Niigaan Sinclair

Niigaan Sinclair is Anishinaabe from Peguis First Nation. He is an award-winning writer, editor and professor of Indigenous Studies at the University of Manitoba who was named by Maclean’s magazine in 2022 as one of the most influential people in Canada. Niigaan is a multiple nominee for Canadian Columnist of the Year (winning in 2018) and his commentary appears weekly on multiple platforms across Canada – from the pages of The Winnipeg Free Press to TV shows on CBC, APTN and on his co-hosted podcast Niigaan and the Lone Ranger. His first book Wînipêk: Visions of Canada from an Indigenous Centre (McClelland & Stewart, 2024) was a national bestseller that won the 2024 Governor General Award for Non-fiction. He is a former secondary school teacher who won the 2019 Peace Educator of the Year from the Peace and Justice Studies Association based at Georgetown University in Washington, DC.

Niigaan Sinclair will present his keynote address at the opening reception on Tuesday evening.

Melanie Hamilton

Dr. Melanie Hamilton is an Assistant Professor and the Director of the Centre for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) at the University of Saskatchewan. Dr. Hamilton was awarded an ISSoTL Fellowship in 2020. She is currently President of the ISSoTL Board of Directors. Dr. Hamilton has presented extensively both nationally and internationally on a variety of SoTL topics. Her research includes mid-career faculty, early-career SoTL researchers, and SoTL Leadership. She is a registered nurse by discipline and taught in the higher education classroom and clinical setting for over 20 years before transitioning into SoTL programming, development and leadership. Dr. Hamilton currently teaches and supervises students in the Graduate Certificate, Masters, and PhD in the SoTL graduate program.

From Nursing to SoTL: A Journey of Fortunate Events (and the Friends I Met Along the Way)

Most scholars who engage in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) have found SoTL serendipitously. I will explore my transformative journey from nursing to SoTL, emphasizing SoTL’s profound impact on my professional development and educational practices. Through a series of fortunate events and invaluable friendships, I navigated the transition’s challenges and triumphs, becoming an accidental researcher in the process. I will highlight key milestones and collaborative relationships, showcasing how SoTL fosters innovative teaching strategies, enhances student learning outcomes, and promotes reflective practice. Insights into the dynamic interplay between nursing practice and educational scholarship will be shared, illustrating SoTL’s pivotal role in shaping effective educators and enriching academic environments.

Melanie Hamilton will present her keynote address on Wednesday morning.

Julia Christensen Hughes

Dr. Julia Christensen Hughes, PhD, is President and Vice Chancellor of Yorkville University, one of Canada’s largest private universities. A globally recognized innovator in higher education, she is passionate about the transformational power of post-secondary learning to change lives and improve society. Since joining Yorkville in 2022, she has led the development of the university’s Signature Learning Outcomes—a commitment to cultivating ethical, skilled, and socially conscious business leaders, psychotherapists, educators, creative storytellers and designers. Under her visionary leadership, Yorkville has become known for accessible, relationship-rich education, delivered across campuses in Vancouver, Toronto, and Fredericton. The university distinguishes itself through career-focused programs, high-quality faculty, and a strong emphasis on student experience and engagement.

Prior to Yorkville, Dr. Christensen Hughes had a distinguished career in public higher education. She served as President of the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE) and led Teaching Support Services at the University of Guelph. Later, as founding dean of the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics, she advanced a vision of leadership for a sustainable world, earning top 10 global recognition for Lang’s MBA from Corporate Knights. A champion of innovation and academic integrity, she has received numerous accolades, including the 2024 Christopher Knapper Lifetime Achievement Award from STLHE, the John Bell Award for Outstanding Teaching, and the Sheffield Award for research excellence. Her scholarship in the areas of academic integrity and ethical business education to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals has gained media attention and fostered critical conversations across higher education and beyond, including an invitation to address the UN General Assembly.

Julia Christensen Hughes will be presenting her keynote address on Thursday morning.