Chris Irish

Chris Irish is an M.A. holder and Lecturer at the School of Hospitality and Tourism at SAIT since August 2019. They specialize in teaching leadership, team building, and critical thinking across diploma and bachelor programs. Chris advocates for core human skills essential for the 21st-century workforce.

Education: Completed a master’s degree at Monash University (Melbourne, Australia), focusing on pro-poor tourism and community empowerment through tourism. Thesis included a Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs framework for hostels in Sapa, Vietnam. Graduated summa cum laude and joined the Golden Key Scholars. Prior teaching experience in Canada, Ecuador, Thailand, and at Prince Songkla University.

Research Interests: Current project investigates equitable payment solutions for Calgary’s food service industry, leveraging machine learning for data analysis. Earlier work included user experience studies for Parks Canada’s multi-use website. Engaged in program redesign at SAIT’s Hospitality and Tourism Management program.

Professional Involvement: Active in SAIT’s disc golf team and volunteers for the Student’s Club. Presented at the Phuket International Conference (2018) and Alberta Corridor Technical Symposium (2023). Collaborates with industry stakeholders to bridge education and practice.

Awards:

• Summa Cum Laude (Monash University)
• Golden Key Scholars Membership

Grants & Advising: Leading a faculty research project on tipping solutions; uses mixed-methods approach (literature review, industry interviews, AI analysis). Involved in curriculum development and course redesign at SAIT.