Shaping conversations, inspiring connections: meet Dr. Gabriela Kurtz

The School of Communication is delighted to welcome Dr. Gabriela Kurtz as an Assistant Professor. Since joining UFV in August 2025, Dr. Kurtz has brought with her not only a wealth of academic expertise but also a teaching philosophy centered on empathy, curiosity, and innovation.

Her career spans both Brazil and Canada, with experiences in teaching, research, and mentoring that have shaped her passion for communication, media, and culture. We sat down with Dr. Kurtz to learn more about her journey as an educator, her inspirations, and the message she hopes to share with students and the wider community.

College of Arts – Welcome to the College of Arts! Could you start by sharing a bit about your journey as an educator?

Gabriela – My love for teaching started in a rather unconventional way – necessity. At 18 years old, I enrolled in the Social Communications course with an emphasis on Advertising at the Pontifical Catholic University in the South of Brazil. To help pay for my tuition, I worked as an English teacher, and that ignited my passion for the profession. Even though it was a difficult journey, going to the classroom and helping students find their way into loving English was like fuel for me to keep going. I knew I did not want to work in conventional advertising agencies, and pursuing a teaching career seemed only natural. With a set goal in mind, I rushed through my Master’s and PhD degrees and finished when I was 28 years old.

When I moved to Canada in 2022, my idea was to take a break from teaching – I had been an Adjunct Professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul for 6 years, and I thought I wanted to try something else. However, the call for teaching was too strong. When evaluating work opportunities, I was magnetically drawn to being an instructor again. A colleague of mine once said that being a teacher means we never age – as we stay in the same place as mentors, we witness students start as little hatchlings and grow into birds capable of flying longer distances than we ever imagined. They move forward as we wave and stay behind – proud and inspired by them. I guess I did not want that feeling to fade, and that is why the profession always finds its way back to me.

I found amazing opportunities to teach Marketing here in Canada at respected institutions such as Langara College, Douglas College, and University Canada West. However, I always wanted to go back to my original field – Communications. That is what led me to pursue my career at the University of the Fraser Valley. I am really excited to go back to my roots and learn from everyone!

I define my teaching style as empathetic. I understand students come from different backgrounds, and we never know what battles people are going through. Students learn better when they are able to establish a connection with their teachers and peers, and all my efforts go towards understanding how that connection can be made in the best way possible. That includes always striving for the most innovative methods of teaching, using active methodologies, and making the most of the latest tools available.

College of Arts – What inspired you to specialize in your field?

Gabriela – My fields of specialization are Social Media, Game Studies, and Gender Studies. What inspired me the most was the curiosity to learn more about how society uses those affordances (SNS and games), how they give meaning to technology, and what cultural implications are to be observed. I’ve examined several different phenomena, such as violence against women in video games, fan cultures, reality shows, and political and sports repercussions on social media, and I am always surprised at how people connect in those spaces and what it means for us as a society. As online and offline spaces are now completely intertwined, we can no longer ignore the impact that technology has on shaping our ideas and actions – and I find it fascinating.

College of Arts – What do you hope your students take away from your classes?

Gabriela – I hope that they can apply what they learned in class in the real world. I hope that, when they face a tough situation, they can remember what we discussed and practiced, and they can find the best solution. And more than just learning technical skills, I hope they are equipped with soft skills, which are the most important, especially in the age of AI. I place great emphasis on critical and ethical thinking, and group work – we can only build a better place if we are able to connect and reflect on our actions.

College of Arts – Reflecting on your career so far, what has been the most rewarding aspect of being an educator?

Gabriela – The most rewarding aspect of being an educator is when I meet a student and they tell me they are thriving – whether in their dream job, as entrepreneurs, or just living their lives in general. One example of this was when I taught a section called Digital Project in Advertising in Brazil. I developed the class in a way that students would have the chance to apply what they learned while fostering their entrepreneurial spirit. Students had to come up with a social media page (could be on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and so on) about a relevant topic and manage and create content for three months. They could choose any theme they wanted, but it had to solve a problem a user had.

In 2019, I had a really successful group that created a page about the troubles of living alone. They created great content, and they chose to continue working on the page after the course was over. Now, after graduating, they still run the page and have opened a business based on it. They frequently collaborate with brands in Brazil and have more than 100k followers. I cannot help but feel proud of their achievement, while also acknowledging that I played a great part in it.

College of Arts – If you could leave a lasting message or piece of advice for your students and community, what would it be?

Gabriela – Keep on questioning – the only way to become a better person and transform the reality around you is by studying and being curious. Also, we are never alone – working together and learning from each other is key to evolution as a society. The more knowledge and connections you have, the more you can make intelligent decisions and act for real change.

 

Dr. Gabriela Birnfeld Kurtz’s story is a testament to resilience, curiosity, and the transformative power of teaching. With a background that bridges global experiences, innovative research, and empathetic pedagogy, she brings a perspective that is both grounded in rigorous scholarship and attuned to the realities of a changing world. As she continues her journey at UFV, students and colleagues alike will benefit from her dedication to questioning, connecting, and inspiring meaningful change through communication.