Spotlight on new hires: James McKinnon

“No one just ‘ends up’ at Quest. I’m joining a community of teachers and learners who are making very deliberate, thoughtful choices about what they are doing, where they are doing it, and why.”

James is recognized as one of New Zealand’s most outstanding university teachers. He received teaching excellence awards in 2014 and 2016, and the National Tertiary Teaching Excellence Award in 2017.

James is returning to Canada from Aotearoa, New Zealand, where he worked in the Theatre Programme at Victoria University of Wellington from 2011-17, serving as its director from 2015-17. He taught a variety of courses in theatre and performance studies, and directed student-devised performances investigating topics such as Italian Futurism and medieval liturgical drama. James previously taught at the University of Alberta and Kwandong University in South Korea (2003-04). He is a Senior Fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy.

James’s scholarship reflects his commitment to learning and teaching creative practice.