Paula Wood-Adams is reappointed dean of Graduate Studies

Concordia’s Board of Governors has approved the reappointment of Paula Wood-Adams as dean of Graduate Studies.

Wood-Adams has served in this position since 2013. She joined Concordia in 2001 as an assistant professor of mechanical engineering and was the graduate program director in the Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Aerospace Engineering from 2006 to 2010.

Her new term, which will start on July 1, 2018, ends in 2023.

"I am so pleased to announce that Paula will be staying on as dean of Graduate Studies,” says Christophe Guy, vice-president of Research and Graduate Studies.

“She carried out her first term in a consultative and collaborative way. She is an outspoken and passionate advocate for the support and growth of graduate studies, both within Concordia and outward-facing to the world. In this role, her experience and commitment will continue to serve the university well into the future.”
 

Building on past successes

During her first term as dean, Wood-Adams implemented the Graduate Community Building Fund and expanded on GradProSkills, improving the quality of student life, international collaboration and professional skills development.

She and her team also created the academic programs and development unit of the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) and built a community of graduate program directors to better exchange information.

Under her leadership, SGS administrators launched a number of important initiatives to update and improve policies and procedures related to student and postdoctoral affairs. These include the Public Scholars and Horizon Postdoctoral Fellowships programs, established to enrich the university’s research and training environment and enhance its reputation.

“I am thrilled to continue to work with Concordia’s talented faculty to provide the best possible education and experience for our graduate students and postdoctoral fellows,” says Wood-Adams.

“Concordia’s research sector is an important driver for the university, and the success of our graduate students greatly contributes to  our growing reputation.”
 

An accomplished researcher and supervisor

Wood-Adams holds a PhD and MEng in Chemical Engineering from McGill University and a BSc in the same field from the University of Alberta.

In her 16-year career at the university, Wood-Adams has been an active member of numerous committees and boards for funding agencies, including the Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ) and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).

As a researcher, Wood-Adams has contributed to numerous articles in well-recognized peer-reviewed scientific journals in the areas of polymer science and rheology. She has also received more than $3.5 million in individual and shared grants from federal, Quebec and private funding agencies as well as several fellowships to advance her research.

Additionally, Wood-Adams has supervised or co-supervised more than 30 graduate students and postdoctoral researchers and continues to lead an active group of research students.

Christophe Guy thanks the members of the search committee — Mudasser Akbar Muneer Ahmed, Joanne Beaudoin, Satyaveer Chauhan, Adel Hanna, Mélanie La Couture, Gilles Peslherbe, Muhammed Nasir Shafique, Steven Shaw and Kelly Thompson, as well as Justin Powlowski and Andrea Renaud, who served, respectively, as chair and secretary — for their hard work and diligence throughout the process.

Find out more about the School of Graduate Studies.