Linda Carson, MFA, MSc, PhD

Lecturer (2013-2021)

Linda Carson, Ph.D. was a Continuing Lecturer at the Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business and a wonderful colleague and friend to many in the Faculty of Arts and at the University. As a lecturer at the Stratford School, Linda made tremendous contributions to curriculum, teaching and community life. She was best known for her outstanding contributions to interdisciplinary teaching and creative collaboration and is one of the few individuals to be awarded degrees from three different faculties at the University of Waterloo: BMath (1985), BA (Fine Arts, 1990), MSc (Kinesiology, 2004), and Ph.D. (Psychology, 2013), as well as earning an MFA from the University of Saskatchewan (1993). Before joining the Stratford School, she also taught in the Department of Fine Arts, Psychology, the Arts First Program, Knowledge Integration (a program she developed), Independent Studies and WatPD. Linda developed numerous courses designed to assist students with the transition to academia, to enrich existing program offerings, or to provide new opportunities for creative collaboration. She had a passion for improving access for students, especially those from marginalized groups, and was a mentor and advocate for countless students, faculty and staff.

Linda Carson smiling and holding sketchbook

Linda has set up a bequest to the University to establish two new student awards:

  • The Linda Carson Memorial Interdisciplinary Award will be awarded to full-time undergraduate students (from any Faculty) based on the excellence of an interdisciplinary project that has been completed for academic credit.
  • The Belonging Award will be awarded to support students who may feel, for whatever reason, like they do not belong in post-secondary education.

Courses taught

  • DEI 612: Working in Teams 
  • GBDA 404: Extended E-Portfolio 2

Education

  • PhD, (Psychology), University of Waterloo, 2013
  • MSc, (Kinesiology), University of Waterloo, 2004
  • Post-Degree Experience (printmaking & bronze casting), Royal College of Art, 1994
  • MFA (Studio), University of Saskatchewan, 1993
  • BA (Honours Studio), University of Waterloo, 1990
  • BMath, University of Waterloo, 1985

Selected publications

  • Carson, L., Filipowicz, A., Anderson, B., & Danckert, J. (2019). Representational drawing following brain injury. Neuropsychologia, 133, 107154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2019.107154
  • Carson, L., Quehl, N., Aliev, I. & Danckert, J. (2014). Angle-based drawing accuracy analysis and mental models of three-dimensional space. Art & Perception, 2(1-2), 183-212.
  • Carson, L., Millard, M., Quehl, N. & Danckert, J. (2014). Polygon-based drawing accuracy analysis and positive/negative space. Art & Perception, 2(1-2), 213-236.

Presentations and exhibitions

  • Carson, L., Siva, P., Millard, M., & Danckert, J. (Symposium, March 2015; New Perspectives on Representational Drawing: Cognition, Phenomenology and Pathology). Accuracy is not the same as goodness, but it helps. International Convention of Psychological Science.
  • Carson, L., Millard, M., Quehl, N. & Danckert, J. (Invited presentation, February 2013). Drawing accuracy measured using polygons. IS&T/SPIE conference on Human Vision & Electronic Imaging: International Conference on Perception and Cognition for Electronic Media.

Accomplishments

Linda wrote the curriculum for the Bachelor of Knowledge Integration, a distinctive University of Waterloo degree in arts and sciences with a focus on interdisciplinary collaboration. Linda also founded a theatre (which failed), a teaching studio (which thrived) and an art supply store (which is still going strong, in someone else's hands).

Other

Here is Linda's "catch phrase" about creativity...

How to catch a big fish:

  1. Catch a lot of fish.

  2. Throw back all the little ones.


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  Curriculum Vitae