Appointment of AVP of Research

A message from Lisa Kalynchuk, VP Research & Innovation

Dear colleagues, 

I am very pleased to announce that Dr. Fraser Hof has been appointed as the new Associate Vice-President Research. His appointment will begin on July 1, 2022 for a five-year term.

Fraser is currently the Director of CAMTEC and has been a Professor in the Department of Chemistry since 2005. He obtained a B.Sc.Hon. (Chemistry) from the University of Alberta and a Ph.D. (Organic Chemistry) from the Scripps Research Institute. He then undertook post doctoral training at ETH Zürich, Switzerland. Fraser’s scholarly work has explored the interface of chemistry, the life sciences, and health research, and he has collaborated extensively with academic and private sector partners from many disciplines. He believes in building new connections as a way to build research capacity and collective success. He will bring this energy to supporting the implementation of Aspiration 2030.

Fraser’s appointment follows an internal search conducted in accordance with the appointment and re-appointment policy of the Vice-Provost and Academic Associate Vice-Presidents. The search committee's unanimous recommendation was taken forward to faculty for ratification, and of the eligible faculty members who voted, 89.4% voted in support. His appointment was subsequently approved by President Kevin Hall.

I want to thank the members of the search committee and everyone who participated in this process by providing valuable feedback following the candidate presentations.

With Fraser’s appointment to this new academic role, we will now have two Associate Vice-President Research positions in the research portfolio. Cynthia Milton, the current AVPR, will continue to have oversight of UVic research centres, and she will provide strategic leadership for our activities in climate, community-engaged research, knowledge mobilization, Indigenous-led scholarship, and research impact. Cynthia may be contacted at her role-based email avpr@uvic.ca. Fraser Hof, in the new AVPR role, will have oversight of our internal research grants program and our research platforms, and he will provide strategic leadership for our activities in proteomics and data science, research infrastructure and research data management, quantum science, and innovation. Fraser may be contacted at his role-based email avpr2@uvic.ca. 

Please join me in welcoming Fraser to the VPRI team as we pursue the goals of Aspiration 2030 and our collective work in creating a better world through curiosity, engagement, and innovation.  

Best wishes,

Lisa