About & CV

A little about me

I didn’t arrive at university with a grand plan to become a historian. As an undeclared undergraduate at York, I took Stephen Brooke’s course in Twentieth Century British history and that more or less settled it. I thought I too could be a witty British professor (just not British). Stephen later supervised my MA and encouraged me to pursue a PhD. I was fortunate to work with Dan Gorman at UW the rest of the way. Getting to teach my own History of Modern Britain course at Laurier years later felt like coming full circle.

The thread through all of this is enthusiasm: for history, for teaching, for delivering a new lecture I spent way too long on the slides, for discussing ideas, and for those moments when a familiar film, song, or game opens up an unfamiliar past. I like following the odd detour and asking why the things we take for granted came to be. My research has taken me through British archives, civil-defence films, and many unnecessarily creepy nuclear bunkers. History has a habit of turning an innocent interest into a research trip.

Outside the lecture theatre

I’m based in the wilds of Southwestern Kitchener. I like to emphasize Southwestern as though it gives me a tex-mex flair and justifies my boots. Away from work, my interests include British pubs and television, my motorcycle, my rescue, diners, video games, lockpicking, comics, baseball, a fairly persistent affection for everything 1993–2003, and a growing collection of watches, fountain pens, and colognes. Disney parks are another long-running obsession, which I have managed to turn into a course. Fortunately, I'm too poor to be a Disney Adult but if anyone asks, the next visit is a research trip.

Teaching, research, and academic life

I have taught and designed (IMHO) fairly unique courses across the University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University, the University of Toronto Mississauga, and McMaster University. Students seem to like me for some reason, as my disturbingly enthusiastic IG fanclub will attest. Alongside teaching, I have delivered lectures, workshops, and seminars through Waterloo’s Centre for Teaching Excellence and completed its Certificate of University Teaching Excellence. My research experience includes the G. Elmore Reaman Research Project and the creation of databases of Canadian archives and historians for Prof Ian Milligan.

Academic life has also meant bringing people together. I served as president of Waterloo’s Graduate History Association from 2014 to 2016, directed the 2016 Tri-University History Conference, and co-organized the 2015 conference. I have presented research at venues including the University of Notre Dame (first time I saw fireflies!), Johns Hopkins University, and the World History Association conference in Savannah, Georgia (amazing city).

Recognition

My work has received Outstanding Teaching Award nominations, research awards and scholarships, and the People’s Choice award at Waterloo’s Three Minute Thesis finals in 2015. Communicating an idea clearly (and making people actually want to hear more) is a part of the job I particularly enjoy.

Education

PhD, History — University of Waterloo, 2020
MA, History — York University, 2010
BA (Honours), History/Psychology — York University, 2008

Curriculum vitae

My latest CV includes university teaching, research, publications, awards, and academic service.