Concordia appoints Graham Carr to the position of vice-president, research and graduate studies
Concordia University has appointed Graham Carr as vice-president, research and graduate studies, for a five-year term beginning August 1, 2012.
“We are fortunate to retain Graham Carr in this key role as he has the vision to move the research and graduate studies portfolio forward at Concordia,” says President and Vice-Chancellor Frederick Lowy. “He is admired for his exceptional academic and administrative leadership and for bringing people together in a richly stimulating and collaborative environment.”
Carr has been interim vice-president, research and graduate studies, since January 2012.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to continue in this capacity at Concordia,” says Carr. “I look forward to further developing our strengths and profile in research and graduate studies, and to representing Concordia in the external research community.”
“This is an excellent appointment for Concordia and I am excited about working with Graham to build on the steady progress that has been made in the administration of research and graduate studies at Concordia,” says Alan Shepard, who begins a five-year term as president and vice-chancellor on August 1, 2012.
Since becoming chair of the Department of History in 2004, Carr has held a series of administrative positions at Concordia. The history professor was appointed dean of graduate studies in March 2010, after serving as associate dean, research and graduate studies, in Concordia’s Faculty of Arts and Science from 2006 to 2010.
Responsibilities of the vice-president, research and graduate studies, include leading the development and execution of strategic research goals, facilitating and promoting research and research creation, maximizing research funding opportunities in Quebec, Canada and internationally, and facilitating technology transfer and knowledge mobilization.
The School of Graduate Studies promotes best practices in graduate education, supports program development, benchmarks Concordia’s performance against national and international standards, and ensures that all academic regulations are appropriately administered.
The school, which is home to the individualized master’s and PhD programs, provides targeted recruitment and merit funding to students, has oversight of post-doctoral affairs, and coordinates the GradProSkills program.
The vice-president also has oversight of the Leonard and Bina Ellen Art Gallery, which specializes in contemporary art and curatorial practice, and is one of Canada’s leading university galleries.
Carr holds a PhD in history from the University of Maine and an MA from Queen’s University, where he also received his BA (hons) in history. He has published in the areas of Canadian and U.S. history, culture and identity, and is currently president of the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences.
Interim dean of School of Graduate Studies appointed
Paula Wood-Adams has been appointed interim dean of the School of Graduate Studies, effective August 1, 2012.
Wood-Adams has been the school’s associate dean for academic programs since June 1, 2010 and holds the Concordia University Research Chair on the Physics of Advanced Materials. An expert in applied polymer science and complex fluids, Wood-Adams has a PhD in Chemical Engineering from McGill University and is the former graduate program director of Concordia’s PhD program in Mechanical Engineering, which is one of the largest PhD programs at the university.