherworldly glow. Towering ruins, tangled vines, and glowing bioluminescent plants fill the cavern. The scene suggests the explorer is wildly out of place—like they have no business being here—heightening the tension and mystery of the moment
February 26, 2025 at 1:53 PM
gavan.ca
This is…interesting.

While I wasn't the recipient, the following was forwarded to me: OpenAI seems to be cold calling Queen's students, offering a reduced price on ChatGPT Plus subscription. Not sure where they got their mailing list, either.

Strikes me as as kind of…scummy?
A promotional email offering Queen's University students an exclusive 50% discount on ChatGPT Plus for three months, valid until February 28. The email highlights features of ChatGPT Plus, including quick document summaries, foreign language practice, new features like projects, early access to tasks, enhanced image creation, and better answers from advanced AI models. A black button in the center reads "Get 50% Off ChatGPT Plus," and the email provides a support contact at support@openai.com.
February 22, 2025 at 8:07 PM
gavan.ca
With the eldest on BrockU campus today and tomorrow for the First Tech Challenge Ontario Provincial Championship.
A young person stands in front of a banner for the “FIRST Tech Challenge Ontario Provincial Championship” presented by FIRST Canada. They are wearing a black T-shirt, black pants, and boots, striking a thoughtful pose with one hand on their chin. Their face is covered with a smiley face emoji. The banner features a red and orange maple leaf outline, emphasizing the Canadian location of the event. A person can be seen in the background on an upper level.
February 22, 2025 at 6:47 PM
gavan.ca
Found this unexpected snowman this morning behind Mitchell Hall. #QueensU
A small snowperson with a rounded body and head stands in a snowy area outside a building with large windows. Its facial features are made from small twigs, giving it a simple expression. Behind it, bare shrubs poke out from the snow, and reflections in the windows reveal office supplies inside the building.
February 18, 2025 at 1:27 PM
gavan.ca
Betty, having a meeting with herself this afternoon. #BTposse
Betty, a Border Terrier, sits in front of a laptop screen displaying a Microsoft Teams meeting. On the screen, her reflection is visible alongside a person in a red hoodie taking a photo with a smartphone. The setup includes a keyboard and monitor in the background, creating a meta moment of virtual self-recognition.
February 14, 2025 at 9:39 PM
gavan.ca
Nearly a century ago, Land-Grant colleges in the U.S. required university educators to have professional training for teaching. The idea that faculty need preparation to teach shouldn't be seen as revolutionary—it’s foundational.
A quote from The Amateur Hour by Jonathan Zimmerman on a yellow background with a partial view of the book cover on the right. The quote reads: "In 1922, the Land-Grant College Association resolved that all candidates for college faculty posts should be required to have at least six semester hours of 'professional training,' including courses in educational psychology and methods of teaching; seven years later, in 1929, the Association of American Colleges declared that every graduate student intending to teach at the college level should receive 'an adequate training in methods of teaching as applied to the particular department of knowledge in which the student is working.'" The book discusses the history of college teaching in America.
February 14, 2025 at 1:48 PM
gavan.ca
At the 129-year old rivalry between Queen’s-RMC men’s hockey teams—the Carr-Harris Challenge Cup.

And this sign is well-played, RMC.
A lively crowd at the Carr-Harris Challenge Cup hockey game. In the foreground, a fan dressed in red, wearing a beer helmet, stands with arms raised, holding a sign that reads, “Hey Queen’s! Bow for your King!” featuring an image of King Charles III. Other fans in the stands, many wearing red and black, cheer and engage in the spirited rivalry between teams. The atmosphere is energetic, with spectators reacting enthusiastically to the game.
February 7, 2025 at 2:06 AM
gavan.ca
25 active learning classrooms in 10 years: celebrating the opening of our 25th ALC at Queen’s! Talk about impact: 194 courses are being taught in ALCs across campus this term.

Special thanks to our Classroom Working Group whose work has been integral to these classes’ success.
A group of seven people standing together in Dunning 10, a newly opened learning space. They are dressed in business casual attire and smiling at the camera. The background features modern classroom furniture, including tables, chairs, and screens displaying images of the space. The setting reflects a collaborative and welcoming environment for teaching and learning.
February 6, 2025 at 8:46 PM
gavan.ca
I present to you a palette-cleansing video of a White-winged Crossbill showing off it's special ability: getting seeds out of Spruce cones.

(Taken on this day in 2019, in St. John's NL.)
January 20, 2025 at 5:35 PM
gavan.ca
See a duck, post a duck. Doesn’t have to be the same duck. #birds
An Australian wood duck (Chenonetta jubata) standing on a concrete edge by a body of water in Melbourne, Australia. The duck has a dark brown head, a pale grey body with speckled markings on its chest, and black-tipped wings. Its webbed feet rest on the textured ground, while the calm water creates a tranquil backdrop.
January 19, 2025 at 4:44 PM
gavan.ca
The morning dog walk was high on yuckiness scale—was not expecting this volume of wet flurries.

We go down to below -10°C next week, so need to be careful what I wish for.
A close-up of a man during a snowy morning walk, wearing a red and blue knit hat and glasses. Snowflakes are visible on his hat, glasses, beard, and black winter coat. The blurred background shows a wintery landscape with bare trees and a soft grey sky, capturing the chilly atmosphere of the day.
January 18, 2025 at 2:03 PM