At the request of Steven Liss, Vice-Principal (Research), Principal Daniel Woolf is undertaking a review of research programs, platforms and structures at Queen’s University as well as VPR-driven innovation activities.

“The roadmap for research at Queen’s has not undergone an external review in more than a decade,” Principal Woolf says. “Dr. Liss and I agree that now is an appropriate time for this review, as we strive to achieve the research performance metrics outlined in the Strategic Framework and prepare to update the Senate-approved Strategic Research Plan over the next year.”

Principal Woolf has asked Indira Samarasekera, President Emerita of the University of Alberta, to chair the review team. She will be joined by: Chad Gaffield, Professor of History and University Research Chair in Digital Scholarship at the University of Ottawa; Thomas J. Marrie, former Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University; and Dan Sinai, Senior Executive, Innovation, IBM Canada and former Associate Vice-President (Research) at Western University.

“Over the course of their accomplished careers, the external reviewers have played leading roles in organizations at the forefront of research and discovery,” Dr. Liss says. “The knowledge and expertise they bring to this review will help guide us as we strive to advance research excellence and innovation at Queen’s.”

The review covers research at the institutional, portfolio and faculty/school levels. The reviewers will visit campus for three days in June to meet with key stakeholders, including members of the senior executive team, faculty members, administrative staff, faculty deans and associate deans (research), student leaders, graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and research associates.

The knowledge and expertise the external reviewers bring to this review will help guide us as we strive to advance research excellence and innovation at Queen’s. 
— Steven Liss, Vice-Principal (Research)

The reviewers will address four overarching areas:

• Strategic planning and implementation, including unique areas of strength and opportunity, faculty renewal/recruitment strategies, and alignment across the institutional, portfolio (VPR) and faculty/school levels.
• Best practices for organization and structure of research administration and VPR-driven innovation activities.
• Strategies for advancing Queen’s international reputation and impact through research collaborations and partnerships.
• Resource requirements, including personnel, research infrastructure and strategic investment opportunities.

The review will take place in June 2016 with the final report delivered to Principal Woolf by mid-July 2016. To offer feedback and comments to the external review team, please email researchreview@queensu.ca