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Associate VP Research

Jeff Vallance, PhD
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By Jeff Vallance, PhD in the group Athabasca University Faculty Association (AUFA) April 17, 2014 - 12:29pm Comments (1)

Hello AUFA members,

I'm certainly appreciative of you support in the recent vote for an AUFA academic rep to serve on the AVPR search committee. Thanks to Vive for also running. At this point I would like to extend an ear to AUFA members and listen to your thoughts and ideas regarding the AVPR position. I come from a health context so I have a solid idea of what my colleagues and I from the health disciplines are looking for. I'm familiar with CIHR, SSHRC, and Alberta Innovates. However, some areas I am not so familiar with are NSERC and other industry-related funding schemes which I know some of our AUFA members currently are engaged in. So I need to rely on you to relay your concerns and ideas to me.

What do you need to see in a good AVPR? 

Please take the time to respond to this blog with your comments. My email is jeffv@athabascau.ca. My office number is 403-488-7182. Heck, you can even call or text me at 403-977-4338. I want to be available as much as possible so that I can go into the search with a voice that is as representative as possible of our AUFA members.

Thanks again everyone and looking forward to chatting.

Jeff

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Jeff Vallance, PhD

Jeff Vallance, PhD

Comments

  • Mark A. McCutcheon
    Mark A. McCutcheon May 2, 2014 - 2:43pm

    Thanks Jeff. I'm not sure at what stage the AVPR search is at, but off the top of my head, here are some (admittedly somewhat abstract) criteria and principles I'd like to see a potential AVPR candidate bring to AU:

    • facility with liaising with AU Media Office and facility with traditional and new media, especially social media, in promoting and publicizing AU's research culture
    • demonstrated success in promoting the communication of research to the general public, and facilitating public engagement with research
    • understanding of the importance of a diversified research culture, encompassing - and more importantly celebrating - all of our disciplines and fields, across the spectrum from applied to curiosity-based (a.k.a. "not-yet-applied"), and inclusive of not only commerce- and industry-friendly research, but also (and as importantly) critical and controversial research
    • following from the last point, demonstrated protection and promotion of academic freedom and integrity, especially in light of the multiple current threats to academic freedom in Alberta
    • understanding of - and concrete strategic ideas for - consolidating the fundamental interdependence of research and teaching

     

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