From: Leah Cowen, Vice-President, Research and Innovation, and Strategic Initiatives  
Cheryl Regehr, Vice-President & Provost 
Date: August 5, 2022
Re: Appointment of Professor Timothy Chan as Associate Vice-President and Vice-Provost, Strategic Initiatives (PDAD&C #3) 

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Timothy Chan as Associate Vice-President and Vice-Provost, Strategic Initiatives for a five-year term, from September 1, 2022 to August 31, 2027. 

This role reports dually to the Vice-President & Provost and to the Vice-President, Research and Innovation, and Strategic Initiatives, and plays an integral role in furthering the strategic goals and initiatives of the University. The Institutional Strategic Initiatives (ISI) portfolio was created to spearhead and facilitate interdisciplinary efforts that leverage the University’s strengths in areas of societal importance, ensuring that U of T remains a globally leading research institution. Following an initial focus on launching strategic, innovative cross-divisional research and training programs, the ISI portfolio currently focuses on the sustainability of initiatives that are already underway.   

Professor Timothy Chan is the Canada Research Chair in Novel Optimization and Analytics in Health, and Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering. He is an affiliate of the Vector Institute, University Health Network, and Unity Health Toronto. He currently serves as the Director of the Centre for Analytics and AI Engineering, and Associate Director, Research and Thematic Programming of the Data Sciences Institute ISI (both roles ending August 31), and was previously the Director of the Centre for Healthcare Engineering.  

Professor Chan’s research focuses on the development of novel optimization methods and their application to solve complex decision-making problems in healthcare, medicine, sustainability, and sports. He has over 100 publications and his research has been featured by CNN, ABC, CBC, ESPN, the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Boston Globe, and World Economic Forum. He has been an advisor to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Ontario Ministry of Health, Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities, and the Canadian Olympic Committee. 

Professor Chan received his BSc in Applied Mathematics from the University of British Columbia, and his PhD in Operations Research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Prior to joining the University of Toronto, Professor Chan was an Associate at McKinsey & Company, where he advised companies in the fields of medical device technology, travel and hospitality, telecommunications, and energy on issues of strategy, organization, technology, and operations. 

Professor Chan’s commitment to cross-disciplinary research excellence, experience with cross-portfolio collaboration, and open, communicative style of inclusive leadership make him ideally suited to continue engaging our colleagues in the exciting and innovative work of this portfolio. Please join us in congratulating Professor Chan on this appointment.