Research chairs
Research chairs play a vital role in enhancing Athabasca University’s research enterprise, trainee development, and in attracting and retaining other exceptional researchers. This leads to the development of new areas of research excellence and enhanced student learning experiences.
Athabasca University currently benefits from the expertise of the following research chairs:
Canada Research Chairs
The Canada Research Chairs program aims to achieve research excellence in:
- Engineering and the natural sciences;
- Health sciences;
- Humanities; and
- Social sciences.
Dr. Scott Ketcheson, Faculty of Science and Technology
Canada Research Chair in Hydrological Sustainability
As a field hydrologist, Dr. Ketcheson studies the movement of water between forests, wetlands, and streams in northern Alberta. His research program uses both traditional hydrological techniques and innovative sensor networks to gain a direct process-based understanding of the hydrological function and importance of headwater catchments for generating freshwater in tributary river networks within the Athabasca River Basin. Additional information on Dr. Ketcheson's hydrology research can be found on his website: AU Hydrology.
Learn more about Dr. KetchesonDr. Mickey Vallee, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Canada Research Chair in Sound Studies
Dr. Vallee's interdisciplinary research focuses on innovation in sound-based technologies and how new local and global research communities can be built around these innovations. By building an understanding of the personal and collective experiences that people have with emerging sound technologies, Vallee will investigate how the sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities engage with technological innovation.
Learn more about Dr. ValleeDr. Jeff Vallance, Faculty of Health Disciplines
Canada Research Chair in Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Management
Dr. Vallance's research explores the role that physical activity programs can play in improving the health of cancer survivors and the negative impact of sedentary behaviour. Given that cancer survivors and the general population spend most of their waking hours insedentary behaviour like sitting, Vallance believes it is critical to understand the health implications of sedentary lifestyles after a cancer diagnosis. Vallance aims to develop practical and sustainable health promotion programs that will facilitate physical activity, reducesedentary behavior and improve physical and psychosocial health outcomes for cancer survivors. He hopes to apply these behavioural change programs to primary care networks to ensure their sustainability. Vallance’s research will help develop a physically active population of cancer survivors that translates into fewer cancer recurrences, longer and healthier lives and reduced burdens on the health-care system.
Learn more about Dr. VallanceCampus Alberta Innovation Program chairs
The Government of Alberta's Campus Alberta Innovation Program was designed to attract and recruit leading-edge faculty and related research personnel (e.g., graduate students, post-doctoral fellows) in the following areas:
- energy and environment
- neuroscience/prions
- food and nutrition
- water
The focus of Athabasca University's Campus Alberta Innovation Program research is the Athabasca River Basin. The basin is home to a wide variety of industries, including forestry, agriculture, and oil sands. The economic activity in this region has generated some environmental concerns, which are the focus of the research chair.
Learn more about the Campus Alberta Innovation Program at Alberta universities.
Dr. Chris Glover, Faculty of Science and Technology
Campus Alberta Innovation Program (CAIP) Chair in Hydroecology and Environmental Health
Dr. Glover’s research examines how contaminants (e.g., chemicals) and stressors (e.g., changing temperatures and water flows) affect the quality of the Athabasca River, as well as the organisms that live in the river basin.
Learn more about Dr. GloverAthabasca University chairs
Dr. Rory McGreal, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
UNESCO/ICDE Chairholder in Open Educational Resources (OER)
Dr. McGreal is responsible for promoting the use and reuse of free, openly licensed educational content institutionally, nationally, and internationally, with a particular focus on developing countries. Both UNESCO and the International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE) support the use of open educational resources (OER) as being essential for the achievement of the UNESCO Sustainable Development Goal 4: Education for All. He has delivered OER seminars, keynote presentations or conducted workshops in more than 60 countries.
Learn more about Dr. McGrealDr. Mohamed Ally, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Commonwealth of Learning Chairholder in Emerging Technologies in Open and Distance Learning
Dr. Ally is conducting research that will impact both developed and developing countries. He is currently a Canadian expert on information technology for learning, education, and training (ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 36) (Information technology for learning, education, and training) to set international standards for mobile learning, online learning, virtual reality, and augmented reality. Professor Ally has edited/co-edited 15 books on the use of emerging technologies in education and presented speeches at many national and international conferences. He is a founding director of the International Mobile Learning Association and the International Association for Blended Learning.
Learn more about Dr. AllyUpdated May 10, 2023 by Digital & Web Operations (web_services@athabascau.ca)