Lecturer Spotlight: Kristi Stewart

Kristi in Greece

Kristi Stewart, Ed.D

Dearborn Language, Culture, and Communication Dept.

What is your specialization or area of research?

I am a King Chávez Park Faculty Fellow in the department of Language, Culture, and Communication at Dearborn. I am a digital storytelling and literacy practitioner; and in this context, I conduct research around “glocal” literacy, transnational course collaboration and design, and critical and discomforting pedagogies as methods to reshape and decolonize writing curriculum. I have authored research grants, peer-reviewed and refereed articles, and book chapters in these areas. I was also the recipient of the Collegiate Lectureship Teaching Award (2022) for the outstanding teaching of writing.

I’ve also just been awarded a Fulbright to teach undergrad and graduate students in the Department of Social and Educational Policy at the University of the Peloponnese in 2023!

Where can we find more info about you?

More info and links to many publications can be found HERE and includes things like:

Motala, Siddique & Stewart, Kristian. (2021). Hauntings Across the Divide: Transdisciplinary Activism, Dualisms, and the Ghosts of Racism in Engineering and Humanities Education. Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education. 21. 1-17. 10.1007/s42330-021-00153-7.

Gachago, Daniela & Stewart, Kristian. (2020). Response-able digital storytelling to reimagine higher education classroom practices. 10.4324/9781003028468-10.

Stewart, Kristian. (2017). Classrooms as ‘safe houses’? The ethical and emotional implications of digital storytelling in a university writing classroom. Critical Studies in Teaching and Lerning. 5. 85-102. 10.14426/cristal.v5i1.102..

What is something people might not know about you?

My husband accepted a job that took us to Italy after we became engaged. Subsequently, we got married in Italy (Venice) and both of our boys were born in the Italian town where we lived for three years. After that, we moved our family to Germany before returning to the States in 2007. Including Italy and Germany, I've lived in 4 countries outside of the USA. 

Outside of my family, travel is my passion. I have visited 50 countries. Yet, that is only 20% of the world...there is so much more to experience! I love going to places where I don't speak the language and I'm pushed out of my comfort zone. These are the times when I grow as a human, which is both a fundamental and necessary component of my teaching practice. I am proud that through my international partnerships that I have placed a spotlight on the incredible work that lecturers do, adjacent to our important role in the success of the university system. I also feel lucky to work with such talented and hard-working Dearborn students, who continue to inspire my own teaching and personal growth. Additionally, it brings me great professional satisfaction to connect my Dearborn students to the world through the classes I have co-created and instructed with my South African colleagues. I am most proud of my family. I have a wonderful husband (Kirk), and we have two amazing sons. Our Alex is a junior at the University of Colorado (Boulder) where he joined the ski racing club team and German club. Our youngest, Zach, is a 3 sport athlete at Michigan (Ann Arbor--cross country, indoor track, and track). Cheering on my sensational young men in their varied endeavors is my joy--and where you will find me on most weekends. I'm happiest when "The Stewart 4" is together at home or off on another adventure to someplace new in the world.