I am very pleased to announce the appointment of Professor William R. Cluett as the inaugural Associate Chair, Undergraduate Curriculum Development (UGCD) for a three-year term from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2025.
Will joined the Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry in 1986. He has served the Department and the Faculty in a number of academic leadership roles, most recently having just completed a three-year term as Director of the Division of Engineering Science. In 2018, he was awarded the President’s Teaching Award, the highest honour for teaching at the University of Toronto. In 2020, he received the OCUFA Teaching Award and, in 2021, he was awarded the Medal for Distinction in Engineering Education from Engineers Canada. He is a Fellow of the Chemical Institute of Canada (FCIC), the American Association for the Advancement of Science (FAAAS), and of Engineers Canada (FEC). He is a registered professional engineer (PEng) in the Province of Ontario.
In this new role, Will will focus on supporting the department’s strategic goal to be a leader in creating a modern chemical engineering curriculum that will continue to attract the brightest minds from around the globe to our undergraduate program. Some of the key functions of the Associate Chair UGCD are to manage curriculum review and changes; oversee curriculum and calendar updates; manage the CEAB accreditation process; and serve on the Faculty’s Standing Committee for Undergraduate Curriculum.
I would like to add that Associate Chair UGCD is one of two positions created to replace the role of Associate Chair Undergraduate Studies in order to focus on supporting our students in post pandemic times and working towards our department’s goal of curriculum modernization.
Please join me in congratulating Will on his new appointment.
I also wish to take this opportunity to thank Professor Tim Bender for his six years of exemplary service to our Department as the Associate Chair, Undergraduate Studies. Tim’s leadership has been instrumental as he navigated our undergraduate program delivery during some exceptionally challenging times over the past two years.
Please join me in thanking Tim and wishing him all the best as he maintains his support for the Department through the development and implementation of continuous improvement processes in his new role as the Chair of the Support Services Committee (formerly Technical Services Committee).
Sincerely,
Ramin