Ian Watson — Brief CV

Current affiliation

Bifröst University — Assistant Professor of Social Sciences

Reykjavík Academy — Member

Degrees received

Ph.D., 2005, Rutgers University, Department of Sociology. Adviser: Eviatar Zerubavel.

M.A., 1999, Rutgers University, Department of Sociology.

A.B., 1993, Harvard College. Major in Linguistics with Scandinavian and German.

Academic honors

Rutgers: Excellence Fellowship (1997-2000). White Award for best graduate student term paper (spring 1997).

Berkeley: Hewlett Foundation Fellowship (1996).

Harvard: Haugen Prize in Scandinavian Studies (1992). Phi Beta Kappa (1992).

Non-degree education

Ph.D. program, Department of Linguistics, University of California - Berkeley, fall 1996 (one semester before transferring to Rutgers).

Study abroad semester at Beijing Foreign Languages Normal College, Beijing, China, fall 1992.

Extensive language study — most recently German, Italian, French, Hungarian, Japanese.

Coursework in economics, SUNY Geneseo, fall 1994.

Teaching and lecturing

2009, 2010: International Typography, Iceland Academy of the Arts.

2008, 2010: Philosophy of Science, Bifröst University.

2008, 2009, 2010: Information Design, Iceland Academy of the Arts (co-taught with Hörður Lárusson).

2007: Game Theory, Bifröst University (syllabus).

2005-2010: B.A. thesis adviser, Iceland Academy of the Arts, Department of Architecture and Design.

2005-2006: Independent Study supervisor (syllabus) and advisor for exchange students, Bifröst University.

2006: Guest lecturer for Holland America Lines (cruise to Norway, Svalbard, Iceland, Scotland).

1998-2005: Tour guide, Rick Steves' Europe, Edmonds, Washington. I lectured on the history and culture of Germany, Czechia, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, France, and the Netherlands.

1997: Introduction to Sociology, Rutgers University — Teaching assistant.

Principal employment

Since 2008: Bifröst University – Editor of the Bifröst Journal of Social Science.

2005-2007: Bifröst University – International Programs Coordinator.

2006-2007: University of Iceland – International Programs Coordinator, Department of Nursing.

1993-2006: Rick Steves' Europe — guidebook author, tour guide, group tour planner.

1989-1992: Let's Go travel guides — researcher/writer, editor.

Languages spoken

Icelandic (fluent), German (good), French (competent), Italian (functional), Polish (modest but usable), Russian (modest but usable), Hungarian (limited), Chinese (limited); Swedish/Danish/Norwegian (reading).

Some acquaintance with the grammar, vocabulary, or writing system of the following languages from coursework or other experience: Spanish, Japanese, Finnish, Estonian, Albanian, Dutch, Yiddish, Georgian, Mongolian, Thai, other Slavic languages.

Service and memberships

Board of Directors of the Consumers Association of Iceland (since 2008).

Board of Directors of the Icelandic American Business Forum (since 2007; vice-chair 2007-2008, chair 2008-2009).

Advisory Board of the Icelandic Consumer Spokesman.

Rotary Reykjavík International (since 2007).