The Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Prof. Rebecca Hallett as the Associate Dean (Research and Graduate Studies). Her five-year term began on May 1, 2018.

“Rebecca is a wonderful fit for the position and brings a wealth of experience,” says Rene Van Acker, Dean of OAC.  “She has done an excellent job over the past year acting in the role.”

Hallett [1], a professor in the School of Environmental Sciences, has been the Acting Associate Dean (Research and Graduate Studies) for the last year while Prof. Beverly Hale was on administrative leave. Hale was then appointed as Associate Vice-President Research (Agri-food Partnership) for the University of Guelph.

The Associate Dean (Research and Graduate Studies) is responsible for leading and managing research and innovation in OAC, as well as graduate programs.

“I am very honoured and pleased to serve OAC as Associate Dean (Research and Graduate Studies),” shares Hallett. “Over the past year, I have really enjoyed getting to know more about this great college, our excellent faculty and students, and our innovative and important research programs. I am excited to continue supporting and championing the impressive people of OAC, facilitating new research initiatives, and growing our graduate programs through the recruitment of excellent students and scholars.”

“During the last year Rebecca has championed new and renewed Canada Research Chairs and also managed OAC’s submission to the Canada 150 Research Chair Program,” explains Van Acker. “She played an active role in the ARIO Crop Research Infrastructure Platform, facilitated expressions of interest and submissions to multiple CFI programs, and she has been able to elevate OAC’s management of research honours and awards. She has also led a new graduate recruitment portfolio, including the creation of new initiatives.”

Hallett previously served as the Associate Director (Graduate Studies) for the School of Environmental Sciences and on various Senate and OAC committees. She has supervised 22 graduate students and five postdoctoral fellows during her time at the University of Guelph. She is an established researcher who has successfully held research grants from a number of sources, including NSERC, OMAFRA and industry. She has published 67 papers in refereed journals, 23 technical reports and developed a smartphone app called Aphid Advisor based on her research.

Hallett joined the University of Guelph in 1998 after completing a postdoctoral fellowship at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Saskatoon. Hallett completed both her MPM and Ph.D. in entomology at Simon Fraser University.