June 17, 2020
Dean's Message: New Associate Dean Academic, Architecture
It gives me great pleasure to announce that Catherine Hamel has agreed to step into the role of Associate Dean Academic, Architecture effective July 1st for a three-year term.
Those of you who know Catherine are well aware that she embodies thinking through making and encourages her students to do the same; continuously building and dismantling the tenuous bridge between the personal and the collective. A prolific artist and valued SAPL colleague for 25 years, Catherine’s work reflects her segmented cultural identity with ties to Lebanon, the Netherlands and Canada and her resultant curiosity about the experience of extreme physical destruction and rapid human adaptation. Her research has revolved around identity and estrangement in the context of post-war reconstruction and exile, and the ability to activate space and its inhabitants towards a more just society. About her new academic appointment, Catherine says: “The Dutch have a term for designing – ‘vormgeven’. Translated, it means ‘giving shape.’ I look forward to continue to shape the program with my colleagues.” I am very excited to have Catherine join the School’s leadership team as we continue to shape and refine our architecture program to be one of the best in Canada.
I also would like you to join me in offering our sincere and heartfelt thanks to Jason Johnson as he completes his term as Associate Dean (Architecture) on June 30. Jason has been an exceptional leader and a great colleague on our leadership team. Over the past three years he has stewarded the program through an accreditation visit, the opening of the CBDLab, and the approval of our new curriculum model in addition to the innumerable "bumps in the road" that come with academic leadership. I have very much appreciated Jason’s level-headed counsel during the early years of my term as dean. He is consistently thoughtful, compassionate, and creative with a healthy dose of skepticism and good humour.
Stay well everyone and have a good summer,
Dr. John Brown, PhD