Stephen Wright, a leading scientist in the emerging field of plant evolutionary genomics, has been appointed dean of the University of Toronto's Faculty of Arts & Science.
(photo by Diana Tyszko)
A professor in the department of ecology and evolutionary biology, Wright will serve as dean for a five-year term from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2031. He has served as interim dean of the faculty since April 2025.
His appointment was approved by the university this week following an extensive international search.
"It's an incredible opportunity to be able to lead and support our students, faculty and staff in a very dynamic time and a pivotal moment for our faculty and the university," said Wright. "I'm a product of the Faculty of Arts & Science - I did my undergrad here - so I'm thrilled and honoured to step into this role."
An expert in genome evolution, plant adaptation, genomic conflicts and population genomics, Wright is renowned for his research focusing on the evolutionary forces shaping genetic variation. He joined U of T as an assistant professor in 2008 and was promoted to full professor in 2016.
In addition to serving as interim dean, he has held several other leadership roles in the Faculty of Arts & Science over the years, including vice-dean, research and infrastructure and chair and graduate chair of the department of ecology and evolutionary biology.
"Professor Wright is an outstanding scholar and academic leader," said Trevor Young, U of T's vice-president and provost. "I'm delighted that the Faculty of Arts & Science will continue to benefit from his knowledge of the faculty and his commitment to its students as it advances its research and teaching missions."
Wright earned his undergraduate degree at U of T before going on to complete a master's at McGill University and a PhD at the University of Edinburgh. Before returning to U of T as a faculty member, he also held an NSERC postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, Irvine.
A past president of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution, Wright's research has had a significant impact on the field of evolutionary genomics, with contributions spanning fundamental questions in genome evolution to applied work on plant adaptation.
His many awards and accolades include: the E.W.R. Steacie Fellowship; Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship; Steacie Prize for Natural Sciences; the Canadian Society for Ecology and Evolution's President's Award for Research Excellence; and the Margaret Dayhoff Award for research excellence. He was named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 2024 after being admitted to its College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists in 2015.
As dean, Wright said he looks forward to deepening connections across the Faculty of Arts & Science's many fields of study.
"If we think about the grand challenges facing society - whether it's aligning AI with humanity, tackling the climate crisis or addressing Canadian sovereignty - they really demand strengths across disciplines," he said. "This brings remarkable opportunities both on the undergraduate side to train future leaders, and on the research side to increase collaboration given our world-leading strengths across so many fields.
"That breadth combined with depth is truly transformative."
Wright paid tribute to his predecessor as dean, Melanie Woodin, who was named U of T's 17th president last year.
"In many ways, this has been an easy transition thanks to the remarkable leadership that Melanie put in place, with outstanding administrative and academic leaders across the Faculty of Arts & Science," Wright said. "I have really enjoyed learning from her and am glad to be able to continue working with her in this role.
"And of course, at the heart of Melanie's approach is supporting our students, and that continues to be absolutely critical for the Faculty of Arts & Science going forward."
