Chris Helland: Dalhousie sociology professor and tattooed surfer bro

By day, they toil in the ivory tower’s rarefied air. After hours, they break out surfboards, silks and a bed of nails. These are the stories of Canada’s most adventurous university faculty and staff. Click here for the rest of our Hidden Talents series.

Chris Helland: Professor Chris Helland begins his intro to sociology course at Dalhousie by stripping down. He explains that though his suit and tie are fitting for a prof of his stature—Helland has worked in northern India with the Dalai Lama and received millions in grants—underneath he’s a tattooed surfer bro who loves video games. Then he poses this question to the class: “Am I still the same person I was before the start of class?” The answer is always a shocked “No,” with a good lesson about preconceived societal judgment to boot.