Biography
Dr. Szurlej is the first member of her family to pursue higher education and enjoys providing academic guidance to students.
She earned a BA in Conflict Resolution Studies and Political Science, as well as a Certificate in Public Policy and Administration, from the University of Winnipeg, an MA in the Theory and Practice of Human Rights from the University of Essex (UK), and a PhD in Law from Middlesex University (UK). Before joining St. Thomas in 2015, she taught Law, Human Rights, and Conflict Resolution Studies at the University of Winnipeg, the Canadian Mennonite University, and Middlesex University. Before being appointed as Chair of the Department of Human Rights in 2024, she served as Director of the Atlantic Human Rights Centre from 2015-2024.
Dr. Szurlej’s expertise lies in international human rights law and the monitoring mechanisms of the United Nations. She is lead editor of an undergraduate human rights text titled Human Rights: Principles and Practice in Canada and Internationally with Emond Publishing (2026). Her current research centres on the value of human rights education, which will accompany a Global Guide on Higher Education in Human Rights, forthcoming in 2027.