John Winterdyk, PhD, Professor Emeritus
John Winterdyk joined the then-Department of Justice Studies in 1988 after being the first student to graduate with a PhD in Criminology from the School of Criminology at Simon Fraser University. He completed his undergraduate degree in psychology (Hon.) at Wilfred Laurier University in Kitchener, Ontario.
Until his retirement in 2023, Winterdyk was a full-time faculty member and served one term as Department Chair. He also helped establish and was the first Director for the former Centre for Justice Studies.
Starting in 1990, Winterdyk ran a bi-annual criminology study tour that took students to Europe and China. The last tour was in 2018. It was the longest-running study tour of its type in Canada.
During his tenure at MRU, Winterdyk held several foreign visiting positions and was an Adjunct Professor at several international universities and several Canadian schools (i.e., University of Regina and St. Thomas University).
Winterdyk published dozens of peer-reviewed articles and (co)authored or edited 40 academic books. Several of his textbooks have been widely used throughout Canada. He has received various MRU and national awards for his work and contribution to criminology and criminal justice.
Winterdyk’s teaching areas at MRU and other post-secondary institutions included Introduction to Criminology, Youth in Conflict with the Law, Research Methods, Advanced Theory, Comparative Criminal Justice and Criminology, Human Trafficking, and Restorative Justice.
Winterdyk greatly enjoyed and valued his nearly 37-year career at Mount Royal University. He has many fond memories of the students (some of whom still keep in touch with him in retirement) and his colleagues, and he was very appreciative of the institution's support.
Since retiring, Winterdyk continues to be academically active on several fronts while embracing his free time.
In 2024, Winterdyk was awarded the designation of Professor Emeritus by MRU.