Sean P Killackey

Sean P Killackey is an Associate Professor at St. Olaf College, specializing in Romance Languages (French). He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota and emphasizes liberal arts values in fostering curiosity and critical engagement with language and culture.

• Education:
  • B.A., St. Olaf College
  • M.A., University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • Ph.D., University of Minnesota

Research interests include:

• De-mystification and re-enchantment in 18th-century French authors (Bernardin de St. Pierre, Buffon, Diderot, Raynal)
• Interplay between text and engraved illustrations in early modern print culture
• Pedagogical efficacy of AI and gamification in language learning

His teaching philosophy centers on cultivating intrinsic motivation in students to navigate cultural and linguistic differences.