Bryn Skibo, Ph.D.

An editor, writer, and translator (French-to-English) who gets excited every day over the nitty-gritty of language and interpersonal communications.

An engaging university professor and an innovative researcher in American and Indigenous literatures.

 
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Services

Helping you express your ideas succinctly and convincingly to corporate, academic, and governmental audiences.

  • Copy-Writing, Editing, and Translation (French-English)

    • 10+ years freelancing with a variety of clients (IGOs, international corporations, trade journals, boutique finance or technology companies, as well as established national brands).

  • Teaching: Business Communications, University Research and Writing, and Literary Analysis

    • 10+ years teaching university courses in Research and Writing, Literary Analysis, and Business and Technical Communications (including stake-holder and internal communications, inter-cultural communications, crisis management communications, publicity communications, and social media).

  • Writing Workshops

    • I have developed a roster of workshops on research and argumentation and successful teamwork and co-authorship. Send me a message and we can discuss developing a workshop based on your needs.

Résumé

Overall: Whether I’m writing, editing, or teaching, I practice thoughtful, detail-oriented, and streamlined communications for a variety of audiences: students, clients, share-holders, or governments. 

Editing: I have a reputation for fastidious editing that enhances the tone and flow of the original text without losing the author’s voice. My current editorial work, as Senior Book Reviews Editor, can be found in the Book Reviews section of Transmotion, an open-access, peer-reviewed international journal in Indigenous studies. See my “Portfolio” for published translation/editing projects.

Teaching: From private tutor and PhD teaching assistant to post-doctoral researcher and university professor, I have developed over a decade of experience in helping students engage critically and analytically with a variety of English-language literature and research. My goal has always been to help students discover the joy and fulfillment of close analysis and the impact literature of any genre and era can have on how we see, understand, and behave in our societies.

Combining a variety of theories and literary forms, my students develop the skills to read their environments critically and to express their arguments decisively and stylishly.

Experience

Professor
Vancouver Island University
Aug 2023 - Present

Adjunct Professor
Vancouver Island University
Aug 2021 - May 2023

Post-Doctoral Researcher and Instructor
University of Geneva
Aug 2020 - Aug 2021

Ph.D. Research and Teaching Assistant
University of Geneva
Aug 2013 - Aug 2017

Private English Tutor
Sept 2011 - Aug 2017

Writing Lab Monitor
University of Geneva
Sept 2011 - June 2013

Freelance Editor, Writer, Translator
Transmotion - Senior Book Reviews Editor

Devinci, Decathlon, PHYT’s Productions, Nespresso, The International Centre for Sustainable Trade and Development, and more.

2008 - present

Information and External Relations Assistant; Publications Manager
World Trade Organization
Sept 2007 - Feb 2011

Staff Assistant and Legislative Correspondent
United States Capital
June 2006 - June 2007

Education

Ph.D. English Literature
University of Geneva
August 2013 to May 2020

M.A. English Literature
University of Geneva
February 2011 to June 2013

B.A. International Relations; French Studies
American University
August 2002 to May 2006

Delivered BA and MA Seminars

Topics in Speculative Fiction
Spring 2025

Indigenous Apocalyptic Literature
Autumn 2024

Literature and Criticism: Introduction to Animal Studies
Autumn 2023 - Present

University Research and Writing: Indigenous Focus
Autumn 2023 - Present

University Research and Writing
Autumn 2021 - Present

Business and Technical Communications 
Autumn 2021 - Present

Ecofeminism and Vegan Literary Studies (Master’s seminar, co-taught with Prof. Deborah Madsen)    
Spring 2021

Manitous and Totems in the Novels of Louise Erdrich     
Autumn 2016

Multi-Media SciFi I and II
Autumn 2015 - Spring 2016

The Human-Animal Hybrid in Margaret Atwood's MaddAdddam Trilogy
Autumn 2014

Introduction to English Literature – Drama and Poetry (analysis of texts)
Autumn 2015; Autumn 2016

Introduction to English Literature – Narrative Prose and Theory (analysis of texts)
Spring 2014; Spring 2015

A Theoretical Approach to the Animal Other      
Autumn 2013

Workshops

“Books Reviews and Academic and Alt-Ac Editing” – Delivered to PhD Day 2021, hosted by the Conférence Universitaire de Suisse Occidentale (CUSO). https://english.cuso.ch/reports-from-the-field

"Writing the Argumentative Essay" – Delivered to the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies Masters Program, 25 April 2017. 

"Group-Writing the Argumentative Essay" – Delivered to the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies Masters Program, 27 April 2017.

Qualifiers

Tenacious

Team-oriented

Self-motivated

Highly organized

Creative

Languages

English (Native speaker)

French (Fluent)

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Testimonials

Bryn’s diplomacy, intelligence, and team-oriented approach to work contributed greatly to a successful outcome in those projects in which she was involved.
— Keith Rockwell, WTO Spokesman
Bryn was my English tutor from 2011 to 2017. Over the course of our weekly meetings, I was able to greatly expand my knowledge of the English language and literature, as she approached tutoring with dynamism and motivation. She was always appreciative of my work while simultaneously challenging and guiding me to improve it. Overall, I am very grateful for the knowledge and skills that Bryn helped me acquire over the years and hope to use them as much as possible in my further academic life.
— Inga Brynda, B.A. in Economics, University of Lausanne
It was truly a pleasure to be your student. Your classes have shaped me in such unconscious ways, and I still remember so much from your class. It really changed how I looked at food, at animals, and forced me to question what I put in my mouth. I guess it’s a funny thing, really - I never thought a class on the Science Fiction would eventually lead me to become more and more interested in food, animals, and the ethics behind how we treat them. I’ve since taken a number of classes in food and agricultural politics, and I have to say that it was your class on Science Fiction that really sparked my interest in it. It made me stop to think about the food we put in our mouths and the ways we treat our pets and other animals.
— Amanda See, B.A. in Political Science and English Literature at National University of Singapore
I attended Bryn’s literary analysis classes for two semesters. Her dynamism and creativity created a convivial atmosphere and encouraged the students to participate actively in the conversation. As for myself, her valuable advice led me to acquire a more critical approach towards my own writing. Bryn’s humane qualities, as well as her requirements, helped me to progress considerably.
— Joanna Muller, B.A. in English Literature, University of Geneva, 2017; M.A. in Humanités Numériques, University of Lausanne
An anecdote: my first meeting with Bryn was at the beginning of the autumn semester, within a seminar about how to analyze texts. She started off by showing us the opening credits of the TV show “Dexter.” After having settled my puzzlement (I mean, it felt strange to me, in the context of uni), I found myself fighting with the other students to answer Bryn’s questions about how we could analyze the images, sounds, and their meanings. She then made the link between what we had just done and our approach to texts in general. My mind was blown and engaged. I knew I was going to learn a lot with her, which has been the case ever since. Apart from this anecdote, I strongly recommend her: for her devotion to teaching, expressed through her sensitivity, her didacticism, and her enthusiasm.
— Téo Verhoeven, B.A. in English Literature, University of Geneva, 2017; M.A. in English Literature, University of Lausanne

Contact

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