51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏ

issues and experts

51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏexperts available for back-to-school season

August 28, 2025

As students embark next week on a new academic year, faculty at 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏ are available to share their expertise on various related topics.

AVAILABLE 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏEXPERTS

SOGI AND INCLUSION

TRAVERS, professor, sociology and anthropology  
atravers@sfu.ca
Expertise: LGBT children and youth, SOGI policies in schools, transgender and gender affirming healthcare, transgender people and sport participation

TJ SALWAY
, associate professor, health sciences
tsalway@sfu.ca
Expertise: Leads  looking at lived experiences of teachers in Western Canada in relation to sexual health education and sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) policies in schools.


AI AND TECHNOLOGY

STEVE DIPAOLA, professor, School of Interactive Arts & Technology  
sdipaola@sfu.ca  
Expertise: AI in the classroom, Artificial Intelligence (AI), AI ethics, teaching  on stage

STUART POYNTZ, professor, director, School of Communication  
spoyntz@sfu.ca  
Expertise: Media literacy and young people; Algorithms and media literacy; AI in the classroom; Mobile phones, learning and the classroom; Community-engaged research, young people and democratic cynicism and activism.


FAMILIES

ANDREY PAVLOV, professor, finance 
apavlov@sfu.ca  
Expertise: Housing shortages and affordability challenges in the rental housing market for students, cost of living, inflation and how those create additional pressures on families

NEHA SHIVHARE
, instructor, executive leadership, Continuing Studies  
nshivhar@sfu.ca  
Expertise: Using neuroscience-based techniques and mindfulness as a tool to deal with back-to-school anxiety

CONTACT

MATT KIELTYKA, SFU Communications & Marketing 
236.880.2187 | matt_kieltyka@sfu.ca

51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏ
 |  
778.782.3210

ABOUT SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY


51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏis a leading research university, advancing an inclusive and sustainable future. Over the past 60 years, 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏhas been recognized among the top universities worldwide in providing a world-class education and working with communities and partners to develop and share knowledge for deeper understanding and meaningful impact. Committed to excellence in everything we do, 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏfosters innovation to address global challenges and continues to build a welcoming, inclusive community where everyone feels a sense of belonging. With campuses in British Columbia’s three largest cities—Burnaby, Surrey and Vancouver—51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏhas ten faculties that deliver 368 undergraduate degree programs and 149 graduate degree programs for more than 37,000 students each year. The university boasts more than 200,000 alumni residing in 145+ countries. 

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