I am delighted to announce that the Governing Council has approved the reappointment of Professor Lorraine Ferris as Associate Vice-President, Research Oversight and Compliance for a five year term, beginning July 1, 2018 and ending June 30, 2023.

Professor Ferris is tenured in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. Her research interests are in public health, medico-legal policy, women’s health and health services research. She is a Senior Scientist at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences. Professor Ferris has a PhD in psychology and two LL.M degrees (Alternative Dispute Resolution and Administrative Law). Professor Ferris previously served as the Associate Vice-Provost, Health Sciences Policy and Strategy and as a Special Advisor to the Vice-President, Research and Innovation.

Since joining the Office Vice-President, Research & Innovation, Professor Ferris has demonstrated exceptional leadership at managing the increasing and complicated external requirements that come to bear on the Research Oversight and Compliance Office (ROCO). She has skillfully steered major changes since she started the position that have led to improvements in the management of research risks—and improved synergies between the various ROCO units. These were successful due in large part to her leadership capabilities and her ability to effectively manage and lead complex and large teams through significant change processes.

Professor Ferris’ expert administrative experience extends to important leadership roles both within and outside of the university, including key working group such as serving as co-chair of the Indigenous Research Ethics and Community Relationships Working Group and chair of the Equity and Diversity in Research and Innovation Working Group. Her expertise is sought by our academic divisions and the Toronto Academic Health Science Network (TAHSN). The practices in place within the ROCO are often cited by regulatory agencies (e.g., the Canadian Council on Animal Care, Secretariat for the Responsible Conduct of Research, Public Health Agency of Canada) as standards that other institutions across Canada should aspire to.

I very much value Professor Ferris as a key advisor to the Office Vice-President, Research & Innovation. Please join me in congratulating her on this reappointment.