PROFILE
Associate Professor Bonnie Thomas
Started at UWA: 2004
Nationally recognised French teacher, with a love of Caribbean literature
I love working with my amazing students of all ages and stages and discovering how literature from the Caribbean and elsewhere resonates with their own life experiences.Associate professor Bonnie Thomas
Bonnie Thomas is an Associate Professor in French Studies, teaching French language and literature to students of all levels at UWA. She has received many awards for her teaching, and was the 2017 recipient of the prestigious Australian Awards for University Teaching "Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning", awarded by the Federal Government.
For Bonnie, a personalised learning experience lies at the heart of good teaching, so she takes the time to get to know all her students and to foster a supportive and nurturing environment in which everyone can achieve their full potential.
Bonnie has a passion for francophone Caribbean literature which she loves to share with her students. She is also an active researcher in this field.
Qualifications:
- BA (Hons)
- PhD (French and History)
- CELTA (Cambridge Certificate of English Language Teaching to Adults)
UWA Faculty of Arts Excellence in Teaching Award, 2004, 2009, 2014, 2018, 2020
Australian Awards for University Teaching "Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning", 2017
Published Connecting Histories: Francophone Caribbean Writers Interrogating Their Past (University of Mississippi Press), 2017
UWA Student Guild’s Student Choice Award, 2014, 2016, 2017
Projects
The Transformative Power of Literature: Perspectives from the Americas
Today, more than ever, the world needs hope and the promise of a more inclusive, connected and sustainable future. This project takes up that challenge by examining the transformative power of words and the diverse ways in which literature can shape and change our understanding of the world.

Caribbean Connections: Celebrating the Life and Career of Beverley Noakes
This project traces the personal and professional life of Jamaican Beverley (Ormerod) Noakes who was a pioneer in the field of Francophone Caribbean Literature. Through her meetings with some of the most important Caribbean writers of the 20th and 21st centuries, Beverley forged a path that would inspire generations to come.
News
Awards
Bonnie believes it’s a privilege to teach students and enjoys how much she can learn from them, as well as seeing how much they learn from each other.
InternationalSenior Fellowship, Higher Education Academy, UK, 2019
National
Australian Awards for University Teaching “Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning”, 2017
University
UWA Award for Excellence in Teaching, 2015, 2018
Faculty and School
UWA Faculty of Arts Excellence in Teaching 2004, 2009, 2014, 2018, 2020
Faculty and School
Finalist/Commendation 2012, 2016, 2017, 2021
Student Guild
UWA Student Guild’s Student Choice Award, 2014, 2016, 2017
Teaching
Supervisor opportunities
Associate Professor Bonnie Thomas has supervised PhD students since 2004. She has supervised honours projects on Caribbean literature, contemporary French literature, and teaching and learning-related topics. PhD candidates working on contemporary French and francophone literature, particularly Caribbean literature, are welcome to email Bonnie to request supervision.