The Faculty of Education at SFU is pleased to introduce Dr. Suzanne de Castell as the new Dean Pro-tem for a one-year term beginning September 1, 2008. Suzanne brings to the role a combination of academic excellence and administrative knowledge most recently as the Associate Dean, Academic in the Faculty.

Over the years, her research work has focused on gender and educational equity, literacy, and new media for education, with major research projects involving research and development of video-analysis software to study pedagogic interaction, and the development of digital game-based learning environments.

In her new role, she will work on inviting and supporting faculty-wide collaborative research initiatives on education and the environment, including ecological pedagogy, “green” schools, access and equity, sustainable technologies and environmental ethics for education.

“Ours is an outstanding faculty of highly accomplished scholars, researchers and practitioners, and my hope is that working together on what are probably the most urgent and important set of challenges facing teachers, parents, students and communities today will allow us most effectively to weave together our diverse interdisciplinary talents and resources in pursuit of common goals and shared purposes,” explained Suzanne. “A year is a very short time in which to inaugurate Canada’s first “green” Faculty of Education. I hope for nothing less.”

To learn more about Suzanne, visit her research profile at http://www.educ.sfu.ca/research/decaste/