I am a settler-scholar on the Canadian prairies (photo of Treaty 6 land above). I enjoy the tripartite work I do including teaching, researching, and service to the academic and larger communities I am a part of. I am also a sound artist and do solo or collaborative performances locally, nationally, and internationally.

Teaching in a Nutshell: In the 1990s, I began my career teaching language arts in rural K-12 settings (Peace River, Canada and Nishio-shi, Japan) and continued teaching English to adults and contributing to curricular projects in urban Japan, Korea, and Canada. For my M.Ed, I taught writing workshops and conducted research with K-6 students at an international school in Zagreb, Croatia. Since earning my PhD in Language, Culture, and Teaching (2019), Faculty of Education, at York University in Toronto, I have taught post-secondary courses related to literacy and culture, language acquisition, contemplative education, meditation, art, as well as semiotics and writing. My teaching is multidisciplinary and multimodal with a focus on multiliteracies, communication, and ‘deep listening’. In addition to teaching contracts, I consult on projects that require facilitation, research, program organization and management, grant writing, as well as curriculum review and design.

Tri-Council Research: As principal investigator, I have completed two SSHRC-funded research projects (doctoral and post-doctoral) and am currently working on a SSHRC Insight Development Grant study. The project investigates the intersection of multiliteracies, sound studies, contemplative education, and communities of practice. Along with student research assistants, we use collaborative and sonic ethnographic research methodology with our awesome participants – teachers of sonic literacy/sonic arts in Canadian provinces.  I am grateful to SSHRC for supporting my research projects. Thank you to the Humanities Research Institute at the University of Regina  for hosting me as a guest scholar (2022-2024). Also, as an associate researcher, I am delighted to be a part of a major SSHRC Partnership Grant with  IICSI (International Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation), University of Guelph.

Serving Communities: For the academic communities I am affiliated with, my service activities include reviewing conference abstracts and journal submissions, taking on varying roles on boards and committees, co-organizing academic conferences and wellness retreats, and creating writing spaces and workshops to support graduate students’ endeavors . I also curate and facilitate sonic meditative events for students, faculty, and staff. See events page for current offerings. All are welcome to attend.

Sound Art: As a professional sound artist, I engage in improvisation and collaborations with local, national, and international artists and academics. I have performed at local and international festivals online with The Remotions (a multiplay collective; online improvisation with musicians and artists) and in person with the Earth & Ether Trio (with James Harley & Reza Yazdanpanah).  I also teach the philosophy and practice of gong playing to individuals and small groups. Teaching good vibes and resonant literacy – Ba-ziiing!

Contact Stacey Bliss:

blissresearch@icloud.com

she/her currently living, writing, and teaching on the traditional territories of the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta, which include the Blackfoot Confederacy (comprising the Siksika, Piikani, and Kainai First Nations), the Tsuut’ina First Nation, the Stoney Nakoda First Nation, and the Northwest Métis – Region 3