Bio
Zoanne Evans joined The UWI Staff in 2005 as a member of the then Foundation Language Programme. She teaches Creative Non-Fiction and Introduction to Professional Writing in the programme which has been rebranded as The Academic Literacies Programme. She holds a PhD in Literatures in English, having successfully defended her thesis on the impact of the creolisation process on early twentieth century Barbadian writing in April 2021.
Dr. Evans has worked assiduously at ensuring that her students understand and adhere to the tenets of academic and professional writing, enhancing sessions with tours to such sites as historic Speightstown and the Harry Bayley Observatory over the years.
A winner of several NIFCA and other local literary awards, she is trustee of the children’s charity Kids in Action which she founded in 1998 as a means of empowering the community’s youth and ensuring that they stay in school and tap into their latent gifts and talents. She has authored a poetry collection titled The Song Within Me which won an honourable mention at the inaugural Frank Collymore Literary Endowment Awards in 1998 and in 2005 she self-published In the Shade of the Shak-Shak which was launched by the NCF that same year. A member of the Barbados Arts Council and an avid illustrator of her work, she illustrated a colouring and activity book in 2015 to raise funds for her charity. She remains committed to positively impacting the lives of the youth under her tutelage and in her community.
Qualifications
PhD, Literatures in English, The UWI, Cave Hill Campus, 2021
MA, Literatures in English, The UWI, Cave Hill Campus, 1996
Research Areas
2021: successfully defended PhD in Literatures in English with a focus on four early twentieth century Barbadian writers. This archival study revealed the revolutionary nature of their work which was shaped by and shaped the creolization process. The influence of this work on contemporary Barbadian/West Indian literature was investigated.
2017: presented paper entitled The Tradition of Discontinuity Among Early West Indian Writers at the 44th annual conference of the African Literature Association (Washington D.C.)
2016: presented paper entitled Creating Spaces:The Importance of Preserving the Works of Three Early Barbadian Writers at the 35th annual West Indian Literature Conference (Ocho Rios, Jamaica)
Teaching Areas
Currently teaching in the Academic Literacies Programme catering to FOUN 1003 and FOUN 1008 students. This involves the teaching of creative non-fiction and professional writing respectively
Select Publications
Kids in Action Colouring/Activity Book (2015)
In the Shade of the Shak-Shak – a collection of poems and short stories (2005)
The Song within Me –a collection of poems (1999)
Additional Info
Fostering of sound literacy skills and assisting in personal development of Barbadian youth through volunteer community work with local charity Kids in Action
Keywords
Academic literacy, West Indian literature