Committees & boards
Research Advisory Council
The Research Advisory Council (RAC) is chaired by the Vice-President Research and Innovation (VPRI). Its main purpose is to advise the Office of the VPRI. It also gives important information to faculty members and helps raise the internal and external profile of research at UVic. Its membership broadly reflects the key facets of research at UVic.
Membership includes associate deans of research (or equivalent) from each faculty and the directors of each of UVic’s research centres and research entities.
RAC facilitates collaboration between academic units and research centres. Its role is particularly important as we move forward with several key initiatives. These initiatives include:
- the Climate and Sustainability Action Plan
- the Health Sciences Initiative
- the next Research and Creative Works Strategy
Chair: Dr. Lisa Kalynchuk, Vice-President Research and Innovation (VPRI)
Secretary: Executive Administrative Assistant to the VPRI
RAC membership 2020/21:
- Lisa Kalynchuk – Vice President Research & Innovation
- Cynthia Milton – Associate Vice-President Research
- Rachael Scarth - AVP Research Operations
- Brent Sternig - Director of Research PKM
- Joaquin Trapero - Director Strategic Research Intiatives, OVPRI
- Rebecca Barnes - Director, Office of the Vice President Research & Innovation
- Colin Bradley – Associate Dean Research, Engineering
- Brian Christie – CIHR Representative
- Denise Cloutier – Acting Associate Dean Research, SOSC
- Laura Cowen – Associate Dean Research, Science
- Alexandra D'Arcy – Associate Dean Research, Humanities
- Lisa Goddard – Associate University Librarian, Digital Scholarship & Strategy
- Robin Hicks – Dean, Graduate Studies
- Jennifer Kwan – Research Communications
- Allana Lindgren – Acting Dean, Fine Arts
- Geoff Loomer – Associate Dean Administration and Research, Law
- Charlotte Loppie – Associate Dean Research, HSD
- Paul Whitinui – Acting Associate Dean, Graduate Programs and Research, Education
- Nahid Safari – GSS representative (GSS Director of Student Affairs) – effective 1 Apr 2021 to 31 Mar 2022
- Roy Suddaby – Associate Dean Research and Faculty Renewal, Business
- Paul Bramadat – Director, Centre for Studies in Religion and Society (CSRS)
- Martin Bunton – Acting Director, Centre for Global Studies (CFGS)
- Damien Contrandiopoulos – Acting Director, Institute on Aging & Lifelong Health (IALH)
- Thomas Darcie – Director, Matrix Institute for Applied Data Science (MATRIX)
- Jurgen Ehlting – Director, Centre for Forest Biology (FORB)
- Frederick Grouzet – Director, Centre for Youth and Society (CFYS)
- Fraser Hof – Acting Director, Centre for Advanced Materials and Related Technology (CAMTEC)
- Heidi Kiiwetinepinesiik Stark – Director, Centre for Indigenous Research and Community-Led Engagement (CIRCLE)
- Timothy Naimi – Director, Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research (CISUR)
- Victor V. Ramraj – Director, Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives (CAPI)
- Andrew Rowe – Director, Institute for Integrated Energy Systems (IESVic)
- Sybil Seitzinger – Executive Director, Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS)
- Natalie Slawinski – Director, Centre for Social & Sustainable Innovation (CSSI)
- Randall Sobie – Director, Victoria Subatomic Physics & Accelerator Research Centre (VISPA)
- Jessica Stigant – ONC representative
- Kim Venn – Director, Astronomy Research Centre (ARC)
- Francis Zwiers – Director, Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium (PCIC)
Human Research Ethics Board
Research that involves human participants, human biological samples and data (secondary use) must receive approval from the Human Research Ethics Board (HREB). This approval is needed before recruitment and data collection with participants and before collecting or accessing samples or secondary use data.
HREB ensures that all human research is conducted with the highest ethical standards. They ensure that the public, participants, communities, the researchers and UVic are protected from risk of harm.
Animal Care Committee
All laboratory- or field-based research that involves animals must receive approval from the Animal Care Committee (ACC). This approval is required both before and throughout the study period.
The ACC ensures that all research with animals is conducted with the highest ethical and humane standards by following the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) polices, guidelines, relevant standards and legislation. They ensure that the animals, the public, the researchers and UVic are protected from harm.
President’s Advisory Committee on External Awards & Honours
The President’s Advisory Committee on External Awards and Honours is managed by the Office of the VPRI. The committee provides advice to the President of UVic on potential nominees for external awards. The VPRI, or a designate, is always a member of the committee.