After an extensive search, President Jonathan S. Raymond, Ph.D., is pleased to announce the appointment of W. Robert Wood, Ph.D., as Provost of Trinity Western University.
“Dr. Wood has all of the qualities we were looking for in a Provost,” said Raymond. “He has the trust and respect of the TWU community. His service as Interim Provost was exemplary and confirmed his value to the future of the University.”
With 20 years of service at TWU, Wood brings to the position extensive experience in strategic planning, policy development, and academic leadership. He began his career at TWU at 1992 as Assistant Professor of Physics. He also served in the role of Associate Academic Vice President, Vice Provost, and most recently, Interim Provost.
Wood played a significant role in the planning and implementation of the University’s 2008 redesign initiative, as well as the development of the ten-year Business Proposal in 2011. He facilitated the establishment of the University’s Academic Advising Office, and provided leadership in the development of the University Senate and campus wide adoption of Carver Policy Governance.
Reporting to the President and serving as a member of both the University Finance Board and President’s Senior Leadership Team, Wood will be the Chief Academic Program Officer for the University. In this role, he will be responsible for strategies, planning, development, implementation and assessment of all educational policies and programs, and superintend financial matters relating to Campus Life.
As Chair of the Dean’s Council, Wood will provide oversight on faculty appointments, tenure and promotion, and academic research. The Provost will also serve as the President’s proxy during times of absence.
Wood earned his B.Sc. (Hons) in Physics and M.Sc. in Theoretical Physics from the University of Saskatchewan in 1982 and 1986, respectively, and his Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics in 1992 from the University of Regina. He was a Research Fellow at the University of Lethbridge from 1985 to 1986, and is the author/co-author of more than 30 papers in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings. At TWU, Wood introduced four new Physics courses, as well as a Concentration in Physics.
“It’s an honour to be in the leadership role for TWU’s educational program at this exciting time,” said Wood. “The University is in a position to move forward and build on its strengths, and I’m working closely with the Senior Vice President of Business Affairs on the development of the strategic mapping process that will be supported by the University’s business plan. I’m also looking at ways to strengthen research and support for the academic enterprise.”