SHAUN LESLIE TURRIFF

8601 Ave. De L’Esplanade, Montreal, QC. H2P 2S1

WORK EXPERIENCE

Ongoing

Freelance Reporter, Pulp and Paper Canada Magazine

• Covering an industry conference as reporter, produced stories for publication on web and in print

Contract Writer A Pass Educational Group

• Prepared test questions according to Common Core State Standards.

March 2011-June 2011

Staff Writer, Arbitrage Magazine

• Producing articles for web-based, student run business magazine

March 2011

Freelance Reporter, Quebec Anglophone Heritage Network

• Producing reports on conference to be used in conference proceedings

EDUCATION

Doctorate in Philosophy, Religion, Concordia University, Montreal, QC (In Progress)

Expected Spring 2014

• Specialization: Catholic Saints in Quebec and Canada.

• Cognate areas: Catholic Saints, Quebec Saints, Catholic Literature, History of the Christian West, Religion and Literature.

Magisteriate in Arts, History and Philosophy of Religion, Concordia University, Montreal, QC

June 2009

• Specialization: Christianity, Hinduism, and Early Buddhist Literature.

• Cognate areas: Catholic Saints, Catholic Literature, History of the Christian West, Biblical and 2nd. Temple Judaism, Indian Religions and History, Religion and Literature.

• Thesis: Early Buddhists and Urban Centers: Narrative Representations of Pataliputra, Rajagrha and Kusavati in the Pali Canon.

Bachelor of Arts, Major: English Literature, Minor: Religious Studies
Concordia University, Montreal, QC

June 2009

LANGUAGES

Modern – Fluent English and spoken French.

Ancient – Basic Sanskrit (Equivalent to 1 year, 6 credit university course), Introductory Latin

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Winter 2012

Part-Time Faculty, Introduction to Christianity, RELI 223, Department of Religion, Concordia University

• Responsible for course design, textbook, and lecture material, delivering lectures, and grading of written assessment and exams.

Fall 2010 and Winter 2011

Part-Time Faculty, Religions of the West, RELI 214, Department of Religion, Concordia University

• Responsible for course design, textbook, and lecture material, delivering lectures, and grading of written assessment and exams.

January 2010-May 2010

Facilitator, Dawson New School, Humanities Worldviews course- Sex and Religion

• Prepared syllabus for learning group in conjunction with student input; prepared and corrected assignments, organized readings, lectures and supervised group discussion

• Taught students competencies such as critical reading and thinking, writing skills

GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIPS

Fall 2011

Teaching Assistant, Religious Imagination, RELI 209

Dr. Mark Lalonde, Instructor, Department of Religion, Concordia University

• Responsible for grading of written assignments and exams, aiding student with course work, writing skills.

June 2010

Teaching Assistant, Center for Teaching and Learning’s Graduate Seminar in University Teaching

Janette Barrington, Instructor, Center for Teaching and Learning Services, Concordia University

• Responsible for proving feedback on student assignments, lecturing on pedagogy and leading seminar discussion

Fall 2008

Teaching Assistant, Religion and Sexuality, RELI 380

Donald Boisvert, Instructor, Department of Religion, Concordia University

• Responsible for grading of written assignments and exams, aiding student with course work, writing skills.

January 2008-Present

Research Assistant, Dr. Leslie Orr, Department of Religion, Concordia University

• Preparation of lists of Indian epigraphy according to location, content, language and date.

Fall 2007

Teaching Assistant, Introduction to Hinduism, RELI 225

Marcel Parent, Instructor, Department of Religion, Concordia University

• Responsible for preparation and grading of written assignments and exams, aiding student with course work, writing skills.

October-December 2007

Research Assistant, Dr. Michel Despland, Department of Religion, Concordia University

• Preparation of bibliography for publication.

2006-2007

Research Assistant, Dr. Donald Boisvert, Department of Religion, Concordia University

• Research on modern Catholic saints who are used as exemplars of purity by the Church.

• Responsible for on-line, archival, database and library research, as well as theoretical preparation.

• Responsible for research reports, research presentations.

AWARDS

November 2011

The Religion and Diversity Project’s Graduate Workshop Series

• Accepted to be a student member of a 7 year Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) funded Major Collaborative Research Initiative (MCRI)

September 2011

Bourse de doctorat en recherche FQRSC

• Awarded over three years ($50,000)

September 2011

Bourses Hydro-Québec de l’Université Concordia

• Awarded over two years ($14,000)

September 2010

Campaign for Concordia Graduate Award, Concordia University

• Awarded over two terms ($5000)

September 2009

Faculty of Arts and Science Graduate Fellowship, Concordia University

• Recruitment fellowship awarded on a competitive basis over three years ($36,000).

PAPERS PRESENTED

February 2013

Annual Graduate Interdisciplinary Conference, Concordia University

• “Towards an “Holistic” hagiography of Brother André: Reading a Saint with Williams and Orsi.”

October 2011

Heritage Lower St. Lawrence

• Invited to present public lecture “Finding Religion in Modern Day Quebec”

May 2011

American Academy of Religion EIR 2011, Syracuse University

• “Saint Frère André: Normative Masculinities in Early 20th Century Québec.”

May 2008

American Academy of Religion EIR 2008, McGill University

• “Urbanization and the Buddhist Self Understanding: Towards a Synthesis of Data.”

February 2008

Concordia Interdisciplinary Graduate Conference, Concordia University

• “Shifting Communities: Major religious change in India’s Second Urbanization.”

May 2007

Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences Congress 2007

• “Teaching Purity: Catholic Saints as Sexual Pedagogues. The Uganda Martyrs and Maria Goretti.”

February 2007

Concordia Interdisciplinary Graduate Conference, Concordia University

• “Criminal Christians: Crime and Punishment in the case of the Ugandan Martyrs.”

EXTRA CURRICULAR EXPERIENCE

December 2011 – Present

Student Representative
Le comité conjoint du programme de doctorat en sciences des religions Concordia/UQAM/Laval

• Represented the interests of Religion Dept. PhD students at the steering committee meeting.

October 2008- November 2009

Co-Chair, Graduate Students Response Committee AAR Annual Meeting 2009

• Organized and chaired meetings, prepared mailing lists and agendas, disseminated information concerning the committee.

• Coordinated three committee members in organizing events for the AAR annual meeting.

April 2008- April 2010

President, Graduate Religion Students Association, Concordia Department of Religion

• Organized social and academic events to improve Graduate student experience within Concordia community.

• Coordinated the activities of three other committee members and oversaw the yearly budget.

January-May 2008

Member- Executive Committee, American Academy of Religion EIR Annual Meeting 2008

• Organized 2 day academic conference for 120 participants.

2006-2007

Public Relations and Communication, Journal of Religion and Culture, Concordia Department of Religion

• Responsible for all communications for JRC, including event planning, subscription services.

2006-Present

Member- Executive Committee, Annual Graduate Interdisciplinary Conference (AGIC), Concordia Department of Religion

• Coordinated conference interaction with other student initiatives and with university administration, responsible for organizing guest speakers, booking conference space and coordinating executive committee.

2002-2003

Public Relations Officer, C.A.S.E (Concordia Association of Students in English)

• Organized various activities for the members.

• Responsible for promoting and advertising events to members.

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

• Canadian Catholic Historical Association (CCHA) – Member since 2010

• American Academy of Religion (AAR) – Member since 2006

• Canadian Society for the Study of Religion (CSSR) – Member since 2006

CERTIFICATION

Spring 2010

Graduate Seminar in University Teaching, Center for Teaching and Learning Services, Concordia University

• 10 week seminar on pedagogy, educational technology, theories of education