Kate Hennessy

Kate Hennessy is an Associate Professor at Simon Fraser University’s School of Interactive Arts and Technology. As director of the Making Culture Lab, her research examines the intersection of technoscience with cultural practices in media, museums, and archives, particularly through Indigenous and settler histories of place and space.

Her academic credentials include a PhD in Anthropology from the University of British Columbia and an MA in Anthropology of Media from the School of Oriental and African Studies. She combines her expertise in media anthropology with experimental art practices, co-founding the Ethnographic Terminalia Curatorial Collective and leading the Critical Ethnography and Digital Heritage Initiative (CEDHI).

Hennessy’s research creation works span digital heritage, anarchival methodologies, and VR journalism ethics. Her collaborations with Indigenous communities focus on decolonizing archival practices through projects like The Water We Call Home and digital sqewlets.ca, while her VR anonymization studies with Steve DiPaola explore empathy preservation in immersive media.

Scientific Recognition includes the

• 2008 Society for Visual Anthropology’s Jean Rouch Award
• 2015 Council for Museum Anthropology’s Michael Ames Award
• 2017 Confederation of University Faculty Associations of BC’s Early in Career Award
• 2020 SFU Research Excellence Award
• 2021 SFU Distinguished Teaching Award

Her work frequently involves community-engaged grants such as the Knight Foundation/Google News Lab Journalism 360 Challenge Grant and partnerships with institutions like the Museum of Vancouver, Bill Reid Gallery, and UN’s One Planet Network. The Making Culture Lab team produces exhibitions across Canada and the U.S., using media as a tool for cultural reclamation and social critique.