The Board of Governors of the University of Calgary has selected Dr. Ed McCauley, PhD, as the university's ninth president and vice-chancellor. Currently the university's vice-president (research), McCauley will move into the role on Jan. 1, 2019, succeeding Dr. Elizabeth Cannon, PhD.
"Dr. McCauley is an inspirational leader who truly embodies the special energy of our university and our city," says Jill Wyatt, chair of UCalgary's Board of Governors and the Presidential Search Committee. "He is a passionate visionary, an internationally recognized scholar, and a leader with an exceptional track record of building excellence in student experience, research and innovation, entrepreneurial thinking, and collaborative partnerships. We are confident that he will continue the tremendous momentum and success that President Cannon has driven through the Eyes High strategy. This work is creating long-lasting, meaningful impact at the local, provincial, national and international levels."
McCauley's selection follows a rigorous national and international search that began earlier this year and was led by a Presidential Search Committee comprised of board, student, faculty, staff, and alumni representatives. The search process included input from the campus and broader community on the attributes of the next president and the university's priorities. After a thorough assessment of candidates from around the world, the committee recommended Dr. McCauley to the Board of Governors.
"I am honoured to be named the University of Calgary's next president and vice-chancellor," says McCauley. "I have been part of the UCalgary family for many years and I believe deeply in our vision to be recognized as one of Canada's top universities. Under the unparalleled leadership of Elizabeth Cannon, and with tremendous support from our community, we have set ambitious goals. Our momentum is strong and our priorities are well defined. Our students, faculty and staff are driven every day to make a difference by seeking and sharing answers to society's greatest challenges. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with them to nurture and grow this great institution."
McCauley is one of the world's foremost scholars in the field of population ecology. Originally from Ottawa, he arrived at the University of Calgary in 1985, serving as a professor in biological sciences and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair until 2009. He then relocated to the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) to take on a professorship in ecology and evolutionary biology, and the role of director of the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis. McCauley returned to UCalgary in 2011 as vice-president (research), guiding strategic research initiatives and creating support systems to enable the university to progress quickly on the national and international stage.
"Ed and I have worked closely together for many years at the University of Calgary," says Cannon. "I value his expertise and collegiality greatly and wish to be one of the first to congratulate him on this next step in his career. The university will be in exceptionally good hands with Ed at the helm."
McCauley earned his BSc and MSc from the University of Ottawa, his PhD from McGill University, and was a postdoctoral fellow at UCSB. A fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, he has been a board member for Mitacs, TRIUMF, the Pacific Institute for Mathematical Sciences, and Compute Canada. Most recently, McCauley served on the Leadership Council for Digital Research Infrastructure and the Research Council for the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research.
An interim vice-president (research), to begin Jan. 1, 2019, will be announced in the coming weeks.
