Hollis Schmidt

Hollis Schmidt is a master of arts student in the Criminology program at Simon Fraser University. His thesis explores the experiences of exploitation by former Irish republican revolutionaries during the Troubles through interviews and media analysis. While this may not appear to immediately lend itself to restorative justice, Hollis explores the value of storytelling, respect and emotions within his work. His academic interests include the psychology of interpersonal relationships, LGBTQIA2S+ interactions with the criminal justice system, trauma-informed justice and relationships, leftist and anti-imperialist political violence, qualitative research methods and restorative justice.

As an undergraduate criminology and criminal justice student at the University of Maryland (College Park), Hollis performed research on countering violent extremism within communities, extreme political ideologies, and deradicalization in the United States. He worked on projects at the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), a former Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence, which were funded by government agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security, Domestic Nuclear Detection Office, Food and Drug Administration, and National Institute of Justice. Hollis is also a Canadian Network for Research on Terrorism, Security and Society (TSAS) Junior Affiliate, having attended their summer academy in 2019.

While completing his master’s in Canada, Hollis has been actively involved in civil rights and worker advocacy. He has been a general member with Simon Fraser University’s Teaching Support and Staff Union (TSSU) since September 2018 and continued to stay involved as a shop steward and member of various committees, including Internal Relations, Solidarity and Social Justice Committee, and the Membership Mobilization Committee. Currently, Hollis is serving his second and final term as the TSSU’s secretary. He has also been a teaching assistant for Brenda Morrison and Tania Arvanitidis’s undergraduate Introduction to Restorative Justice course for the past five semesters and prides himself on his tutorial facilitation skills.

When not working, Hollis spends his time playing games (tabletop and video), reading queer literature and Irish history, and writing creatively. He also has a crazy, dog-like orange cat named Jaskier that keeps his hands full with both problems and cuddles.