Dear colleagues,
I am delighted to share with the York University community that Professor Jennifer Steeves has been appointed associate vice-president research (AVPR) effective July 1 for a five-year term.
Since March 1, Professor Steeves has served as interim associate vice-president research, and I look forward to her continued leadership in this critical role that focuses on the development of pan-University strategic research priorities.
Prior to this role, Professor Steeves made an impact at the University through several leadership positions including associate dean research and graduate education for the Faculty of Science, from 2018-21, and as the director of the York MRI Facility.
A professor in the Department of Psychology in the Faculty of Health, and a member of the Centre for Vision Research, Professor Steeves holds a Tier 1 York Research Chair in Non-Invasive Visual Brain Stimulation and is a core member of Vision: Science to Applications (VISTA).
Dedicated to research that seeks to understand how the brain adapts to altered sensory input or to cortical damage, Professor Steeves’ lab has received funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, Banting Foundation, Ministry of Transportation, and the Canada First Research Excellence Fund through Vision: Science to Applications (VISTA).
She also holds adjunct appointments at SickKids and at the University of Toronto Ophthalmology & Vision Sciences.
In her role as AVPR, she will work closely with Jennifer Hyndman, associate vice-president research, and David Phipps, assistant vice-president, research strategy and impact in the Office of Research Services, and will be a principal contributor to the Strategic Projects and Opportunities Review Team (SPORT).
Her leadership and experience will help facilitate and promote external research funding opportunities and support strategic group and individual grant development for eligible faculty.
Additionally, Professor Steeves will engage with and contribute to Innovation York – the University’s commercialization, knowledge mobilization, industrial liaison and entrepreneurship group – and will Chair the Associate Deans’ Research Council.
The support of external, large-scale interdisciplinary research grant submissions, including the Canada First Research Excellence Fund program and the Canada Excellence Research Chair program, will be key in Professor Steeves’ role as AVPR, where she will represent VPRI on various committees within in the project. She will also take an active role in supporting the development of the implementation of important infrastructure associated with the program including the expansion of the Sherman Health Sciences building.
I look forward to continuing to work with Professor Steeves in the coming years to advance our shared objectives, and I invite the University community to join me in congratulating her as she undertakes this important role in the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation.
Finally, I would like to thank the members of the search committee for their contributions to this important process.
Amir Asif
Vice-President Research and Innovation