Siobhan Oflynn

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT SIOBHAN OFLYNN

Dr. Siobhan O’Flynn, Digital Humanist, Digital Media, Interactive Storytelling, Experiential Strategist. Interim Director, Canadian Studies Program. 20••••25.College Fellow at the University of St. Michael’s College. 20••••30.Massey Junior Fellow. 20••••25.Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Canadian Studies. Certified Life Design Coach, Stanford Life Design 2022.Recipient of the Superior Sessional Instructor Teaching Award, 20••••19, FAS, UofTDr. Siobhan O’Flynn is Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, in the Canadian Studies Program, current Interim Director, and past Director (20••••23). Her interdisciplinary research examines the complexity of contemporary Canadian identity(s) and culture(s), and the potentials, benefits, and dangers of digital media in the Canadian regulatory context. Her published works have addressed the crisis in data privacy for minors in online environments, and theorize new directions in digital storytelling. She is a member of the Decameron Collective, a research-creation collaboration of nine Canadian scholars and artists, with, to date, two virtual galleries, the VR art installation, Memory Eternal (ELO 2023), which won a Digital Humanities Award, and Decameron 2.0 Gallery (ELO 2022), which won Honorable Mention for the Robert Coover Award for a Work of Digital Literature. Her solo digital elegy, Infinite Eddies, was shortlisted for the NMWP Chris Meade Memorial Main Prize 2023 and the NWMP Wonderbox Digital Opening Up Prize 2023 and lauded as an “AI-generated work with true emotional resonance.” O’Flynn’s teaching engages theory in practice, fostering critical perspectives on emergent media through critical making, and through experiential learning opportunities partnered with public and not-for profit organizations. Her mentoring of students through place-based learning investigating Toronto’s intangible cultural heritage culminated in two award-winning Hidden Histories digital projects, or. Dr. O’Flynn’s community engagement includes joining the Kensington Market Historical Society as Directer at Large, and supporting the Chinese Canadian National Council SJ-TO Advisory Board (20••••23) as a member and mentor. Recent local engagements include speaking with community, school, and parent groups on the inadequacy of Canadian privacy laws and the safeguards our federal and provincial governments could enact.