Biography

After graduating from the University of Waterloo with a Bachelor of Environmental Studies in 1984, Alan Kirker worked for several years as a law clerk prior to obtaining a Diploma in Graphic Design and Advertising from Conestoga College (Ontario, Canada) in 1990. From there he worked freelance and in-house for several Toronto and southwestern-Ontario advertising and design agencies. In 1994, he opened his own design studio where he entertained clients ranging from school boards, universities to local public sector organizations and a national utility.

In 1999, he joined the staff of the University of Waterloo and assisted with the development of marketing strategies and corporate brand while working on the institution's first iteration of a unified web presence. In 2000 he was seconded to the University's innovative Centre for Learning and Teaching Through Technology (LT3) where he consulted on web designs for learning, usability testing, learning objects and special projects, as well as working with the Centre's six faculty liaisons. Alan then took up residence in the University of Waterloo's Instructional Technologies and Multimedia Services department in 2007. Here he assisted with the production of course content for online delivery using audio and video, producing live webcasts and TV productions, conducting workshops on visual design and related technology topics, and providing support for the University's ePortfolio project, among other duties. In 2017, while working full time, he graduated from the Faculty of Environment’s Master of Environment and Business program (MEB), after completing 3 years of part-time studies. During this period, he earned two consecutive academic achievement awards.

Alan currently works as an independent artist and communicator and continues to host a weekly radio program of experimental soundscapes on the University of Guelph’s campus community radio CFRU FM. He writes Urgent Action letters for Amnesty International and enjoys traveling, experimental film-making, photography, reading and cycling. To find out more about his current interests and projects, visit his website at: alankirker.com