I suppose you are wondering how I got into this and what qualifies me to help you with your research issue, whatever it might be.

Academic and related experience

I really have been an academic. I have a PhD in Sociology (from the University of Essex in the UK). I held a faculty appointment at the University of Birmingham (UK again, I forgot to leave for a while) and was even the Deputy Head of Social Sciences there.

As I used to tell my students, I know a lot about housework in a way my mother finds totally useless. My doctoral thesis was published as a book. I also published several articles and book chapters that drew on that material. The full list is in my résumé with clickable links to all my publications if you are interested.

I had good teaching reviews. I had the curse of the sensible woman and was sought after for various service things.

But I realized that I wasn’t enjoying the work and decided to do something different.

I came back to Canada and worked for SSHRC for a couple of years. First as a program officer with the Standard Research Grants program, and then as a policy analyst with the Transformation Consultations. That experience really gave me an insight into both the politics of research funding and how a funding agency works.

Since April 2005, I’ve been bringing insights from all of those experiences to my own independent research facilitation practice. Helping social science and humanities academic achieve their research goals.

But that doesn’t really describe it

All of that experience helps but it isn’t the whole picture.

I’ve discovered that I have a talent for seeing things in different ways. Ways that the person I’m working with hasn’t thought of. And that those ways of seeing can help move projects forward.

I don’t follow rules very well. I prefer principles.

I genuinely think that a lot of humanities and social science research is exciting and important. In fact, the disciplines I like working with least are those that are generally regarded as being more useful and more scientific.

I believe that you should be able to earn a living doing something you love and that most academics love research. Or they did before they got beaten down by bad management, bureaucracy, and cynical colleagues.

But the best way to get to know me is probably to subscribe to the newsletter. You will receive a weekly e-mail of relevant information and a free e-book about writing and publishing. There’s a form right over there in the sidebar.

I look forward to working with you.