Lesley Rigg renewed as dean, Faculty of Science

I am pleased to announce that Dr. Lesley Rigg has been renewed for a second term as dean, Faculty of Science, through to June 30, 2025.

Earlier this year, Dr. Rigg indicated her willingness to be considered for reappointment. An advisory decanal review committee was established in accordance with the General Faculties Council policy entitled the Appointment and Reappointment of Deans, to consider Dr. Rigg’s performance during her first term as dean and the appropriateness of her reappointment. The advisory review committee invited and reviewed commentary from those within the Faculty of Science and from the external community, and reviewed a submission from Dr. Rigg highlighting major accomplishments in her first term to date as dean, along with an examination of a proposed vision for a second term. Thank you to everyone who took the time to provide input. The committee also interviewed Dr. Rigg. Following the process, the committee unanimously recommended renewal, and President Ed McCauley was pleased to accept the recommendation. 

In her first term as dean, Dr. Rigg led the development of the first strategic plan for the Faculty of Science through a highly consultative, transparent, and collaborative process. The plan — Curiosity Sparks Discovery — articulates the Faculty of Science’s unified values, vision, mission, and commitment to fuel transformational change and build a strong community through teaching, learning, research, scholarship and collaborative partnerships. In context of the university’s Academic and Research Plans, and in alignment with the Faculty’s Strategic Plan, Dr. Rigg’s forward-looking vision for future efforts in the Faculty of Science fall into five themes: integrating research capacity and driving innovation, enhancing our student experience, connecting communities, prioritizing people through respect and recognition, and facilitating progress through administrative refinements.

Dr. Rigg is an internationally recognized scholar with more than 25 years of experience working in post-secondary education. Before being appointed as dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Calgary effective July 1, 2015, she was vice-president for research and innovation partnerships at Northern Illinois University (NIU). During her time at NIU, Dr. Rigg had been associate dean for research and graduate affairs in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, professor in the Department of Geography, a faculty associate in the Department of Biological Sciences and an active faculty associate in Women’s Studies.

Dr. Rigg is a forest ecologist, earning a bachelor’s degree in geography and environmental studies from York University in Toronto, a master’s degree in geography from the University of Colorado, and a doctorate degree in geography and environmental studies from the University of Melbourne in Australia.

Currently, Dr. Rigg sits on boards for Trout Unlimited Canada and the international Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences as a director. She is the first dean from a Canadian post-secondary institution to serve in that capacity. She was recently recognized for her work in the faculty promoting Innovation by receiving an Alberta SHEInnovator! Award. SHEInnovates Alberta is the first Canadian Chapter and a pilot for the Global Innovation Coalition for Change (GICC). The GICC is a dynamic partnership between United Nations Women and key representatives from the private sector, academia and non-profit institutions focused on developing the innovation market to work better for women and to accelerate the achievement of gender equality and women’s empowerment.

I would like to thank all members of the advisory review committee for their time and commitment to this important process. They are: Susan Skone (vice-president research designate); Isabelle Barrette-Ng (tenured academic staff); David Knudsen (tenured academic staff); Nicole Sandblom (tenured academic staff); Douglas Storey (tenured academic staff); David Stewart (TUCFA representative); Bill Rosehart (decanal representative); Warren Fitch (MaPS representative); Karen Barron (AUPE representative); Hyatt Mokhtar (SU representative); Jason Abboud (GSA representative); Raylene De Bruyn (GFC representative); Jennifer Lock (GFC representative); and Joanne Weninger (community representative).

Please join me in congratulating Dr. Rigg on her reappointment.

Dr. Dru Marshall
Provost and Vice-President (Academic)