Michael B. Currie

For other people with the name Michael Bruce Currie, please visit this page

Michael B. Currie, 2018

Michael Bruce Currie (Thai [1]: ไมเคิล บรูซ เคอรี่), born (1982-06-08) 8 June 1982, is a Canadian-born man involved in the software industry.

Ancestry

• Through his paternal grandfather Jack (head of sales in the 1970s for Centra Gas in Port Arthur), he descends from a family involved in the rail industry, and previously the wool industry, arriving from Galashiels, Scotland, into Almonte, Ontario in 1882.

• Through his paternal grandmother Lucy Cooke, he descends from Welsh and English in the rail industry who immigrated to Winnipeg around 1913.

• Through his maternal grandfather Bruce Newman (an engineer of electrical power meters for Sangamo in Toronto in the 1960s), although born in New York, he descends from relatively wealthy Irish and English farmers who arrived around 1845 to Essex County, Ontario, ironically having the deepest roots in Canada among Michael's four grandparents.

• Through his maternal grandmother Ruth Coulter (an award-winning piano teacher), he descends from long-lived, deeply religious farmer immigrants, from Scotland (arriving 1841 to Puslinch, Ontario) and Ireland (arriving 1871 to Milverton, Ontario).

Early life

He was born 8 June 1982 in London, Ontario, to Ron Currie and Mary Ann Currie. The eponym of his middle name is his mother's father, Bruce Newman.

At the time of his birth, his mother had just completed law school at the University of Western Ontario. A month after his birth, he moved permanently with his mother and father to Ron's hometown, living at 71 South Hill Street, Thunder Bay, Ontario. [2]

When his mother began articling to begin her law career in September 1982, his maternal grandmother Ruth Newman moved in to help raise him. She left in June 1983 after his father finished teaching for the school year.

His sister Carolyn was born 2 February 1985.

With his parents and sister he spent a year in Dijon, France, from Fall 1987 to Spring 1988, and during this time he attended l’école maternelle Marmuzots [which closed in 2022].

Besides this stint, he spent his formative years in Thunder Bay, attending Pine Street School from Kindergarten until Grade 6, École Gron Morgan Public School from Grade 7 to Grade 8, and Hammarskjold High School from Grade 9 until his Ontario Academic Credit (OAC, or Grade 13) year. He graduated from high school in June 2001.

See main article: Pine Street School

In August 2000 Currie acted in Kim Hansen's summer stock production of Dirty Work at the Crossroads, acting as hillbilly "Mookie McGuggins" opposite Hansen, and others, including Jenny Costanzo [3]. The play was staged in the atrium of Old Fort William. That December, he also acted in a comedy show for a corporate event Hansen had booked.

In May 2001 Currie won an honourable mention in the BP/EUI Essay Contest.

In July 2001 Currie attended Shad Valley, at the Dalhousie University campus.

Adult life

From September 2001 Currie attended the Universty of Waterloo. He received his degree in Mathematical Sciences in Spring 2007.

From 2007 until 2016 Currie lived primarily in Calgary, Alberta, working as a software developer and analyst in the financial services industry.

Since 2016 Currie has resided mostly in Asia. In 2018 he founded Fling (now known as Fling AI), which as of 2024 provides AI software and services for the logistics industry. From 2020 to 2025 was a director of the Thai-Canadian Chamber of Commerce.

Death

As of 2019 according to actuarial tables, Currie's expected year of death is 2057, at age 75.

Publications

Currie, Michael Bruce. (2001). “A Solution to Transatlantic Trade Disputes.” Resolving and Preventing US-EU Trade Disputes: Six prize-winning essays from the BP/EUI transatlantic essay contest. ISSN: 1830-155X, Series/Number: EUI RSCAS DL, Publisher: European University Institute https://curriepedia.mywikis.wiki/wiki/BP/EUI_Essay_Contest_2001 https://zenodo.org/records/59168

Avelino Javer, Michael Currie, Chee Wai Lee, Jim Hokanson, Kezhi Li, Céline N Martineau, Eviatar Yemini, Laura J Grundy, Chris Li, QueeLim Ch’ng, William R Schafer, Ellen AA Nollen, Rex Kerr, André EX Brown. (2016). “Open-source platform for analyzing and sharing *C. elegans* behavior data.” Nature Methods. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6284784/

Szigeti, B., Gleeson, P., Vella, M., Khayrulin, S., Palyanov, A., Hokanson, J., Currie, M. B., Cantarelli, M., Idili, G., Linaro, D., Birgiolas, J., et al. (2018). “OpenWorm: overview and recent advances in integrative biological simulation of Caenorhabditis elegans” Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences **373** (1758). https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2017.0382

Srivilaithon, W., Khunkhlai, N., Currie, M. (2025). “Flight testing of drone-delivered automated external defibrillators for simulated out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in suburban Thailand.” *Scientific Reports* **15**, 6936. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91924-x

Currie, Michael B. "A life devoted to dance" (a biography of Thunder Bay's Amelia Jackson). Bayview Magazine, 23 September 2023. [4]

Self-published:

Currie, Michael Bruce (2025). “Glass Houses: Why Offensive Weapons Force K2 Civilizations to Transcend.” Medium. https://medium.com/@michaelbcurrie/glass-houses-why-offensive-weapons-force-k2-civilizations-to-transcend-473765fdccd7

Currie, Michael Bruce (2026). “Darwinian, Not Engineered: How the Singularity Might Happen without AGI.” Medium. https://michaelbcurrie.medium.com/the-darwinian-singularity-how-autonomous-ai-agents-may-bootstrap-superintelligence-07063283dbe0

Relatives

Michael has seven immediate family members: himself, his parents, one sister, Carolyn Trottier, a brother-in-law, Maxime Trottier, and twin nephews Cole Trottier and Bentley Trottier.

Michael has twelve first cousins. In total 33 + 14 children of cousins makes 47 individuals to keep track of, or 54 including his immediate family members also.

Branch	Michael's grandparents	Siblings of Michael's parents	Spouses of Michael's parents' siblings	First cousins	Spouses of first cousins	Children of first cousins
Currie	Jack Currie, Lucy Currie	Bill Currie, Doug Currie	Eleanor Currie, Loraine Currie	4: Ian Currie, Jeff Currie, Janet Kelk, Dave Currie	Bonnie Currie, Owen Kelk, Jackie Currie	7: Grady Currie, Abbey Currie, Jacob Kelk, Alex Kelk, Liam Kelk, Samuel Currie, Theo Currie
Newman	Bruce Newman, Ruth Newman	Sandra Kenzie, Lynn Newman	Jim Kenzie, Mike Atherton	8: Alex Atherton, Andrew Atherton, Vanessa Atherton, Stephen Atherton, Megan Kenzie, Meredith Kenzie, Laura Kenzie, Patrick Kenzie	6: Jon Vernon, Tim Ellis, Jonathan Van Viegen, Monique Labelle, Alison Ward, Samantha Gray	7: Benjamin Atherton, Holly Atherton, Bridget Atherton, Dominic Atherton, Brynn Ellis, Aria Van Viegen, Charlotte Van Viegen

This is a cumulative total of 28 individuals. It's notable that while all grandparents are dead, all the others are still alive.

21 on the Currie side, and 27 on the Newman side, for a total of 48. Adding immediate family gives 55, of which 15 are not blood relations.

Michael has 88 additional people to track if one considers second cousins. This figure does not include spouses or Lloyd Cooke's children, the names of whom are currently unknown. So 88 + 54 = 142, including spouses and children of second cousins, another 50 people, so perhaps 200 people to keep track of.

Branch	Michael's great grandparents	Siblings of Michael's grandparents	Cousins of Michael's parents	Second Cousins
Currie	Alex Currie, Anna Currie	Clyde Currie, Neill Currie, Marian Gillis, Flora Heylar, Norma Currie	9: Allan Currie, Marilyn Hermiston, Bruce Currie, Mike Gillis, Greg Gillis, Wayne Gillis, Lillias Bjornson, Neill Heylar, Susan Shoesmith	18 (+6-9 adopted): June Currie, Michael Allan Currie, Ian John Currie, Jason Currie, Phoenix Gillis, Veronica Gillis, Grace Gillis, Kathryn Gillis, Jillian Gillis, Meagan Gillis, Lisa Bjornson, Sean Bjornson, Kit Bjornson, Lee Bjornson, Rodney Heylar, Stacey Heylar, Adam Shoesmith, Kevin Shoesmith, Shaun Moffatt, Sharlene Telles-Langdon
Cooke	John Cooke, Rose Cooke	Eva Bate, Edna Buxton, Ernie Cooke, Irene Ogden, Rosalind Foot	10: Jack Bate, Tom Bate, Vivian Shannon, Betty Buxton, Lloyd Cooke, Marjorie Cooke, Robert Cooke, Bryan Ogden, Don Foot, Joanne Foot	14+: David Bate, Tim Bate, Jennifer Sykes, Andrew Bate, Lloyd's children (unknown), John Bartsch, Carson Bartsch, Deborah Ogden, Deborah Shannon, Nadine Kampen, Ron Shannon, Don Larsen, Gary Larsen, Deanna Foot, Doug Foot
Newman	Clint Newman, Eugenia Newman	Jack Newman, Gene Newman	4: Janet Newman, David Newman, Tom Newman, Karen Furlich	7: Mara Furlich, Michelle Furlich, Nicholas Furlich, Samantha Furlich, Michael Newman, Janice Newman, Lindsay Newman
Coulter	Joseph Coulter, Williamina Bessie Coulter	Wes Coulter, Ken Coulter, Hubert Coulter, Everett Coulter, Elaine Luet, Ian Coulter	11: Jeff Coulter, Hugh Coulter, Robin Coulter, Laddie Coulter, Stephanie Luet, Joel Luet, Karen Gray, Tim Luet, Stephen Coulter, Janis Coulter, David Coulter	15: Dylan Coulter, Brittany Coulter, Marlee Coulter, Jennifer Wesley, Ann Benstead, Carter Wesley, Cohen Wesley, Robert Gray, Laura Gray, Shawn Gray, Nicholas Gray, Christoff Neuland, Lynnea Neuland, Ella Coulter, Brin Coulter

Including all aunts, uncles, grandparents, grandaunts, granduncles, great grandparents, and 2nd cousins once removed, that is 8 + 18 + perhaps 12 cousins more for each side, so perhaps another 50 at least. So his 2nd cousin tree of relations, containing the collective descendants of Alex Currie, John Cooke, Clint Newman, and Joseph Coulter, contains about 100 - 110 individuals.

• • 3rd Cousins**

It's likely Michael has perhaps 300 third cousins, for a total number of relatives out to that level including all descendants, reaching a figure as high as 600.

Childhood Occupations

Michael delivered papers for the Chronicle-Journal, along Hill Street South, from Bay Street to Red River Road. His boss was a man called Glen. He started the route around 22 August 1992, initially delivering the weekend paper early, at about 8:00, but eventually relaxing this time to at least 2 hours later. Having a paper route gave him the opportunity to know his neighbours. He quit the route around the time he began high school, in 1996.

His next job was working at the local cinema, just as it opened: SilverCity Thunder Bay. He worked there from May 1999 until he finished High School, in June 2001.

For Currie's later career, please see his LinkedIn profile.

Hobbies

Debate

Michael enjoyed competitive debating from 1996 to 2005. He was Thunder Bay city champion with Andrew Campbell and Aaron Blazina in 1997 and 1999 [1], and again in 2001 with Adam Johns and Kim Chiew. He also re-founded the University of Waterloo Debating Society in Fall 2001 with several other people, including Katya Zolotkova, Karim Hasanen, and Chris Ferguson, and he was president for several terms. He competed in the intercollegiate debate circuit from Fall 2001 to 2005, attending events including WUDC 2001 (Toronto), WUDC 2002 (Stellenbosch), Harvard Invitational (Fall 2002), and numerous events across Eastern Canada.

Podcasting

From 2016 to 2020 Currie has been a co-host and producer with the Let's Make The Future podcast, which has produced about 20 episodes as of 2019.

Piano

Michael took piano lessons from Fall 1988 until 2004, taking a break during the 1991-1992 school year, and from 2001 to 2003. From about 1998 to 2001 he was taught by Rick Dewell. In 2003 he practiced at University Settlement on Grange Road in Toronto, twice at Don Mills C.I., and in the fall at the Royal Conservatory of Music (just private practicing, without any formal affiliation to the school). At Waterloo he practiced at Conrad Grebel University College in 2003 and 2004.

Local History

Michael from 2018 to at least 2016 has been interested in the history of Thunder Bay, especially during the economic boom at the turn of the 19th century, writing for Bayview Magazine and at Curriepedia on these topics. See this list of other local historians of Thunder Bay.

Dancing

Michael took his first dance lessons in Fall 1998, at the Dance Centre of Northwestern Ontario, owned by Gina Almgren. He took classes there in Fall 1998 and Winter 1999, ending in a performance at the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium.

Michael next took ballroom dancing classes with Dolores Niskanen in Fall 1999. He didn't do any further dancing until after University.

Currie first took up partner dancing seriously in January 2006, beginning with salsa dancing. From January 2007 to February 2017, Currie pursued a competitive dance hobby in International Latin dance.

Michael Currie was born in Ontario, Canada. After university, he started dancing salsa at the clubs and in the dance studios of New York City. After moving to Calgary, Alberta in 2007, he took up International Latin dancing.

Competitions

Since his first competition on 1 March 2008, he's competed mostly in Calgary and Edmonton in Alberta, but also eight times in Vancouver: for Grand Ball from 2010-2013, and Snowball Classic from 2011-2013 and in 2015. In September 2010 he competed at Embassy Ball in Irvine, California, and in July 2014 he competed at a WDSF World Championship event in Italy.

He's also competed at the Canada DanceSport Canadian Closed Championships each Easter for six consecutive years from 2010 to 2015: in 2010 (in Calgary), 2011 (in Toronto), 2012 (in Vancouver), 2013 (in Halifax), 2014 (in Montréal), and 2015 (in Calgary).

Best Results

With Clarice Yau, he won the Adult Pre-Championship Latin events at Wild Rose Ball in 2010 and Snowball Classic in 2011.

On 13 July 2014, in Rimini, Italy, with Michelle Chan he competed at the WDSF Senior I Latin World Championships, finishing 19th of 43 couples. Michelle and Michael qualified for this event by finishing second at the 2014 Canadian Championships in this age category.

On 3 April 2015, before a hometown crowd, Michael repeated his second place result in Senior I Latin at the Canadian Championships, this time with a different partner, Angela Mulrooney.

Partnership and coaching history

Currie has had seven dance partners. In syllabus he danced with Anna Zhu from 2008 to 2009, then at the pre-championship and championship levels he has danced with:

- Clarice Yau (April 2009 - August 2011),

- Angelina Sotnikova (September 2011 - May 2012),

- Michelle Chan (May 2012 - 2014),

- Angela Mulrooney (2015),

- Jacqueline Petrohay (2015 - February 2016), and

- Denise Yang (February 2016 - February 2017).

Currie was based from 2007 to 2017 in Calgary, Alberta and during that time was coached by Dany Desloges [5] [6], and few times by his wife Gosha Zelinska. He has also taken lessons with Vibeke Toft, Maurizio Vescovo, Andra Vaidilaite, Anna Trebunskaya, Nikolai Voronovich, Maria Nikolishina, Slavik Kryklyvyy, Andrej Skufca, Richard Porter, and several dancers affiliated with Team Diablo in Italy. He attended multi-day training camps with Maurizio Vescovo in Toronto in July 2011, in Molinella, Italy at Team Diablo in July 2014, at the Dutch Open in Assen, Netherlands in November 2014, and in Caorle, Italy for Team Diablo in July 2015.

Other activites

From May 2012 to May 2015 Currie served on the Board of Directors for DanceSport Alberta Association (DSAB) [www.dancesportalberta.org], a regional body in Canada that forms part of Canada DanceSport (CDS), the Canadian chapter of the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF). During that time he also volunteered as treasurer for DSAB. He was co-chairman of the 25th Alberta Winter Classic, held 22 March 2014 in Calgary. From 2015 to 2017 he founded and chaired a program called Ballroom at School www.ballroomatschool.org, which introduced ballroom dancing to about five Calgary-area schools, including Sir Wilfrid Laurier Public School, in January 2016 and January 2017 [7].

— Michael Currie, dance biography, on World DanceSport Federation website [[8]]

After moving to Asia, Currie has mostly stopped dancing, except for occasional social dance events. He was a member of the Bangkok Touch Bachata Team, led by Alex and Saori, for 3 seasons around 2019. His partner was Rosana "Sana" Siripong.

On 5 July 2019, Currie and the Bangkok Touch performed at the "COLADA" The Original Latin Dance Congress 2019. [9].

Sources

[1] Self

[2] WikiTree

[3] Chronicle-Journal, 17 June 1999. Page A3 [10]