Fiona Blaikie

Brock’s new Dean of the Faculty of Education will be Fiona Blaikie, an accomplished educator and 18-year veteran of Lakehead University’s Faculty of Education.

Blaikie is Lakehead’s Interim Director of Undergraduate Programs in Education, as well as president of the Canadian Society for Education through Art and deputy chief examiner of visual arts for the International Baccalaureate Organization.

The appointment is effective Aug. 1, when she will take over from outgoing Dean James Heap. Heap is completing the term he has held since 2005, having overseen major expansion of the faculty.

Blaikie’s extensive research in art education includes more than 20 publications in refereed journals, and presentations or invited addresses to more than 70 conferences, assemblies and workshops. As an author, she has published a book and contributed chapters to six others.

Blaikie said she is excited by the prospect of her new appointment.

“I am honoured and delighted to have been chosen as the next leader of Brock University’s esteemed Faculty of Education,” Blaikie said. “I look forward to working with my colleagues at Brock and with our partners in education as together we create an inspirational vision for the future, influencing education within our community and beyond.”

Blaikie’s multi-disciplined background makes her well suited to carry on the outstanding work of Dean Heap, said Murray Knuttila, Brock’s Provost and Vice-President Academic.

“As an educator she has taught undergraduate methods in art education as well as graduate-level courses,” he said, “and her considerable experience in governance includes serving as chair of several senior university committees and serving on the Lakehead University senate committee. I am convinced she will be very good for Brock.”

Before joining the faculty at Lakehead, Dr. Blaikie (BA, University of Cape Town 1978; MA, University of Victoria 1989; PhD, University of British Columbia 1992) was a sessional instructor at UVic, UBC and Simon Fraser University.

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