Our Office

Vice-President Research Portfolio

Dr. Karen Chad Vice-President Research University of Saskatchewan Room 201, College Building 107 Administration Place Saskatoon SK S7N 5A2 Phone: (306) 966-8514 Fax: (306) 966-8736 Email: karen.chad@usask.ca

President Peter MacKinnon recently announced the appointment of Dr. Karen Chad as the Vice-President Research beginning on January 1, 2010. Please see the news release regarding this appointment. Dr. Chad is also a kinesiology professor at the University of Saskatchewan. Roles and Responsibilities Biography Curriculum Vitae (PDF) Research Interests

Roles and Responsibilities

The Vice-President Research provides overall leadership in developing and promoting the University's research, scholarly and artistic work activities and increasing research intensiveness and performance. The Vice-President Research portfolio includes responsibility for:

• Developing strategies to enhance the University's research, scholarly and artistic environment
  • Research, Scholarly and Artistic Work Foundational Document MS Word Document | PDF
  • U of S Research, Scholarly and Artistic Landscape
  • Office of the Vice-President Research Integrated Plan (2004/05 to 2007/08) MS Word Document | PDF
  • Measuring Success and The Way Forward (PDF)
  • Office of the Vice-President Research Integrated Plan (2008/09 to 2011/12) (PDF)
• Representing and promoting the University's research achievements and capabilities in provincial, national, and international arenas
  • Chief liaison on matters related to University research with government and public sector, private enterprise and civil societies
  • Participant on numerous boards and agencies related to research, scholarly and artistic work including the Canadian Light Source and the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization
  • Development of International Research opportunities
• Fostering innovation and forging inter- and multi-disciplinary collaborations and research partnerships
  • Oversight of intellectual property and promotion of knowledge transfer activities
  • Development of research groups
• Oversight of the management of the University's research enterprise including policy development and administration
  • Research Services
  • Research Ethics Office
  • Research Communications
  • Research Representatives
  • Centres
  • Industry Liaison Office
  • Health Research
• Celebrating and championing research, scholarly and artistic activities both within and outside the institutional setting
  • Sponsors research lectures such as the Harry Toop "Science for Saskatchewan" Lecture Series
  • Promotes national and international award opportunities and administers the Distinguished Researcher Award
  • Development of the University of Saskatchewan Chairs Program
  • Chairs the Associate Deans Research Forum and Centres Forum

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Biography 

Dr. Karen Chad is the Vice-President Research at the University of Saskatchewan.

She earned bachelor degrees from the U of S in both physical education and education, followed by a master's in physiology from the University of Victoria in 1985 and a PhD from the University of Queensland in 1988. After a stint working at Australian universities, she joined the U of S College of Physical Education in 1990 as an assistant professor.  She is also an associate member of the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition and the College of Medicine's School of Physical Therapy.

A prolific researcher, Dr. Chad has a keen interest in health promotion and aspects of exercise physiology including metabolism, nutrition, body composition, and human health.

She recently completed a $2-million federal grant for a community-partnered research project that focused on an In Motion health promotion strategy aimed at encouraging all citizens to make regular physical exercise part of their daily lives. The program has become a model for communities across Canada. Dr. Chad also holds numerous grants investigating obesity-related issues.

Dr. Chad has extensive experience in research administration. In her previous position of Associate Vice-President of Research and as Chair of the U of S Research, Scholarly and Artistic Work Committee of Council, she led a campus-wide consultation process on U of S research themes which culminated in the first extensive overview of U of S research entitled Extending Horizons: The Research, Scholarly and Artistic Work Landscape at the University of Saskatchewan.

She sits on a number of national boards including the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.  She has also been active in the promotion of graduate studies, and currently supervises eight PhD and master's of science students.

She has twice been awarded a Teaching Excellence Award by the U of S Students' Union and received a Master Teacher Award at the 2005 fall convocation. Other honors include a 2004 International Award for "Innovation in Research" and the 2007 National Leadership Award in Heart Health Policy from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. In 1997, she received the YWCA Woman of Distinction (Health and Education) award and in 2006 was awarded the Saskatchewan Centennial Medal.

 

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