I work in the Writing and Learning Centre at the University of Alberta, where I work with graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. I meet one-on-one with writers, teach workshops and retreats, and develop programs and online resources. Much of the work involves theses, articles, grant applications, conference presentations, academic integrity, and the practical challenges of planning, sustaining, and finishing large writing projects.
My approach starts with purpose and audience: what is the writer trying to accomplish, and what does the reader need to understand or decide? I read drafts as a reviewer or informed outsider would, identify places where the argument, structure, or presentation may cause problems for the reader, and work with the writer to decide how to address them. The aim is to help writers make better decisions about their own writing, rather than to edit the text for them.
Since 2023, I have also worked on generative AI in academic writing and research. I have developed a six-module Canvas resource, a case-based grant-writing lab, and contributed to the ETHICAL framework for responsible generative AI use in research. My AI projects page has more on this work.
Before moving into writing development, I taught undergraduate sociology at the University of Alberta and Concordia University of Edmonton.