In memoriam: Dr. Kieran Egan

On May 12, Dr. Kieran Egan, one of the longest-serving members of the Faculty of Education, passed away.

Kieran received his PhD in Philosophy of Education, from Cornell University in 1972, and started as an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education on July 1st, 1973. He was the Co-Director for the Imaginative Education Research Group (IERG) and held the CRC in Cognitive Development and the Curriculum. His areas of interest included educational and curriculum theory, conceptions of development in education, and the way cognitive tools shape our learning and understanding. He was a prolific writer and contributor to educational thought and practice, and his conceptions of imaginative education and learning in depth have transformed global pedagogical practice. Kieran retired as a Full Professor from the Faculty on December 31, 2015, and found time to nurture his own creative instincts, publishing books such as “Amplified Silence” (his first book of poetry), “Tenure” (his first novel, set in part on the SFU and UBC campuses), and “Seven Oaks Ago” (his most recent book of poetry).

Kieran had a profound impact on education and educational practice, and perhaps an even more profound impact on all who had the privilege of working alongside him. He has touched so many of our lives, and he will be sorely missed. At present, we do not have any further details regarding a memorial or tribute.