Nov. 14, 2019

Dr. Jennifer Love appointed head of Department of Chemistry

Organic and organometallic chemistry researcher from the University of British Columbia to join UCalgary

Dr. Jennifer Love, PhD, joined the Faculty of Science as the new head of the Department of Chemistry on November 15.

Relocating to the University of Calgary from the University of British Columbia, Love’s appointment bolsters the department’s existing research strength in synthetic chemistry. During her time at UBC, Dr. Love led a research group dedicated to organic and organometallic chemistry, and served as Senior Advisor to the Provost, Women Faculty. Her research focuses on understanding the metallic centre to understand a metal’s reactivity and better predict reactions, most recently focussing on developing applications of first-row transition metals for methane upgrading to valorise this underused carbon source.  

Love’s educational background includes a PhD in Chemistry from Stanford University, followed by a NIH Postdoctoral Fellowship at Caltech.

Dr. Jennifer Love is the new head of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Calgary

Dr. Jennifer Love is the new head of the Department of Chemistry.

Focus on inclusion and empowerment to guide vision for department

Love’s goals as department head will centre on promoting inclusivity, modernizing practical training in areas such as chemical hygiene and graduate education, and looking at different ways to evaluate successes in the department.

Recognizing that success may include a variety of factors beyond publishing papers in scientific journals, Love says, “I want to help people with their career progress. It’s important to make sure people know they’re being heard.”

Feeling heard was one of the reasons that Love applied for, and ultimately accepted, the position as department head. “When I talked to the committee about the way I think about things, they were really receptive to what I had to say,” she explains. “When I visited the Faculty of Science, I put a diversity, equity, and inclusion focus in my presentation, and I was really well-received. I thought that was a good sign!”

“We are so pleased to have Dr. Love on board,” says Dr. Lesley Rigg, PhD, dean of the Faculty of Science. “Not only do her leadership values and vision for the Department of Chemistry naturally align with our Faculty’s, but she has a strong research background and extensive administrative experience.”

Ultimately, Love says her vision is for the department to be a place where people thrive, with a focus on inclusivity. “The more diversity we have, the more likely we’ll really achieve excellence.”