Dr. David Kootnikoff, Instructor of English, Faculty of Arts & Science

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I’m originally from White Rock, BC, a small seaside community about an hour south of Vancouver, where I received a BA in English and an MFA in Creative Writing from UBC. In between, I moved to Japan and then Hong Kong to teach and work as a journalist. While there, I started a family, published a few books, and received two MAs in Applied Linguistics and in Journalism and Media Studies from the University of Hong Kong. In 2011, we moved to Edmonton, where I pursued a PhD in English at the University of Alberta with a specialization in Canadian and Indigenous literatures. In 2022, I was looking to relocate from Hong Kong, and I applied for a term position in the English department at the University of Lethbridge when it became available.  

How long have you been at ULethbridge and what do you do here?

I’ve been here for just over two years, and I research the space where settler epistemologies and Indigenous Ways of Knowing meet in the form of stories, sometimes written, sometimes spoken. I’m currently at work on a novel based on my family’s experiences as Sons of Freedom Doukhobors. I also teach Creative Writing and literature with a focus on contemporary texts and contexts.

What's the best part of your job?

I love interacting with my colleagues and students in and outside of the class. One initiative I’m involved in with colleagues from the departments of English, Indigenous Studies, and the Library is the Indigenous Writers Series, where we invite Indigenous authors to campus to share their work with students and faculty in formal and informal settings. I also host a monthly Open Mic, an online creative writing zine, The Write Stuff, and have participated in the Word on the Street Literary Festival here in town. I’m currently organizing a few short story competitions, one with Chancellor Terry Whitehead, “Chasing the Muse: A Short Story Slam,” and another related to children, youth, and/or childhood, “Tales from Neverland,” with Professor Elizabeth Galway and the Institute for Child and Youth Studies.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I enjoy spending time with family and friends, writing and travelling.