uOttawa News

OTTAWA, July 23, 2015  —  The University of Ottawa is pleased to announce that the following individuals have been named to senior appointments within its leadership team.

Vice-President, Academic and Provost
Michel Laurier has been named Acting Vice-President, Academic and Provost for a two-year term beginning on July 1, 2015. Previous to this nomination, Michel Laurier had been Dean of the Faculty of Education since 2012. He holds a PhD in education from the University of Toronto and a master’s degree in applied linguistics from the University of Ottawa. Moreover, from 2002 to 2010, Michel Laurier was Dean of the Faculty of Educational Sciences at the University of Montreal. His research interests include the field of measurement and evaluation, specifically the evaluation of language skills and the development of computerized tests.

Michel Laurier will be taking over from Christian Detellier, who completed his three-year term as Vice-President, Academic and Provost on June 30. Professor Christian Detellier, who has served the University for 35 years, will be resuming his research and teaching responsibilities, including his work on nanohybrid materials derived from natural minerals.

Associate Vice-President, Academic Programs
Linda Pietrantonio has been named Associate Vice-President, Academic Programs for a five-year term beginning July 1, 2015. She succeeds Johanne Bourdages, who had occupied this position since 2010. Linda Pietrantonio, who is a professor at the School of Sociological and Anthropological Studies, had previously served as Vice-Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Secretary at the Faculty of Social Sciences for five years. In this capacity, she initiated, led and directed a number of projects that aim to improve the student experience. She also developed valuable expertise in the creation and evaluation of academic programs.

Dean, Faculty of Arts
Kevin Kee has been named Dean of the Faculty of Arts for a five-year term beginning August 1, 2015. He succeeds Professor Antoni Lewkowicz, who had been dean of this faculty for the past six years.  Prior to this appointment, Kevin Kee was Associate Vice-President, Research (Social Sciences and Humanities) at Brock University, a position he took over in 2013. He is the holder of a Canada Research Chair in Digital Humanities. His research focuses on developing best practices for computer simulations for history and history teaching and learning.

Dean, Faculty of Education
Raymond Leblanc has been named Acting Dean of the Faculty of Education for a maximum two-year term beginning July 1, 2015. Before this appointment, Raymond Leblanc was Vice-Dean, Research and Professional Development at the Faculty of Education. He holds a PhD in developmental psychology from the Université de Poitiers in France and has been a professor at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Education for 30 years. He has taught courses on special education and value-based education in the undergraduate teacher training program, and has taught cultural psychology and qualitative methods courses at the graduate level.

Dean, Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
Claire Turenne-Sjolander has been named Acting Dean of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (FGPS) for an 18-month term beginning July 1, 2015. She succeeds Tim Stanley who had been Acting Dean for nearly two years. Claire Turenne-Sjolander is a professor at the School of Political Studies of the Faculty of Social Sciences and has been Vice-Dean, Graduate Studies (Social Sciences) since 2012. From 2009 to 2012, she was the Director of the Institute of Women’s Studies and from 2000 to 2006, was Director of the Department of Political Science, which became the School of Political Studies. Her research focuses on the representation of women and gender in Canadian foreign policy.

The University of Ottawa: A crossroads of cultures and ideas
The University of Ottawa is home to over 50,000 students, faculty and staff, who live, work and study in both French and English. Our campus is a crossroads of cultures and perspectives, where bold minds come together to inspire game-changing ideas. We are one of Canada’s top 10 research universities; our professors and researchers explore new approaches to today’s challenges. We are one of the handful of Canadian universities ranked among the top 200 in the world. We attract exceptional thinkers and welcome diverse perspectives from across the globe

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