Dr. Stewart is an alum of the University of Manitoba, receiving her Bachelor of Education, Master of Education, and PhD in Educational Administration from UM. She brings over 30 years of experience working in the Manitoba education system; she has worked as a teacher and counsellor in the K-12 public school system, a contract curriculum writer and consultant for the Province of Manitoba, and an educator for pre-service teachers and school counsellors.

“Faculty, staff, students, we are all an equal part in this really important place, so I think recognizing everybody’s individuality, that’s what I would wish for moving forward”, said Dr. Stewart.

What excites you about working at the UM?

Coming back to a place as a leader where I was a student for many years, and being at a point in my career where I am using everything I learned as a teacher, as a professor, as an administrator in a university and putting it all together and then bringing that experience here. Using that in an area where I feel like I have something I can contribute because I know education, I’ve been a teacher, and I know how universities work.

What are you responsible for in this new role?

I am responsible for supporting faculty, staff, and students for not only guiding the faculty with the implementation of their strategic directions but also thinking about what that means for our particular faculty and our plans for moving forward and changing with the evolving landscape of education. My role in that is serving as more of a facilitator who promotes the overall picture and being a support to people in their individual roles.

What do you hope to achieve in the future?

I hope that we come together as a faculty and work towards this common vision for the future, that people feel like this is the best place to work for them at this point in their life, that students are looking to us as the place to come if you want to be a teacher where we can be responsive. I hope we foster and nurture the kind of student who will now go out there and make significant change in their world and our world. So, I think the role of a teacher and the role of a place that prepares teachers has a very important role in our complex world. Many of our graduate students will become the next policy-makers, educational leaders, researchers, and school administrators. I hope that their academic journeys will challenge them, excite them and lead them to learning more for the rest of their life.

What’s one piece of advise you have for students?

Do everything you can, be a part of everything you can, be engaged with other students, get involved in groups, clubs, a lecture that seems nothing related to your field, go see what happens. I’d say take advantage of everything that’s here because there is a lot and learn from it, give yourself the chance to explore, to learn, the chance to make mistakes, and help each other out. Reach out to people, make a friend be the kind of person that you would want to have support you. Stay connected with people and get to know them, and always be who you want to be, even when no one is looking, do the right thing.

What excites you about working at the UM?

The opportunity to work with incredibly creative and engaged faculty, who are committed to bringing the highest quality educational experience for our students.

What do you hope to achieve in your new role?

Four things I could offer include: to increase the visibility of the School of Art on campus; to continue to build relationships with the local art community; to look for opportunities to support the SOA students and faculty with their various activities; and to expand our graduate offerings.

What’s one piece of advice you have for students?

Your time at UM is an incredibly exciting time. Take advantage of as many opportunities as you can while you are here – not just on campus but also with the rich cultural environment that Winnipeg has to offer.

What was your favourite subject when you were in school?

In high school I was very interested in the sciences – particularly biology and chemistry. I still consider myself a bit of a science geek.

Where is your Happy Place and why?

I really enjoy the solitude of walking through our local parks and forests – I live adjacent to the Bois-des-Esprits forest.

What’s something that readers would be surprised to learn about you?

I have been hard-pressed to find someone who can exceed my trivia knowledge about Star Trek.

What person or event has shaped you as a person or in your career?

I have been fortunate to have had some fantastic mentors while an undergraduate and graduate student. As an administrator, I have also been extremely privileged to have had excellent advisors who have shaped the way I think about leadership to this day.

What do you like to do in your down time?

 I like cross-country skiing in the winter and biking during the spring, summer and fall.

What is on your Netflix binge list?

 Technically not on Netflix, but I have been enjoying Shrinking and am looking forward to the new season of Ted Lasso.

What do you like to read?

 Mostly non-fiction these days – largely 20^th-century history and biographies.

Learn more about UM’s School of Art.

What excites you about working at UM? 

Working at UM, to me, is an opportunity to make a difference. The U of M is a research oriented, comprehensive university and has an immense impact on the Manitoba community and economy. It is committed to the future, and these things attracted me. When I say committed to the future, I’m saying there is a deliberate effort to reconciliation and a real commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion. I also see an increasing commitment to sustainability, and those elements are critical to the future of this province, country and society as a whole. These are remarkable points and from my perspective, very attractive characteristics that a university can have.

The Asper School of Business elevates these characteristics based on our efforts to make societal impact and commitment to research and teaching excellence. I am proud to serve this amazing school and play a key role in strengthening the Asper School as an internationally recognized business school. As part of my previous role as Associate Dean of Strategic Partnerships and Administration I was closely involved in our School’s AACSB accreditation process and value the contributions our faculty and staff have made to allow us to maintain this premier international business school standard for more than 22 years.

What is your background, and how did you get to the role of Dean?

My undergraduate degree was in production engineering. I worked with production engineering and manufacturing, perhaps for only one year or so. Then I quickly moved to managerial positions within the company I used to work for and started understanding that the people and the relationships were much more important for me to grow and make a difference than the technical side of things. So, I soon realized that business was my thing based on my personality and what I like and how I deal with things. I did my MSc and Ph.D. while working full time in a multinational energy company; it is not easy to do these things simultaneously. And one day, for several factors, my wife and I decided that it would be best for us if I transition to academia. I worked in the industry for 13 years before becoming a full-time academic.

Then I came to Canada, first to Vancouver, where I spent three years at Beedie School of Business at Simon Fraser University. Then I received an offer from the University of Winnipeg, where I stayed for five years in the Faculty of Business and Economics. After that, I received an offer from the Asper School of Business in 2015, and I joined the school in 2016. During my time at Asper, I have been fortunate to work in leadership positions and serve the school in several capacities such as the Transport Institute Director, acting Department Head, Associate Dean of multiple portfolios, Acting Dean and now Dean. UM is my home.

What’s one piece of advice you have for students?

Business is my passion. So, I will have to relate to that. It is all about relationships, the power of relationships, and how you build that trust because nobody can do anything by themselves. So, for students, it goes in line with what I’ve learned in my career, the technical side is very important, and students should pay attention to that. But as important as that (or perhaps even more important, I would say), are the relationships, to be out there, to make genuine connections, with people, with the business community, with your colleagues, your classmates, to engage truly and build your network of contacts. I also strongly encourage students to take experiential learning and leadership opportunities while at Asper, for example, by participating on STAGs (Student Action Groups), case competition teams, international exchanges, co-op and internships. These are crucial elements and very powerful when you are building a career. Don’t focus on the grades – the learning, relationships, and experiential opportunities are the elements that will propel you to success.

What do you do in your role as Dean?

It is an interesting position and a very steep learning curve in the last few months. It is about making decisions, and complex decisions that affect people and multiple stakeholders. And when I say stakeholders, I say internal ones, staff, faculty and our students, but also external ones, the business community, our immense network of benefactors, the government and any other stakeholder that might be associated with the Asper School in any capacity. That is central to this role. If someone thinks that being a Dean is only about finance or budgets, it is certainly not; it is about people. Of course, the numbers are important too. But if someone wants to lead a team toward a vision, then it’s about teamwork and making sure that your people are happy, empowered and motivated to grow and accomplish. The motivation that comes from an environment built around trust and positive relationships is very critical to success when managing teams in complex environments.

Where is your happy place and why? 

My happy place is in my backyard, preparing a barbecue for my family and friends, with my wife and my kids.  My grandpa was a poor farmer who came from Italy very young and settled in the south of Brazil, close to Argentina and Uruguay, places that are famous for their great cuts of meat and great wines. In the area where my family settled, there were lots of small cattle ranches and family wineries. My dad taught me how to barbecue a good steak and to understand the grading of the cuts and how cooked it is just by touching the meat. He learned by practicing in his backyard with my grandpa, and he taught me by practicing with me. There is no formal training behind, but I consider myself a barbecue chef, taught by my dad – a family tradition. Close to a barbecue is where I love to be, as it brings me incredible memories, with my kids running around and preparing a good steak, obviously not forgetting the veggies to keep it healthy.

What’s something that the UM community would be surprised to learn about you? 

I was born and raised in the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and I learned a lot about surviving and having that thick skin. I did most part of my education in public schools and public schools in Brazil are different from what we see here. It’s another thing, you have to be ready to react to secure your space, you have to observe very attentively what is going on. Because it’s a tough place and I learned how to navigate those things. My family was poor, not in terms of food and those things, but in terms of other things that they could give to the kids – things were quite restricted. However, my mom always prioritized and was very attentive to my performance in school. She was the one that supported me to get my education and move forward no matter how difficult the circumstances were.

In public schools at that time, the government used to give lunch to students, and the lunch was not great – often a piece of bread with butter or guava paste, milk and coffee. I used to live very close to the school and I would prefer to walk to my house and eat something.

One day a classmate came to me and said, “Bruno, I realize you don’t eat your lunch every day. Do you mind giving me your lunch because I have a three-year-old brother and we usually have one bread for dinner every day?  If I eat twice here, I can pass my bread to my brother.” I was shocked – probably in grade 7 or 8. Those things are so impactful; they change the way you see the world.  

Sometimes I see people complaining about little things. And I start thinking about that specific classmate that I really don’t know where he is now, and I don’t know what happened to him and his little brother. And the certainty that 1,000s of other kids are in the same position right now, not only in Brazil but in many countries. That’s why I usually don’t complain. I don’t like to complain because it’s not fair. It is not fair for us to complain, especially in a beautiful country like Canada, we have such a privilege. If I start thinking about something negative, I try to revert that immediately because that will not lead anyone anywhere. It’s not going to help one to succeed. So, complaining is a no-no for me. And, based on the things that I’ve learned and based on the things that I’ve seen; I think life is beautiful, and that’s why we need to celebrate every single day.

What person or event has shaped you as a person or in your career? 

My parents are my heroes, and I am here now because of them and the sacrifices they made for my sister and me. Growing in a country like Brazil, and with so many financial difficulties, it is challenging. I thank them all the time for providing me such valuable input. Not money, but the education, the values, that’s enough, that’s what I needed, and they provided me a strong foundation. And I see people getting family money in large amounts and not making good decisions. Taking things for granted, and that’s never good. Should also mention my wife and all support she provided me later in my life after we met. She also comes from a poor family, but she is so strong! Without her, I do not know where I would be today, how my life would be, personally and professionally. She is the foundation of our family. 

What do you like to do in your down time? 

I love to ride a bike with my kids. We live relatively close to the Assiniboine Park and on good days we usually go there. My son is ten years old and he’s super excited about these journeys with Dad. My middle one is eight years old, and she has been joining us this summer. And the smaller one is six; she’s preparing to get active and come with us cycling a longer distance by herself. Apart from being outdoors, I love to be with my wife and kids to watch a movie or TV show together. Obviously, I don’t have any say in the selection of the movie. But I still go and have fun with them. As soon as I see their faces having fun – that’s enough for me. And you know, I’ll be there sometimes, not looking at the TV but looking at their faces. [Laughs]

What do you like to read?

I love history. I love civilization, the history that shaped the world we are in now, the formation of countries, how Canada came together, the US, Brazil, and other countries. The two big wars are also a passion because I have family members who engaged in those wars, and one was killed in a battle in Italy. Additionally, I love to learn more about the history of faith and religion. Not any specific but learn about all the faiths and religions that connect us humans to something much bigger.

What do you hope to achieve at UM?

As I assume my new role, I am committed to working with the college deans to advance the development of inter-professional health education and inter-disciplinary research. Indeed, I believe the University of Manitoba can excel in this area at both the national and international level such that we can be regarded as a destination by students and faculty seeking such an academic institution. I am also committed to working with our faculty and our partners running Manitoba’s health system to ensure we graduate exceptionally well-trained students to meet the health needs of Manitobans, and that we work to advance research that similarly addresses these needs. Finally, I hope to, in partnership, work towards strategies that dismantle health inequity – it is only by improving and promoting health and wellness in all Manitoba communities that we will achieve a sustainable health system for all Manitobans.

What is your background, and how did you get to your position?

Following undergraduate BSc (med) and MD degrees (1986), I pursued post-graduate training in internal medicine followed by a fellowship in nephrology all at the University of Manitoba and the Winnipeg teaching hospitals. Upon completing my clinical training, I pursed a four-year transplant research fellowship at the Beth Israel Hospital in Boston where I studied the immunogenetics and biology of transplant rejection – I felt like an undergrad again as science had advanced so much in the intervening years. Appointed to faculty in 1995 at the University of Manitoba and the Health Sciences Centre, our group conducts translational research whose goal is to improve access and outcomes for kidney transplant recipients. In 2010, I assumed the role of associate dean (research) in the Max Rady College of Medicine and since 2015 have served in the role of vice-dean (research) for the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences.

What were your favourite subjects when you were in school?

Math and Science – my high school education was in Ottawa when there was a grade 13 and it was the best year with only three math and three science courses. Moving to Winnipeg and enrolling in the Faculty of Science at the University of Manitoba allowed me to expand my knowledge in these areas in preparation for applying to medicine. These subjects address my interest in understanding how things work in complex dynamic systems, which is why I really have enjoyed a career in internal medicine, nephrology, and immunology.

Tell us about one place you have enjoyed visiting and why.

In recent years my wife, Vivienne and I have holiday traveled in northern Canada – a train ride to Churchill, a road trip in the Yukon. As we have taken these trips, we have read up on the history of the north in the places we were going to and come to appreciate more and more how much these communities have contributed to present day Canada. We have also come to realize how much inequity exists in these communities and our obligation as Canadians to address these needs. In the coming years I am hoping to spend more time visiting northern Canada and meeting and learning from the people in these communities.

What’s something that readers would be surprised to learn about you?

Medical school was not my first exposure to health care. At age 16 my first summer job was working at the Grace Hospital in Ottawa in the central supply department – this was the place where we cleaned and sterilized surgical instruments, and other medical ward supplies. Later I worked for nurses on the labour and delivery unit setting and cleaning up delivery rooms. At the end of high school when I was deciding where to go to university my father was transferred to Winnipeg. I had met a couple of obstetrics residents at the Grace and they described having had an excellent medical school experience at the University of Manitoba. After enrolling in the UM Faculty of Science, I had a summer job at the Grace Hospital in Winnipeg as a unit assistant and orderly on medical and surgical wards. Those five years of working in a hospital taught me the value of teamwork and the valuable role everyone plays in delivering high quality patient care. I can also confirm that my undergraduate medical training was outstanding at the University of Manitoba.

Tell us about a person who has shaped you as a person or in your career.

A difficult question – hard to pick any one person so I will share a few. David Rush, a UM professor celebrating his 40^th year on faculty, recruited me into nephrology and transplantation and he has been both a mentor and colleague for the last 30 years – he has always impressed me with his drive to seek out evidence-based answers to questions that will improve patient outcomes. Leah Hollins, former deputy minister of health in BC and chair of the Canadian Council for Organ Donation and Transplantation. As a board member I was impressed and learnt a lot from Leah about seeking consensus across 13 provinces and territories – consensus building is truly an art (especially between independent Canadian health care systems) and something I think Canadians have a reputation for. I could not have asked for a better role model than Leah. Finally, Brian Postl, his knowledge in health systems, his commitment to advancing health education and social accountability are well known. For the last 12 years, I could not have had a better role model and mentor in preparation to become dean.

What do you like to do in your down time?

Vivienne and I have for many years enjoyed backcountry canoeing in Nopiming Provincial Park, theatre at RMTC and the Warehouse, and in recent years, spending time with our grandchildren. Winnipeg and Manitoba are fantastic for all three of these (luckily the grandchildren all live in Winnipeg). Recently, we have taken up dinghy sailing and moved from tents on the ground to a small travel trailer. As COVID settles we are looking forward to exploring the country by road over the next few years during our summer holidays.

What have you done that you’re most proud of?

The translation of research into clinical policy and practice has really been a highlight of my career. In this regard the University of Manitoba and Health Sciences Centre have been world-leaders. Based on our research we were the first clinical program in Canada to make flow-cytometry based crossmatching a standard of care, which immediately improved kidney transplant patient outcomes and over the next decade this laboratory assay became the national standard in transplant care. Moreover, our research served as the basis for the Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers of Health tasking Canadian Blood Services with setting up national kidney donor sharing programs, which has directly improved patient access. Previously it was exceedingly difficult for some individuals (primarily women who had developed antibodies through pregnancy) to find a compatible kidney donor. Now patients have access to the entire Canadian organ donor pool rather than being restricted to only organ donors in their province.

Our group’s recent research is also getting international attention as the basis for precision medicine in directing kidney transplant immunosuppression (i.e., giving the right amount of medication based on an individual’s specific need, thereby avoiding too much or too little immunosuppression to control the recipient’s immune system). Indeed, in partnership with Dr. Peter Heeger, my collaborator at Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, we have just been awarded USD$29 million from the US National Institutes of Health to conduct a multicenter kidney transplant clinical trial intended to validate a laboratory test in support of precision medicine that was developed by our group at the University of Manitoba.

What’s one piece of advice you have for students?

Follow your passion in your career and never stop learning – we are very blessed and privileged to have an advanced education that opens multiple paths throughout our lifetime. Many times, you will be faced with new job and learning opportunities – embrace these challenges as they come but make sure your decisions are motivated by their alignment with your interests and what you want to achieve beyond yourself. I have found that this has led to a very rewarding career that I look back on with no regrets.

What excites you about working at the UM?  

To say the University of Manitoba is my alma mater would be an understatement. Over the past 25 years I have had the opportunity of working at different universities across Canada but have always perceived UM as home. This may sound trite, but the truth is this sentiment is grounded in one simple fact – the UM truly had a transformative impact on the trajectory of my family’s life. My parents and I arrived in Canada (from Argentina – I was born in Chile) in the mid-1970s as political refugees with little more than the clothes on our back and United Nations papers in hand – we left our land, language, and our sense of identity behind to start anew. Ten years into our story in Canada, an opportunity presented itself to my parents – return to university and fulfil their unfulfilled aspiration of completing a post-secondary degree. They were admitted to a UM Access program as adult “non-traditional” learners eventually both attaining degrees in Social Work (5 years apart).  I learned early on that universities were more than the sum of their parts, more than a place of research and teaching. Reflecting on it now, the flexible academic programs and supports provided to adult learners such as my parents were forward thinking even by today’s standards. They embraced the principles of inclusivity, social innovation, and lifelong learning before these were well defined 21^st century goals. So why I am excited? As I am about to embark on my next journey with Extended Education, I can’t help but feel a sense of coming full circle. I look forward to the great work we as a Division are about to commence upon, and I am hopeful that our future efforts will one day positively impact the lives of future generations.

What’s one piece of advice you have for students? 

This is tough as there are many. The rapid shift towards a digital global economy and all the prognostications of change, and uncertainty that lie ahead will require current and future generations to have much greater agency over their learning. A lot has been written about the “future of work”, “future skills”, and the need to continually acquire new skills or refine existing ones. Be informed of what the future holds, if uncertainty and disruption is to become the norm then utilize not only what you learned but how you learned it as a means to build resilience. Sir David Willetts, former UK minister of Universities and Science, once stated that the true mission of universities is to develop independent learners – in other words, continuous self-development and self-improvement is the key. If that is true then embracing the principles of lifelong learning will be critical – learning is a not a terminal process but a lifelong commitment. It is also not a commodity but rather a right that leads to both personal growth, civic engagement and societal benefit.

What do you do in your role?

I have been in the Division of Extended Education for almost 10 years and have served as Associate Dean since January 2017. In my current role as Acting Dean I will be overseeing a transformative period in the Division’s history (established in 1949). We have been working with a number of national and international post-secondary continuing education organizations as well as government agencies to ensure our strategic direction is aligned with regional and global trends. This includes developing a robust strategic plan to develop authentic short cycle learning in the form of micro-credentials and related digital university credentials. The next few years will be exciting as we work with the university to not only build a Division with a strong national continuing education identity but also help enable a broader lifelong learning strategy within the University of Manitoba. I look forward to working with many of my colleagues from other UM faculties, schools, colleges, and units in the coming months and years on a number of diverse programs that extend the possibilities of existing ideas – from the ethical use of artificial intelligence, principles of environmental sustainability, inclusion of indigenous worldviews, to social justice and civic engagement programming. In summary, I am privileged to serve the Division and the University in this capacity.

How would you describe the Division of Extended Education?  

As a university continuing and extension unit, the Division’s mandate is to develop and deliver upskilling, reskilling, and social innovation courses and programs. The aim is simple – to build on existing professional experience and university education of learners to try and close the skills gap in our province. We currently serve and support a diversity of “non-traditional” learners; approximately 2,500 students enrolled in part-time or full-time intensive continuing education programs. Currently the Division also offers a range of professional higher education programs (i.e., Centre for Higher Education Research and Development, CHERD) as well as pathways/supports for university students (e.g., General Studies and the Access Programs).

Where is your Happy Place and why?  

I have a fondness for the outdoors. This was one of the main drivers in me seeking a Master’s and Ph.D., studying forest ecosystems – from old growth interior Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var glauca (Mayr) Franco) forest stands to the fascinating clonal biology of aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.). During this period, I was lucky to work for Parks Canada as a researcher and call “home” many places others would consider outdoor destinations. One location comes to mind – Cory Pass loop trail which is a stunning 15 km difficult hike located a few kilometers north-west of Banff Town site. The trail starts off in an open aspen – Douglas-fir mixed stand before ascending nearly 1,000 meters to a subalpine lookout scattered with the threatened Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis Engelm) … well over 500 years old! I had two study plots near this trail. Ideal time is early September where the distinctive smell of conifer tannin, pine resin and a multicolored deciduous aspen canopy is truly a soul recharging experience – at least for me.

“Dr. Torrie is a perfect fit for our team,” said Dr. Jochelson. “She is a dynamic, award winning teacher with high standards, and she understands how important it is for our students to live up to professional standards in order to develop the requisite skills for the practice of law. She is also a critical thought leader and is committed to pursuing, with unflinching efforts, our need to live up to the promises we have made as a Faculty towards truth and reconciliation.”

The new Dean also looks forward to working with the Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies on chairing the Faculty’s Strategic Planning Committee in addition to developing a new set of Master of Laws degree programs.

“Dr. Short has done fantastic work in enhancing the quality of our graduate program,” said Dr. Jochelson. “He is also an award-winning researcher and is exceptionally well positioned to draw on his depth of experience in developing new graduate opportunities including course-based and clinical offerings. Moreover, as a long-term Faculty Member he possesses the institutional wisdom needed to help with our strategic plan. Further, he has been at the leading edge of seeking equality for those excluded and marginalized by law and society.”

Dr. Torrie, who received both tenure and promotion to Associate Professor earlier this year, brings to the office of Associate Dean (J.D.), a dedicated interest in improving methods of teaching and learning. Having completed a Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education from the University of Manitoba, she has used blended learning and interactive teaching strategies to promote classroom engagement in all her courses and is dedicated to trying new and innovative teaching methods and approaches with the twin purposes of making learning both effective and enjoyable. Her skills are well-recognized and she is the recipient of several awards, including the Faculty of Law’s Barney Sneiderman Award for Teaching Excellence in 2017 and the University of Manitoba Merit Awards for Teaching in 2018 and Service in 2019.

As Associate Dean of the Juris Doctor program, she will be fostering student professionalism and developing an evolving curriculum that will involve strides towards Indigenization of the curriculum, refining our clinical offerings and strengthening the private enterprise curriculum of the Faculty.

“I’m delighted to be stepping into the role of Associate Dean (Academic – JD Program) on July 1st, 2021, and working alongside Dean Richard Jochelson and Associate Dean (Research) Donn Short in the years ahead,” said Dr. Torrie of her next role.  “At the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Law we are fortunate to attract bright, talented and collegial students year after year, and I look forward to enhancing their academic and clinical experiences in the JD program, and supporting them as they prepare for their future career paths.”

Recognizing the work already cut out for her in this new position, Dr. Torrie continued, “One of the immediate challenges as Associate Dean (J.D.) will be continuing to monitor public health advice and University policies relating to the pandemic as these affect teaching and learning at the Faculty of Law. The situation is fluid, and we will need to be both sensible and nimble in how we respond and adapt to the changing situation.”

Dr. Torrie holds J.D. and LL.M. degrees from Osgoode Hall Law School of York University, and a Ph.D. from Kent Law School, University of Kent.  As an expert in Bankruptcy and Insolvency Law, her area of research focus includes the history of Canadian business restructuring from the Great Depression through to the 21^stCentury. To learn more about her research, please visit her profile page on the Faculty of Law website.

Dr. Donn Short is the author of numerous books dealing with bullying in schools, including Don’t Be So Gay!, Am I Safe Here? and the forthcoming Making the Case, all published by UBC Press. Dr. Short has received a number of university merit awards for his research, teaching and service. He was the winner of the 2016 Rh Institute Foundation Award for Outstanding Contributions to Scholarship and Research in the Social Sciences at the University of Manitoba.

“Robson Hall is a place that allows faculty to grow and develop their research alongside supportive colleagues and students,” said Dr. Short. “I have a lot of optimism for the future working as a team with Dean Richard Jochelson and Associate Dean Virginia Torrie.”

Dr. Short received his JD from UBC (Raymond Herbert Award Best All Round Graduating Student) and his PhD from Osgoode Hall. Dr. Short has been a member of the Manitoba Human Rights Commission and is the founding editor-in-chief of the Canadian Journal of Human Rights. He is the Executive Director of the Legal Research Institute at the University of Manitoba. Please learn more about Dr. Short’s work on his profile page on the Faculty of Law website.

Dr. Jochelson was announced as Dean of the Faculty of Law along with a number of other University of Manitoba faculties at the end of June. He begins his five-year term on July 1, 2021. Professor Jochelson holds a PhD in law from Osgoode Hall at York University, a Masters in Law from University of Toronto, and a Law Degree from University of Calgary (Gold Medal). He taught criminal and constitutional law at the University of Winnipeg for ten years prior to joining the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Law in 2016.

Dr. Jochelson’s area of research focus includes regulation of sexuality and other expression, socio-legal governance of harm and precaution, policing and police powers, surveillance and security in legal decision-making, the criminal and constitutional jurisprudence of the Supreme Court of Canada, jury law, disability and the criminal law, regulation of sexuality and other expression, socio-legal governance of harm and precaution, and empirical analyses of legal decision makers.

He is one of the co-founders of the legal blog Robsoncrim.com. The blog contributes to legal education at Robson Hall, providing reflections on current issues in criminal law through its Blawg program, through special events, and through its annual peer reviewed journal (a special edition of the Manitoba Law Journal). Dr. Jochelson has published numerous peer-reviewed articles and co-authored and co-edited an increasing number of books and volumes dealing with obscenity, indecency, judicial activism, police powers, criminal justice pedagogy and curriculum development, empiricism in criminal law, green criminology and conceptions of judicial and jury reasoning. He is a member of the Bar of Manitoba. Please read more about Dr. Jochelson at his profile page on the Faculty of Law website.

David Asper, Q.C.,

Mr. Asper received his BA and an honorary degree from UM, a Juris Doctor from the California Western School of Law and Master of Law from the University of Toronto. He has served as an assistant professor and sessional lecturer in our Faculty of Law, and has also taught at the Bora Laskin School of Law at Lakehead University, and at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University.

His passion for truth and justice propelled him as a criminal defence lawyer and litigator to tirelessly work to free the wrongfully convicted David Milgaard. Outside the courtroom, he has shown himself to be an advocate and conduit for social change and civic progress through his commitment to philanthropy and community organizations. As such, he has been recognized with numerous honours, including the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 and the Sol Kanee Distinguished Community Service Medal in 2018.

UM is honoured to have Mr. Asper serve in this acting role in one of Canada’s oldest law schools, where he will surely inspire the next generation to pursue truth, justice and the betterment of all.

In June, O’Hara was appointed Vice-Provost (Libraries) and University Librarian. UM Today spoke with the self-described “metadata geek” about her vision for UM Libraries to “bring the world to the University and the University to the world” in a rapidly changing information environment, enjoying the rhythm of the academic year and accomplishing more by working together. And, of course, her favourite books.

What do libraries bring to their communities today?
We are experts at collecting, organizing and sharing information and resources – and we use these skills and our collections to support students and faculty in many ways. The new Learning at the Libraries webpage, for example, helps new students get started on papers and assignments. We also help faculty create research data management plans for research grants and to improve the research process. Libraries are where our community needs us, when they need us. We have 11 libraries across both campuses and three new book-holds lockers (in University Centre, Faculty of Education and Brody Centre) and our website provides access to millions of electronic articles and ebooks, as well as subject guides, video tutorials and much more.

What is your vision for UM Libraries and where they can go?
UM Libraries bring the world to the University and the University to the world. We make it easier for our community to get and use the information and resources they need for their research, teaching and learning – and then we make it easier for them to share their results. It’s a rapidly changing information environment; we are experts at navigating it and helping the community navigate it. So, where can Libraries go? We can go wherever that navigation need is, whether helping to create open educational resources to save students money, making datasets available to fulfill granting agency requirements, or getting unique materials from other institutions for a researcher’s needs.

What do you enjoy about the university environment?
I love the rhythm of the academic year and working in an environment that is so charged with new ideas. Almost every day I hear someone talking about something that they are passionate about and that makes my work fulfilling and makes this a great place to be.

With your depth of experience, what unique perspective do you bring to your new role?
I think my experience working in centralized services has led me to see things as part of a bigger picture; I am a firm believer that a rising tide lifts all boats and that we accomplish far more by working together. I think that this viewpoint has helped me work with colleagues to accomplish a lot throughout my career and I hope it will serve me well in this role.

Can you say a little about your academic background and interests.
I have an English degree from the University of Manitoba and a Masters in Library and Information Science from the University of Toronto. Recently I took part in an international research project on how libraries can better support Indigenous faculty and researchers, something I’d like to continue. And I’m still a metadata geek, and have been getting really interested in using wikidata to make our digital and archival collections more visible to the world.

What drew you to the profession?
I have always been a huge reader and have used libraries everywhere I’ve lived, so that drew me to librarianship. Once I was in the profession, I found that I was really interested in the technical side of librarianship and spent quite a bit of my career working with metadata and MARC and XML coding.

What pursuits do you enjoy beyond academia?
My family is most important to me, and I also have a large extended family and enjoy spending time with them. I am a runner, and, although I can’t say I always enjoy it, I usually run a half marathon or two each year with my running buddies. We aren’t fast but we are persistent!

Credo or guiding principle?
The best piece of advice I have ever gotten was “if you make a decision and it doesn’t work out, make another decision.” It has made it at a lot easier to make some decisions realizing that while I may not get the chance at that same decision again, there is almost always an opportunity to make another one.

It would be remiss of us not to ask for a favourite book.
That is probably the hardest question to answer! I honestly can’t say I have a favourite book, but I recently read White Fragility (Robin DiAngelo), and it gave me a lot to think about. I also read The Mars Room (Rachel Kushner) and couldn’t put it down. I love police procedurals and am looking forward to reading the next Harry Bosch novel. And I have my former colleague Jim Blanchard’s new book A Diminished Roar on my to-read list!

Dean Michael Yellow Bird, Faculty of Social Work

Dr. Michael Yellow Bird, a celebrated scholar, author, inspirational teacher and passionate advocate for decolonization, Indigenous social innovation and creativity, and institutional and environmental systems change, has recently been appointed as the Dean of the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Manitoba.

Prior to his most recent academic appointment, Dr. Yellow Bird was a Professor of Sociology and Director of Indigenous Tribal Studies at North Dakota State University. He is a citizen of the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold reservation in North Dakota and identifies as Arikara (meaning “The People”) and Hidatsa (meaning “Willows”). 

What unique perspective do you bring to the faculty/university?
Without knowing all the other perspectives of others at our university, it’s difficult to say, with assurance that my perspectives are unique. Now, I can tell you that I’m interested in decolonization as an event and process and how the term is conceptualized, operationalized, and often misused as a metaphor rather than a set of discernible actions that address colonialism and serve the needs and goals of Indigenous Peoples. I’m especially interested in a neurodecolonization paradigm (which I’ve created) that examines how a number of ancestral Indigenous approaches can be integrated with Western evidence-based science and used to heal the body and the mind from the traumas of colonization. In my current work, I have identified ten critical areas often overlooked by social work scholars, educators, researchers, and practitioners when working with Indigenous Peoples: movement, microbiome, genetic, and mindfulness science; sleep and circadian science, collectivism and laughter science; and neuroscience.

I see the world we live in as one of the opportunities that are created when one engages in a truly holistic approach to life. For me, it means that every day I make sure that I spend quality time with my family, get abundant levels of exercise and engage in mindfulness meditation practices. I play my saxophone every day, learning new songs and complex patterns. I focus on eating a healthy ancestral diet, getting enough sleep, and learning something new, which often means I am watching science and educational TED talks and YouTubes with my four young daughters and then discussing their relevance to the well-being of society. For me, being resilient, productive, creative, and happy does not appear out of thin air; thus, it’s important for me to connect with new and old acquaintances and to make time to celebrate, dance, sing, smile, and laugh. I strive to keep people healthy and connected and encourage well-being and positivity. I make sure there are healthy links and a strong sense of community building within the University and beyond. I believe that in order for me to be happy and resilient, I have to make sure that my workplace, where I spend a good part of my time, is a strong, connected, resilient, and healthy organizational community.

What is your vision for the Faculty?
I want our faculty to be recognized as, and have the attributes of, a world-class social work faculty that draws the best of the best scholars and students having the most unique and effective curriculum that generates new post-social work theories. In my vision, our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community have the capacity, creativity, and “rage to master” the most difficult challenges that lay before society. We have the skills and knowledge to create positive, dynamic changes in society that are appropriate, timely, and measurable. For instance, I believe that within one generation, using exciting, novel approaches that we create, we can be part of an effort to reduce the number of Indigenous suicides and children in care by 95 percent. I envision our faculty producing the best of the best students and having the ability to dramatically and measurably decolonize the way we think, behave, and the way we respond to the world around us.

My goal is to elevate our faculty to be known for our exceptional research, teaching, and service excellence. We will be able to both qualitatively and quantitively measure the direct impact that our teaching and research have on the health and well-being of the community. We will be using dynamic interdisciplinary approaches, principles, and technologies that incorporate a post-social work hybrid paradigm that integrates Indigenous sciences and ways of knowing with Western sciences. I want to draw on technologies from other disciplines to begin to change the thinking and intellectual and philosophical environment of social work and create a culture of creativity and innovation. For example, one vision may be for our faculty to have the capacity to use artificial intelligence (AI) and predictive analytics to develop new approaches that will enable us to further identify the diseases and risks of poverty, racism, colonization, violence against women, homelessness, and suicide, among other critical factors that need resolution. Another may be using people analytics to improve relationships and connections between colleagues for the purpose of creating a greater intellectual synergy. I’m an optimist and believe that transformation is one breath away, one extra mile, or just more one more attempt. Since I arrived, I have already begun working with one of our faculty members to complete a linear equation to operationalize decolonization that I’ve been sitting on for the past ten years. I think it holds great promise, and, as far as I know, no one else has used such an approach to conceptualize and operationalize decolonization.  

I also committed to the creation of an Institute for Mindful Decolonization (IMD) that will bring together interdisciplinary scholars who are interested in using novel mindfulness and contemplative approaches to decolonize and address trauma, suicide, heart disease, and other conditions that have been exacerbated by the past and continuing effects of colonization.

What pursuits do you enjoy beyond academia?
It seems that almost everything in life is academic for me. It’s difficult for me to distinguish between work and play since I equally apply my intellect and critical thinking skills in both domains. I enjoy being active adding or subtracting from my daily routines. For instance, I call myself an intermitted fasting activist and I’m big on ancestral lifestyle approaches and every day I engage in different forms of fasting. I also spend a lot of time reading in areas outside of social work and work on applying relevant principles and processes to my own work, which I find thrilling and satisfying when I am to connect the dots between two seemingly different disciplines. I run every day, do a lot of weightlifting, and swim off and on. I also play tenor saxophone and enjoy listening to all types of music, especially jazz, which I grew up with. My father was a jazz and big band musician. As a father, as I said earlier, I love spending time with my daughters hearing their thoughts and analyses of the worlds they live in. I also do a lot of meditation; I meditate several times for about five minutes per session. I love to take slow, deliberate walks in-between meetings and tasks to lower my cortisol and create the conditions for the “aha” moments.

What would you consider your guiding principle in life?
Cooperation between humans can solve the most complex and troubling diseases, social conditions, wars, and planetary challenges. Humans have tremendous capacities for love, compassion, and healing, but it is cooperation that makes these possible and lasting. We have untapped abilities to do good that bring about societal transformation. But, we also have dark tendencies like hate, mistrust, and fear. My guiding principle has pressed me towards understand the balance between the positive and negative and finding the good and negative in both. I gravitate more towards the idea that despite the fact that human nature can have its drawbacks or its shadow side, we have evolved to the stage where we can be very enlightened, resourceful, and compassionate beings. We have tremendous plasticity in our brains, cells, genes, language, and culture, along with the ability to adapt to challenging conditions. Our ancient ancestors passed this ability on to us. We have the power to create and sustain positive change, especially if we cooperate.  

Edward Jurkowski

Dr. Edward Jurkowski, a strong leader and passionate advocate for music and the arts, has been appointed Dean of the Desautels Faculty of Music, effective January 1, 2019.

Dr. Jurkowski received his undergraduate degree in musical composition from the University of Manitoba before earning his doctorate in music theory from the University of Rochester. For the past 22 years he has served the University of Lethbridge, most recently as its Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts—home to the department of music. He has disseminated his research in several books, journals, and conferences and his teaching excellence has been recognized by two Distinguished Teaching Award nominations. Dr. Jurkowski has garnered the reputation of being a valued collaborator and a strong administrator.

During his tenure at U of L, Dr. Jurkowski held several administrative roles and served on various university-wide committees. Outside of the academy, he has served as President of the Canadian University Music Society, Chair of the Standing Committee of Institutional Members of MusCan, and is currently Vice-Chair of the Canadian Association of Fine Arts Deans.

The University of Manitoba is pleased to welcome Dr. Jurkowski back to Winnipeg, and looks forward to the Faculty’s promising future under his leadership.