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University of Victoria

Committees & boards

Research Advisory Committee

The Research Advisory Committee (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 implement Aspiration 2030 and move forward with several key research initiatives.

Chair: Dr. Lisa Kalynchuk, Vice-President Research and Innovation (VPRI)

Secretary: Dr. Kaitlyn Roland, Director Strategy and Operations, Vice-President Research and Innovation

RAC membership 2026/27:

  • Lisa Kalynchuk – Vice President Research & Innovation
  • Alex D'Arcy – Associate Vice-President Research
  • Fraser Hof – Associate Vice-President Research
  • Joaquin Trapero – Executive Director Strategic Research Intiatives, VPRI
  • Kaitlyn Roland – Director Strategy and Operations, VPRI (Committee support)

  • Regan Mandryk – Acting Associate Dean Research, Engineering
  • Alexandrine Boudreault-Fornier – Acting Associate Dean Research, Social Sciences
  • Adam Ritz – Acting Associate Dean Research, Science
  • Adrienne Williams-Boyarin – Associate Dean Research, Humanities
  • Ravee Chittoor – Associate Dean Research and Innovation, Business 
  • Kathy Sanford – Acting Associate Dean, Graduate Programs and Research, Education
  • Patricia Cochran – Associate Dean Administration and Research, Law
  • Brian Christie – Associate Dean Research, Health
  • Kirk McNally – Associate Dean Creative Activity, Research and Administration, Fine Arts
  • Robin Hicks – Dean, Graduate Studies
  • Lisa Goddard – Associate University Librarian, Advanced Research Services
  • Kelli Stajduhar – CIHR Representative
  • Julia Baum – NSERC Representative
  • Alexandra D'Arcy – SSHRC Representative

  1. Rachel Brown – Director, Centre for Studies in Religion and Society (CSRS)
  2. Jurgen Ehlting – Director, Centre for Forest Biology (FORB)
  3. Rishi Gupta / Sardar Malek – Director, Centre for Advanced Materials and Related Technology (CAMTEC)
  4. Jodie Gawryluk – Director, Institute on Aging & Lifelong Health (IALH)
  5. Ian Mauro – Executive Director, Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS)
  6. Timothy Naimi – Director, Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research (CISUR)
  7. Victor V. Ramraj – Director, Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives (CAPI)
  8. Bryson Robertson – Director, Institute for Integrated Energy Systems (IESVic)
  9. Cynthia Milton – Director, Centre for Global Studies (CFGS)
  10. Randall Sobie – Director, Victoria Subatomic Physics & Accelerator Research Centre (VISPA)
  11. Director, Centre for Indigenous Research and Community-Led Engagement (CIRCLE)
  12. Daniela Loock – ONC representative
  13. Falk Herwig – Director, Astronomy Research Centre (ARC)
  14. Xuebin Zhang – 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.

AI Pathfinders

The AI Pathfinders are a small group of UVic researchers appointed by the Associate Vice-President Research to help the university respond to the fast-moving changes AI is bringing to research. They run sessions to help researchers use AI responsibly and effectively, watch for emerging risks and opportunities, and advise university leaders. With a mandate to anticipate future trends and impacts, the Pathfinders help ensure that UVic's approach to AI stays proactive and coherent across research and teaching.

Current members

VPRI is grateful to the following individuals for contributing their expertise to this group:

  • Falk Herwig, Professor of Physics and Astronomy and Director of the Astronomy Research Centre
  • Michael Litchfield, Director of the Business Law Clinic, Faculty of Law, and Director of the AI Risk and Regulation Lab
  • Sam Liu, Associate Professor, School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education
  • Regan Mandryk, Professor, Department of Computer Science and Canada Research Chair in Digital Games and Immersive Social Technologies
  • Homayoun Najjaran, Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering and Director of the Advanced Control and Intelligent Systems Lab.
  • Margaret-Anne Storey, Professor, Department of Computer Science and Canada Research Chair in Human and Social Aspects of Software Engineering.