Ursula Anne Margaret Kelly (born 1956) is a Canadian University Research Professor at

Memorial University of Newfoundland Memorial University of Newfoundland, or MUN (), is a Public university, public research university in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, based in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John's, with satellite campuses in Corner Brook ...

Early life and education

Kelly was born in 1956 and raised in

Gambo, Newfoundland and Labrador Gambo is a town and designated place in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Located in the northeastern portion of the island of Newfoundland on Freshwater Bay, it is in Division No. 7. Gambo is the closest town to Mint Brook, t ...

to parents Margaret Waterman Kelly, a teacher, and Andrew J. Kelly. Kelly later created "The Margaret Waterman Kelly Teaching Prize" at

(MUN) in honour of her mother who had attended the institution as a student. Kelly earned three degrees at MUN before enrolling in the

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public university, public research university whose main campus is located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park (Toronto), Queen's Park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded by ...

for her PhD.

Career

After earning her PhD, Kelly moved to

Halifax, Nova Scotia Halifax is the capital and most populous municipality of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the most populous municipality in Atlantic Canada. As of 2024, it is estimated that the population of the H ...

, where she accepted a faculty position at Saint Mary's University from 1988 until 1994 and

Mount Saint Vincent University Mount Saint Vincent University, often referred to as the Mount, is a public, primarily undergraduate, university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and was established in 1873. Mount Saint Vincent offers undergraduate Arts, Science, Edu ...

. In 2001, Kelly accepted a faculty position at MUN and taught Education 6106, a graduate course elective. In 2009, she published ''Migration and education in a multicultural world: Culture, loss, and identity,'' a collection of essays regarding the impact mass migration has on identity displacement, disorientation, and loss. The following year, Kelly published a collection of essays titled ''Despite This Loss: Essays on Place, Culture and Memory'' with Elizabeth Yeoman. Kelly later accepted a Fogo Island Research Fellowship program position to interact with members of Fogo Island and understand their culture and livelihood. In 2018, she co-authored a book with Meghan C. Forsyth titled ''The Music of Our Burnished Axes: Songs and Stories of the Woods Workers of Newfoundland and Labrador.'' The book is a collection of songs, tunes, recitations, poems, and narratives focused on the contributions wood workers had on Newfoundland and Labrador. In the same year, Kelly was promoted to University Research Professor at MUN, the highest academic title a professor could obtain at the institution.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kelly, Ursula 1956 births Living people People from Gambo, Newfoundland and Labrador Canadian women academics Academic staff of the Memorial University of Newfoundland Memorial University of Newfoundland alumni University of Toronto alumni Academic staff of the Saint Mary's University (Halifax) Academic staff of Mount Saint Vincent University