Dean of Science Matina Kalcounis-Rueppell has been appointed as Interim Dean of the College of Natural and Applied Sciences. Photo credit: John Ulan
On Thursday, January 14, President Flanagan announced my appointment as Interim Dean of the College of Natural and Applied Sciences.
I look forward to contributing to the future of the University of Alberta through this leadership role. Most importantly, I look forward to continuing my work with the Faculties of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences (ALES), Engineering, and Science towards our shared future in the College of Natural and Applied Sciences. Opportunities abound and I have spoken about those opportunities in the past and you will hear much more about this in the future.
I consider it an honour and a privilege to lead the Faculty of Science. This is a two-year secondment from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2023 where I have agreed to step away from my current role as your dean to engage in the work that needs to be done for a successful University of Alberta for Tomorrow (UAT). On July 1, 2023, I intend to return to the Faculty of Science to complete the remaining three years in my term as Dean of Science.
We are in a time of immense change and this news may raise concerns in our community. I would like to assure you all that I have complete confidence in the future of the Faculty of Science. The Faculty of Science, through an inclusive culture of teamwork and leadership, is thriving and will continue to thrive in spite of the many challenges that restructuring and the COVID-19 pandemic present. We remain world-leading as a place to study, work, and conduct research. We are surrounded by a dedicated community of alumni, donors, government, industry, and community partners that support our programs, initiatives, and our students. My secondment will only enhance our success through the success of the College of Natural and Applied Sciences.
I want to assure everyone that leadership succession planning is well underway and I will continue to communicate with you on this. Vice Dean Fred West and I are confident that the Faculty of Science will be in good hands while I work in this new role on behalf of Science, Engineering, and ALES.
I thank all of you for your continued efforts toward our Faculty of Science mission.