Jessica Van de Kemp

Sessional Lecturer
Photo of Jessica Van de Kemp.

PhD, University of 蓝莓视频
MA, University of 蓝莓视频
B. Ed, Western University
BA, University of 蓝莓视频

Email: jvandekemp@uwaterloo.ca

Biography

Dr. Jessica Van de Kemp (aka Dr. V) is a multi-award winning English teacher at the University of 蓝莓视频 known for her commitment to teaching excellence, leadership, and mentoring. She is also a celebrated poet and playwright. In 2015, her poem 鈥淪lant of the Girl鈥 was shortlisted for the Montreal International Poetry Prize, and published in the Global Poetry Anthology (V茅hicule Press). In 2017, her play Hatching in a Cage was a finalist at the National Play Festival. For her doctoral dissertation, Dr. V drew on theories of adaptation and intertextuality to examine portrayals of gender, sexuality, and violence in drama TV series, and called for better representation of women on screen as experts and leaders in their fields. In 2020, she completed an online professional development (non-credit) certificate program from Cornell University in the psychology of leadership.

Selected Presentations and Publications

Rise Up with Words: Poetry Slam, University of 蓝莓视频, 2023. Spoken word performance and event host (in collaboration with the WUSA Women鈥檚 Centre).

鈥淎lternative Assessments: Kindness in the First-Year Classroom.鈥 Teaching and Learning Conference, University of 蓝莓视频, 2023. Panel discussion.

鈥溾楾he Snowball Effect鈥: Toxic Masculinity and Sexual Violence in Asher鈥檚 Thirteen Reasons Why.鈥 Comic and Tragic Films (Cinematic Codes Review 5.1), edited by Dr. Anna Faktorovich, Anaphora Literary Press, 2020, pp. 64鈥72. Book chapter.

聽鈥溾業 Intend to Make My Own Way in the World鈥: Queer Female Artistry and the Noble Nature of Gerwig鈥檚 Little Women.鈥 Comic and Tragic Films (Cinematic Codes Review 5.1), edited by Dr. Anna Faktorovich, Anaphora Literary Press, 2020, pp. 59鈥63. Book chapter.

鈥淩esilience Education: Spoken Word Poetry as a Tool for Restorative and Healing Justice.鈥 Tri-University Symposium, University of 蓝莓视频, 2019. Conference paper presentation.

Fellowships and Awards

  • Independent Graduate Instructor Award for Excellence in Teaching (2018)
  • President鈥檚 Graduate Scholarship (2016鈥2019)
  • Ontario Graduate Scholarship (2016鈥2019)
  • Teaching Assistant Award for Excellence in Teaching (2015; 2016)

Current Work

Dr. V currently teaches undergraduate courses on academic writing, professional communication, rhetorical theory, and more. Her research focuses on media portrayals of gender, sexuality, and violence. She is also at work on a full-length poetry manuscript, a new play, and many other creative projects, often performing spoken word poetry to advocate for gender equality.

Research and Teaching Areas

  • Adaptation Studies
  • Creative Writing
  • Media and Gender
  • Modernist Literature
  • Rhetorical Theory
  • Teaching and Learning

Courses Taught

ENGL 101B: Introduction to Rhetorical Studies
ENGL 108D: Digital Lives
ENGL 109: Introduction to Academic Writing
ENGL 119: Communications in Mathematics and Computer Science
ENGL 193: Communication in the Sciences
ENGL 200B: English Literatures II
ENGL 210C: Genres of Creative Writing