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Back to the classroom​ – SFU experts available

August 31, 2026

As families and students prepare to shift back into school schedules, experts at Simon Fraser University are available to comment on topics from artificial intelligence (AI) and technology to social media, youth mental health, affordability, school food programs and more. 

SFU experts available 

FAMILIES 

TAMMARA SOMA, associate professor, School of Resource and Environmental Management (Planning); research director, Food Systems Lab   
tammara_soma@sfu.ca   
Expertise: School meals, food security, land-based learning and food literacy, food system planning, community food assessments, community-based food research and youth food movement, healthy food in schools

HALI KIL, assistant professor, psychology 
hali_kil@sfu.ca  
Expertise: Family dynamics, parent-child relationships, helping with first-day anxieties, adjusting to new social environments and academic expectations, fostering coping skills and positive emotional health

ANDREY PAVLOV, professor, finance  
apavlov@sfu.ca   
Expertise: Cost of living, inflation and increased financial pressures on families, housing shortages and affordability challenges in the rental housing market for students

AI AND TECHNOLOGY

STEVE DIPAOLA, professor, School of Interactive Arts & Technology   
sdipaola@sfu.ca   
Expertise: AI in the classroom, AI ethics, AI as teacher collaborators

STUART POYNTZ, professor, director, School of Communication   
spoyntz@sfu.ca   
Expertise: Media literacy and young people, algorithms and media literacy, AI in the classroom, mobile phones, learning and the classroom, community-engaged research, young people and democratic cynicism and activism

STEPHANIE DICK, assistant professor, School of Communication 
sdick@sfu.ca 
Expertise: History and social implications of AI, AI governance, ethics, and regulation, organizational AI adoption and implementation, human-machine intelligence; data, bias, and sociotechnical systems

DAVID MURPHY, lecturer, School of Communication   
david_c_murphy@sfu.ca  
Expertise: Social impacts of media, social impacts of technological developments, media education and literacy

SOGI AND INCLUSION

TJ SALWAY, associate professor, health sciences 
tsalway@sfu.ca 
Expertise: Sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) policies in schools. Leads CARE study looking at lived experiences of teachers in Western Canada in relation to sexual health education

Contact

ROBYN STUBBS, SFU Communications & Marketing    
604.376.0971 | robyn_stubbs@sfu.ca  

Simon Fraser University    
Communications & Marketing | SFU Media Experts Directory    
778.782.3210 

ABOUT SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY   
Who We Are 

SFU is a leading research university, advancing an inclusive and sustainable future. Over the past 60 years, SFU has been recognized among the top universities worldwide in providing a world-class education and working with communities and partners to develop and share knowledge for deeper understanding and meaningful impact. Committed to excellence in everything we do, SFU fosters innovation to address global challenges and continues to build a welcoming, inclusive community where everyone feels a sense of belonging. With campuses in British Columbia’s three largest cities—Burnaby, Surrey and Vancouver—SFU has ten faculties that deliver 368 undergraduate degree programs and 149 graduate degree programs for more than 37,000 students each year. The university has a thriving network of more than 200,000 alumni across the globe.

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