5 questions with Neil Surkan, the City of Nanaimo’s new Poet Laureate
December 16, 2024
VIU English Professor Neil Surkan’s love of poetry goes back to when he was a teenager. “Initially, I think I liked the idea of poetry more than I liked the rigour and difficulty and possibility of poems themselves,” he recalls. “But at university, I fell in love with the feeling of being stumped... Read more
5 Questions with Cobus Swarts
October 24, 2024
The deeper Dr. Cobus Swarts immersed himself in mathematics, the more his passion for the subject intensified. Swarts, a VIU Mathematics Professor and Math Learning Centre Coordinator, started as a sessional instructor at VIU in 2009 and became a professor in 2010. Growing up he was always... Read more
5 Questions with Dr. Carolyn Swanson
September 25, 2024
Dr. Carolyn Swanson is a VIU professor and chair of the Philosophy department. She also runs marathons – and she’s fast. Based on her time in last year’s Royal Victoria Marathon, she was invited to run in the Age Group World Championships as part of the Sydney Marathon in Australia on September 15... Read more
5 Questions with Ajay Shrestha
March 19, 2024
Dr. Ajay Shrestha’s interest in computer science began at an early age as he saw firsthand the impact technology had on individuals and communities. Shrestha, a VIU Computer Science Professor, joined VIU in 2022 as a sessional instructor and became a full-time professor within the year. He is also... Read more
5 Questions with Melissa Huggan
May 31, 2023
Dr. Melissa Huggan, a Vancouver Island University (VIU) Math Professor, received the 2022 Kirkman Medal from the Institute of Combinatorics and its Applications (ICA). The award recognizes excellent research by fellows or associate fellows of the ICA early in their research careers. “She is a... Read more
5 Questions with Stephen Hume
January 20, 2023
Stephen Hume, a Vancouver Island University (VIU) Creative Writing and Journalism Professor, received the Bruce Hutchinson Lifetime Achievement Award from the Jack Webster Foundation. The award, which Hume received this July, recognizes the exemplary careers of BC journalists. It is presented to... Read more