Biography

My two central research passions are education and international relations. I have always been fascinated by the importance of education both at the local and at the international level. It is crucial to understanding and living together in peace. In pursuit of this I have criss- crossed Ontario and travelled world-wide.

Prior to coming to Nipissing University, I worked at the Academic Council on the United Nations(ACUNS) in Waterloo, Ontario. Concurrent with this I taught at theUniversity of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University. These experiences were very fulfilling in terms of educating others and being educated about the world. In the 1990s, I also taught French as a Second Language(FSL) at the Primary, Junior and Intermediate levels. Languages are yet another key to understanding!

Also on this journey, I completed a Doctor of Education (Ed.D) degree from the University of Toronto in 1999. and a Master of Science in International Relations degree from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom in 1990. In an earlier foray into Northern Ontario while at Lakehead Univerity in 1990-1991, I very much enjoyed my own preservice experience in the Bachelor of Education program.

My current research centers on foreign policy and education as factors in federal-provincial relations, the wider role of IGOs in creating civilizational norms for education systems, and Canadian foreign policy generally. I am also very interested in the long-term impact of international practicums on teachers' world view and where these experiences lead them in their careers.

In recent times I have also joined Graduate Studies at Nipissing University, so look forward to working with M.Ed. students in my History of Education course.