Advisor to the Dean; Assistant Professor and Member of UPEI Indigenous Circle; Doctoral Student at University of Prince Edward Island

BA (Acadia); MCJ (Ottawa); PhD(c) (UPEI)

Mr. David Varis, Peguis First Nation, long-standing Indigenous instructor with the Department of Sociology and Anthropology as well as Saint Thomas University, has been supporting the development of the new Faculty of Indigenous Knowledge, Education, Research, and Applied Studies since inception. Mr. Varis has worked alongside numerous faculty, staff, students and external stakeholders in the implementation of Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action, and continues to introduce more Indigenous knowledge and subject matter for students.

Mr. Varis holds a Bachelor of Arts from Acadia University and a Master of Criminology from Ottawa University, and is a PhD of Educational Studies student at the University of Prince Edward Island. He has spent most of his career with the federal public service leading Indigenous substance abuse research and program development projects for Correctional Services Canada. Current research involves collaboration with Simon Fraser University’s School of Criminology on Indigenous offender risk assessment, and working with the Mi’kmaq Confederacy of PEI’s Indigenous Justice Program. Mr. Varis is also interested in Indigenous narrative expression and production through various multiple media including literature, film, and theatre performance.