Dr. Wade Nelson
Dr. Nelson completed his doctoral work in Communication Studies at McGill University in Montreal. His dissertation, “Reading Cycles: The Culture of BMX Freestyle,” focused on the relationship between BMX cycling media, the industry / advertisers and the participant / consumers. His Masters in Media Studies was completed at Concordia University, focusing on popular music journalism and “authenticity”. He graduated with First Class Honours from Simon Fraser University’s School of Communication, with a minor in Archaeology, and a Certificate in Liberal Arts.
Wade teaches Communication courses at UCW, including Mass Media and Society and Communication Theory. He sees himself as an air-traffic controller in the classroom, encouraging students to take a chance at flying themselves.
Wade has visited all seven continents, all fifty US States and all Canadian provinces and territories. He has lived in five of these provinces, coast to coast.
Wade recently entered an online BMX Freestyle cycling contest, 37 years after his first competition. He is a Board Member of the Canadian BMX Hall of Fame. He is also a pretty mediocre skateboarder.
Expertise and Experience
Wade is an award-winning teacher and has taught undergraduate Communication Studies, Rhetoric, Film, Sociology, Political Science, Women’s and Gender Studies, and Health classes at McGill University, York University, The University of Winnipeg and The University of New Brunswick. He taught seniors in Glendon College’s Living and Learning in Retirement program, and to folks who took part in a “University in the Community” program for Woodsworth College / The University of Toronto.
Publications and Scholarly Activity
- Nelson, W. (2024). L’olympisation des BMX : L’intégration de cultures alternatives. In M. Attali (Ed.), Une histoire globale des sports Olympiques (pp.641 – 652). Atlande.
- Nelson, W. (2022). BMX freestyle cycling and identity. In T. Dupont and B. Beal (Eds.), Lifestyle sports and identities: Subcultural careers through the life course (pp.161 – 172). Routledge.
- Nelson, W. (2012). The historical mediatization of BMX freestyle. In Belinda Wheaton (Ed.) The consumption and representation of lifestyle sport (pp. 96 – 113). Routledge.
- Nelson, W. (2010). The historical mediatization of BMX freestyle. Sport In Society: The consumption and the representation of lifestyle sport, 13(7), 1152 – 1169.
- Nelson, W. (2008). Working hard at leisure is professional: The BMX freestyle cycling pro. Whatever Happened to the Leisure Society? Theory, Debate and Policy, 102, 93 – 102.
Awards
- Social Sciences Departmental Award for Teaching Excellence. Univ. of New Brunswick (2016 - 2017)
- Allan P. Stuart Award for Excellence in Teaching. (*Nominated) Univ. of New Brunswick (2023)
- UNB Student Rep. Council Excellence in Open Educational Resources Award (*Nominated) (2023)
- Allan P. Stuart Award for Excellence in Teaching. (*Nominated) Univ. of New Brunswick (2016)
- Clifford J. Robson Memorial Award for Teaching Excellence (*Nominated) Univ. of Winnipeg (2014)
- Faculty of Arts Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award (*Nominated) Univ. of Winnipeg (2014)
