Laura Killam is a creative educator from Sudbury, Ontario with expertise using innovation to support open learning. She is currently focusing her PhD studies at Queen's University on the use of Virtual Online Simulation in nursing education and advocating that educators adopt practices consistent with Critical Caring Pedagogy. She is working with Dr. Marian Luctkar-Flude and the Canadian Alliance of Nurse Educators using Simulation (CAN-Sim) research interest group in order to improve her use of simulation and engagement in impactful research. 

As a nurse, Laura specializes in student-centred education. She has experience in acute, community and long-term care. Her research has focused on student perceptions of their learning, with the underlying aim of improving their experiences. A commitment to innovation and student success drives her teaching approaches. As Cambrian’s Innovation Champion Laura focused on evaluating simulation, gamification and radical assessment approaches. She has used that work to inform the direction of her PhD studies and developing a program of research in approaches to improve caring and learner engagement in education.