Seniors Program

Our Instructors

Bill Barthelemy
Certificate in the Liberal Arts, Seniors Program
Bill Barthelemy has a PhD from the University of Waterloo. His areas of interest include history of philosophy, logic, philosophy of art, and philosophy of language.
Susan Baxter
Certificate in the Liberal Arts, Seniors Program
Susan Baxter, PhD, is a medical writer and independent scholar. She also teaches in SFU’s Faculty of Health Sciences and has written several books on physiology.
Peter Bietenholz
Certificate in the Liberal Arts, Seniors Program
Peter Bietenholz, professor emeritus from the University of Saskatchewan, is a specialist in Renaissance and Reformation history. His most recent book is Encounters with a Radical Erasmus: Erasmus’ Work as a Source of Radical Thought in Early Modern Europe (2009).
Ted Cohn
Certificate in the Liberal Arts, Seniors Program
Ted Cohn, PhD, is professor emeritus in SFU’s Department of Political Science. He has written extensively on international trade, foreign debt, international development, cross border issues, and global cities.
Liam Cooney
Seniors Program
Liam Cooney has a PhD in archaeology from the University of Durham.
Elijah Dann
Certificate in the Liberal Arts, Seniors Program
Elijah Dann has a PhD in philosophy from the University of Waterloo and a Doctorat en Théologie from the Université de Strasbourg in France.
Harvey De Roo
Certificate in the Liberal Arts, Seniors Program
Harvey De Roo, PhD, is the secretary of the board of City Opera Vancouver. He has taught in SFU’s Department of English.
Joy Dixon
Seniors Program
Joy Dixon, PhD, is an associate professor of history at UBC and a specialist in modern British history.
Greg Dochuk
Certificate in the Liberal Arts, Seniors Program
Greg Dochuk has a PhD in British and European history from Oxford and has taught courses on a wide range of topics in 19th- and 20th-century European history and society.
Earl Drake
Certificate in the Liberal Arts, Seniors Program
Earl Drake is an historian and former Canadian diplomat who spent many years in Asia.
Graham Forst
Certificate in the Liberal Arts, Seniors Program
Graham Forst, PhD, has taught English and philosophy at Capilano University.
James Gifford
Certificate in the Liberal Arts, Seniors Program
James Gifford, PhD, is an assistant professor of English and humanities at Fairleigh Dickinson University and a visiting professor at SFU. He also teaches cultural studies for Athabasca University.
Mark Harris
Seniors Program
Mark Harris, PhD, is a film critic at The Georgia Straight, a playwright, and an instructor in film at UBC.
Mason Harris
Certificate in the Liberal Arts, Seniors Program
Mason Harris, PhD, is professor emeritus in SFU’s Department of English.
Richard Harvey
Certificate in the Liberal Arts, Seniors Program
Richard Harvey is a teacher of literature and a psychotherapist in private practice.
Alvaro Higueras
Seniors Program
Alvaro Higueras holds a PhD in anthropology from the University of Pittsburgh.
Kris Iniewski
Certificate in the Liberal Arts, Seniors Program
Kris Iniewski has a PhD in electronics from Warsaw Technical University. He is an internationally recognized expert in electronic technology.
Hugh Johnston
Certificate in the Liberal Arts, Seniors Program
Hugh Johnston, PhD, is professor emeritus in SFU’s Department of History.
Nicolas Krusek
Certificate in the Liberal Arts, Seniors Program
Nicolas Krusek is a professional musician, conductor, and speaker.
Amy Li
Certificate in the Liberal Arts, Seniors Program
Amy Li is the founder of Freewill International Learning Center, an online learning platform focusing on independent thinking, core humanistic knowledge, and contemporary issues.
David Maxwell
Certificate in the Liberal Arts, Seniors Program
David Maxwell has a PhD in anthropology from the University of Arizona and over 20 years of experience in the field.
Antone Minard
Certificate in the Liberal Arts, Seniors Program
Antone Minard has a PhD in folklore and mythology from UCLA, and currently works with SFU’s Centre for Scottish Studies and the Vancouver Welsh Society.
Malcolm Page
Certificate in the Liberal Arts, Seniors Program
Malcolm Page, PhD, is professor emeritus in SFU’s Department of English.
Tom Poiker
Certificate in the Liberal Arts, Seniors Program
Tom Poiker, PhD, is professor emeritus in SFU’s Departments of Geography and Computing Science. He has also worked at other universities in the US, Australia, New Zealand, Austria and Germany.
Georgia Pomaki
Certificate in the Liberal Arts, Seniors Program
Georgia Pomaki, PhD, is a research scientist specializing in health psychology.
Vendula Ralkova
Certificate in the Liberal Arts, Seniors Program
Vendula Ralkova teaches at Emily Carr University, Focal Point, and Shadbolt Centre for the Arts as she works on personal photography projects.
Neil Ritchie
Certificate in the Liberal Arts, Seniors Program
Neil Ritchie, a former CBC radio producer, has shared the joys of jazz music with thousands of Canadians.
Joe Ronsley
Certificate in the Liberal Arts, Seniors Program
Joe Ronsley has a PhD from Northwestern University and was a professor of English literature at McGill University.
Harold Rosen
Certificate in the Liberal Arts, Seniors Program
Harold Rosen holds master's degrees in education, religion, and philosophy.
Lealle Ruhl
Certificate in the Liberal Arts, Seniors Program
Lealle Ruhl, PhD, teaches political science at Langara College.
Amyn B Sajoo
Certificate in the Liberal Arts, Seniors Program
Amyn B Sajoo, PhD, lectures in the social sciences and humanities at SFU. He has served as an advisor on international human rights with the justice and foreign affairs departments in Ottawa.
Ivan Sayers
Certificate in the Liberal Arts, Seniors Program
Ivan Sayers is an authoritative, entertaining speaker. His collection of period clothing and accessories is one of the finest in private hands across Canada.
David Scherzer
Certificate in the Liberal Arts, Seniors Program
David Scherzer, PhD, specializes in myth, non-realistic fiction, and Romantic literature.
Marina Sonkina
Certificate in the Liberal Arts, Seniors Program
Marina Sonkina is a former professor of literature at Moscow State University.
John Stape
Certificate in the Liberal Arts, Seniors Program
John Stape, PhD, has taught English literature in universities in France, Canada, and the Far East. A biographer of Joseph Conrad, he specializes in modern British literature. He has also reviewed opera, theatre, and classical music events.
Christine Wong
Certificate in the Liberal Arts, Seniors Program
Christine Wong, an EdD candidate, is a Chinese language and culture instructor. She has also worked as an education consultant.
Robyn Woodward
Seniors Program
Robyn Woodward, PhD, is an adjunct professor in anthropology at SFU. She is also a trustee and governor of the Vancouver Maritime Museum and the vice-president of the Institute of Nautical Archaeology.

Teaching Opportunities

Are you a qualified, experienced instructor? Do you have a topic idea that you think would capture the imagination of lifelong learners? If so, the Seniors Program wants to hear from you!

Our program is one of the largest and most successful in North America. Our courses, open to anyone 55+, are academically oriented and intellectually challenging. We do not offer recreational courses.

We enjoy an enrolment of over 2,500 seniors annually. We are also credited with offering some of the most dynamic and wide-ranging courses available in the Lower Mainland.

Successful instructors possess special qualities: intellectual awareness, excitement, flexibility, openness, superior listening skills, and an ability to manage a wide-range of personality types. Instructors come to us because they have a passion for teaching and learning from lifelong learners.

For more information on how to apply for a teaching opportunity with us, please email your CV and proposed course topic(s) to the Seniors Program director, Rosalyn Kaplan, at rkaplan@sfu.ca.