Meet Your Facilitator

Olaf Kuhlke, Instructor

Hi everyone, my name is Olaf Kuhlke, and I am originally from Germany.

After finishing high school, I went to college in my home country for three years before landing in Edmonton, Alberta, for two years, and then moved to the United States. I have lived in Duluth, Minnesota for the past 18 years, and it's home now.

I teach at the University of Minnesota, and am part of a program in cultural entrepreneurship, which focuses on preparing students for jobs in creative occupations such as digital and social media, photography, videography, advertising, and so on. For the past couple of years, I've worked with communities in the country of Morocco, the State of Alaska, and the Hamlet of Arviat, developing a program for local residents to start their own creative business. It's been a wonderful learning experience.

I love music (especially heavy metal), photography, movies, cooking and baking, and all sorts of outdoor activities (biking, hiking, fishing etc). Climate change is a topic near to my heart, as I have observed it personally here in Duluth, Minnesota, over the past couple of decades. Our winters are warmer and snowier, the moose are migrating more and more North, and our summers are getting much hotter. Gichi-Gami, or Lake Superior, where Duluth is located, has also seen record high water levels due to the changing climate. 

I am looking forward to getting to know all of you and feel honored to be part of your journey. 

Contact Info

Email: okuhlke@d.umn.edu

Mobile: 218-269-1104