Queen’s University Principal and Vice-Chancellor Patrick Deane has announced the appointment of Dr. Amy Burns as dean of the Faculty of Education, effective July 1, 2025. Her appointment follows a comprehensive search process chaired by Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic) Matthew Evans on behalf of the principal.

Dr. Burns will join Queen’s from the Werklund School of Education at University of Calgary, where she is serving as Interim Dean of Education.

“I’m very pleased to welcome Dr. Burns to Queen’s Faculty of Education,” says Principal Deane. “She brings a range of experience in academia and leadership and is well placed to support the growth and strategic priorities of the faculty.”

Dr. Burns joined the Werklund School of Education in 2014 and has since served in several leadership and academic roles, including Associate Dean, Undergraduate Programs, and as an associate professor.

In her leadership capacities, Dr. Burns has focused on enhancing student experience, building research opportunities, and impactful community collaborations. As an academic, her research has explored how teachers and leaders, particularly women, conceptualize and experience their roles within K-12 and postsecondary education. She has also studied rural and remote teacher education, looking at the implications of equitable access for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students unable to leave their communities.

Prior to joining the University of Calgary, she spent nearly two decades as a K-12 educator. Dr. Burns holds a PhD and MA from the University of Calgary, as well as a Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Lethbridge.

“I am very excited and humbled by the opportunity to join Queen’s University as the next Dean of the Faculty of Education,” says Dr. Burns. “I look forward to engaging with new colleagues and community partners in furthering the goals of outstanding education and research, and to supporting our vibrant communities both locally and globally. The work of educators at all levels is critical, and I am so proud to be joining an incredible team dedicated to this work.”

The principal and the provost offer their sincere thanks to Rebecca Luce-Kapler for her 10-year tenure as dean of the Faculty of Education and extend their gratitude to the Principal’s Advisory Committee members for their dedication and service to the university. 

Dean Luce-Kapler will complete her second five-year term on June 30, 2025, and Dr. Burns will begin July 1.