University of Manitoba: Faculty of Graduate Studies - Past Deans of the Faculty of Graduate Studies

University of Manitoba

Faculty of Graduate Studies

Past Deans of the Faculty of Graduate Studies

William McEwanWilliam Howard McEwen
1948-1964 First Dean

Dr. McEwen received a B.Sc. from the University of Saskatchewan in 1921 and obtained an M.Sc. the following year. He furthered his education by receiving an M.A. in 1924 and Ph.D. in 1930 from the University of Manitoba. From 1925-1929 Dr. McEwan taught at Regina College, and in 1930 he joined the Mount Allison University as an assistant professor of Mathematics. By 1933 he was full professor and head of the department. Dr. McEwan was welcomed to the University of Manitoba in 1946 as Head of the Dept. of Mathematics, and in 1948 was made Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

The Faculty of Graduate Studies was formed to systemize graduate study and research. While the development and teaching of graduate programs remained primarily the responsibility of the departments within the university, the Faculty of Graduate Studies established common standards and was responsible for their administration. As such, the Faculty admits all graduate students, monitors their progress, and authorizes all graduate degrees.

Lionel FuntB. Lionel Funt
1964-1967 Second Dean

Dr. Funt was educated in Nova Scotia and received his B.A. and M.Sc. in Chemistry from Dalhousie University. He later obtained a Ph.D. at McGill University. Dr. Funt came to the University of Manitoba in 1950 as an assistant professor in the Dept. of Chemistry, and in 1959 was promoted to professor. In 1964 Dr. Funt took over as Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies. He later left the University of Manitoba to accept the position of Dean of Science at Simon Fraser University.

 

Robin Dickson ConnorRobert (Robin) Dickson Connor
1968 Acting Dean

Dr. Connor was born and educated in Edinburgh, Scotland receiving his B.Sc. in 1942.  That same year, Dr. Connor was called to the Royal Air Force and performed radar work under the Technical Branch for the next four years. In 1946 Dr. Connor returned to Edinburgh University to complete his Ph.D. in Physics in 1949. Dr. Connor lectured at his alma mater until 1957 when greener pastures paved the way for a faculty position in the Dept. of Physics at the University of Manitoba. Dr. Connor’s career at the U of M continued to flourish as he was made Professor in 1960, Associate Dean of Arts & Science from 1963-68, Acting Dean of Graduate Studies in 1968, and the first Dean of Science in 1970 when Arts and Science were split into two separate faculties. Dr. Connor received the honor of Dean Emeritus in 1985 and retired in 1988. In 1996 he was honored again with the title of Professor Emeritus.

Clay GilsonJ. Clay Gilson
1968-1971 Third Dean

Dr. Gilson earned his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Agricultural Economics from the University of Manitoba and continued on to receive a Ph.D. from Iowa State University. Dr. Gilson joined the staff at The University of Manitoba in 1954 where he became professor and Head of the Dept. of Agricultural Economics and Farm Management. In 1968 Dr. Gilson was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

 

Benjamin HoggBenjamin J. Hogg
1971-1972 Acting Dean

Dr. Hogg obtained his B.Sc. in Physics from the University of Manitoba in 1946. He was instrumental in assisting Dr. Harry Duckworth, a faculty member of the same department, receive and install a large mass spectrometer at the time. When Dr. Duckworth accepted a position at Wesleyan University in Connecticut the same year, Dr. Hogg followed him to the same institution where he completed his M.A. a year later under the supervision of Dr. Duckworth. After a period of research at Harvard University and with the Defense Research Board, Dr. Hogg completed his Ph.D. at McMaster University in 1953. He continued on with post-doctoral studies at McMaster until accepting a teaching position at the Royal Military College in Kingston for three years. It was in 1957 that Dr. Hogg returned to his native Winnipeg as a faculty member in Physics at the University of Manitoba.  He soon escalated to Associate Dean and then Acting Dean of Graduate Studies from 1967-72. In 1972 Dr. Hogg left to become the Vice-President (Academic) of the University of Winnipeg, where his mentor, Harry Duckworth, was president. Dr. Hogg died suddenly in June of 1984.

Sidney StandilSidney Standil
1973-1979 Fourth Dean

Originally from Winnipeg, Dr. Standil earned his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees from Queen’s University in 1948 and 1949, respectively, and his doctoral degree from the University of Manitoba in 1951. Initially appointed lecturer in 1949, Dr. Standil spent the remainder of this professional career in the Dept. of Physics at Manitoba, earning promotions and focusing his research on Nuclear and Cosmic Ray Physics. He became Dean of Graduate Studies in 1973.

Marion AftanasMarion S. Aftanas
1978 Acting Dean

Dr. Aftanas received a B.A. and M.A. from the University of Manitoba in 1961 and 1963, respectively, and proceeded to earn his Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Alberta in 1966. His research interests have centered on the theoretical and practical issues related to the assessment and measurement of behaviour. While a member of the Dept. of Psychology from 1965-1998, Dr. Aftanas’ career was marked with professional and academic achievements. He served as President of the Manitoba Psychological Society in the late ‘60s and was the founding Chairman of the Inter-University Public Schools Research Committee. He also served with the Canadian and American Psychological Associations and the Professional Advisory Group of the Manitoba Mental Health Research Foundation. In 1974 Dr. Aftanas was appointed Associate Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies until 1978 when he took over as Acting Dean. He subsequently assumed the position of Associate Head in his home department until 1983.

Richard LeBrunRichard A. Lebrun
1980 Acting Dean

Dr. Lebrun obtained his B.A. from St. John’s University (Minnesota) in 1953 and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in 1957 and 1963, respectively. Dr. Lebrun specialized in the areas of Modern European, French, and Catholic history, and French intellectual history of the 18th and 19th centuries. Commencing his career at the University of Ottawa, Dr. Lebrun soon found his way to the University of Manitoba where he excelled to the position of Associate Head of the Dept. of History. By 1972 Dr. Lebrun was made full Professor and also Acting Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, after having served as Associated Dean of the Faculty for a year. Dr. Lebrun spent his professional time on many historical associations alongside his career in academia. In 1990, Dr. Lebrun earned the very prominent position of Rector of St. Paul’s College at The University of Manitoba.

Terry HoganTerrence (Terry) P. Hogan
1980-1982 Fifth Dean

Dr. Hogan obtained a B.A. from Loras College (Iowa) and an M.A. and Ph.D. from the Catholic University of America. Prior to his appointment as Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies in 1980, Dr. Hogan served as Associate Dean of the Faculty of Arts (1977). Dr. Hogan commenced his career at the University of Manitoba in 1969 as a member of the Department of Psychology, and shortly thereafter held the positions of Director of the Psychological Services Centre and Director of the Clinical Psychology Training Program. In 1983, Dr. Hogan received the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) award for Distinguished Contributions to Psychology as a Profession.  Subsequent to his term as Dean of Graduate Studies, Dr. Hogan was appointed Associate Vice-President (Academic) and International Liaison Officer. In 1991, he was the Vice President for Research and External Programs until being appointed as Associate Dean of the I. H. Asper School of Business.

Marion Vaisey-GenserMarion Vaisey-Genser
1982-1983 Acting Dean

Prof. Vaisey-Genser received a B.Sc. in Home Economics from The University of Manitoba and an M.Sc. in Nutrition from McGill University. Her research interests laid in the sensory properties of foods. Prior to commencing her teaching position in the Dept. of Foods and Nutrition (now Human Nutritional Sciences) at the University of Manitoba in 1965, Prof. Vaisey-Genser was the Head of Food Acceptance at the Defense Research Medical Laboratories in Toronto, a lecturer and dietician at Mount St. Vincent College (Halifax), and a lecturer at Oregon State College. Prof. Vaisey-Genser rapidly advanced to full Professor in 1974 and department head soon thereafter. She then excelled to Associate and Acting Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and finally Associate Vice-President (Research) from 1983-1991. Shortly before her retirement in 1993, Prof. Vaisey-Genser was appointed Professor Emeritus.

Kenneth HughesKenneth Hughes
1983-1997 Sixth Dean

Dr. Hughes obtained his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Manitoba and his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, becoming a specialist in physiology and behavior. Dr. Hughes held many administrative positions after commencing his career at the University of Manitoba in 1961, including Acting Head of the Dept. of Physiology, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies in the Faculty of Medicine, Provost for five years within the Office of the Vice-President (Academic), and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the Faculty of Medicine. Dr. Hughes was the longest running Dean of Graduate Studies since William McEwan, serving a total of 14 years in the Faculty. 

Wendy DahlgrenWendy J. Dahlgren
1997-1998 Acting Dean

Dr. Dahlgren graduated from the University of Alberta with a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Physical Education & Exercise, and later from the University of Manitoba with a Ph.D. in Medical Anatomy. Dr. Dahlgren was a strong advocate of regular physical activity. She became a faculty member of the University of Manitoba in 1966 and during her career served as Associate Dean of Physical Education and Recreation Studies and Acting and Associate Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Apart from her university work, Dr. Dahlgren was the president of the Women’s Health Research Foundation of Canada, chair of the President’s Council and Executive Committee of the Assembly of Canadian Special Olympics, President of the Canadian Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation, Vice-Chair of the Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute, and President of Manitoba Special Olympics. For four years Dr. Dahlgren was writer and researcher for the CBC television fitness show “Body Talk”.

Fernando de ToroFernando de Toro
1998-2002 Seventh Dean

Dr. de Toro obtained his B.A. from Carleton University in 1972, and his M.A. from the same institution two years later. His specialty was in Spanish and Spanish American Literature, having practical knowledge of English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Italian languages. In 1980, Dr. de Toro graduated with a Ph.D. from the University of Montreal. Thereafter, post-doctoral studies awaited him at the Institut d’Etudes Théâtrales at The University of Paris III in the area of Theatre Semiotics (the study of signs). Dr. de Toro’s academic career saw positions at many eastern Canadian universities until 1998 when he arrived at the University of Manitoba to assume the Deanship in the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Subsequent to his term, he lectured at universities in Ukraine, Mexico, and Argentina and ultimately returned to the Dept. of English at the University of Manitoba.  

Anthony SeccoAnthony Silvio Secco
2002-2004 Eighth Dean

Dr. Secco earned his B.Sc. honours from St. Francis Xavier University, and after a summer working with the National Research Council in Ottawa, embarked on a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of British Columbia, which he obtained in 1982. He took a post-doctoral position at the University of Pennsylvania thereafter, but in 1984 could not pass up an opportunity to accept a faculty position as an x-ray crystallographer at the University of Manitoba, a fairly rare position for which he was well trained and keen. After completing a sabbatical year split between NRC in Ottawa and Georgia Tech in Atlanta, Dr. Secco returned to the University of Manitoba in 1994 and took on the position of Associate Head in the Dept. of Chemistry. He continued to become actively involved in University Senate by 1996 and in 1998 was appointed Associate Dean in the Faculty of Graduate Studies, later Acting Dean for one year, and Dean in 2002. His term ended prematurely, however, when he was offered the position of Vice-President (Academic) at the University of Cape Breton in his home province of Nova Scotia.

Don SmythDonald D. Smyth
2005 Acting Dean

Dr. Smyth earned his B.Sc. (Hons.) and Ph.D. (1982) in the area of Pharmacology and Internal Medicine from the University of Manitoba, and subsequently pursued postdoctoral studies at the University of Texas in Dallas. Dr. Smyth’s academic and professional appointments are great in number and include scientific and scholarly work with the Medical Research Council of Canada, Heart Foundation of Canada, and Manitoba Health Research Council. Dr. Smyth has received numerous large research grants from organizations such as the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada and in 1989 was awarded the prestigious Rh Award for Outstanding Contributions to Scholarship & Research in the Health Sciences at the University of Manitoba. In 2003, Dr. Smyth was appointed Associate Dean (Academic) in the Faculty of Graduate Studies prior to becoming Acting Dean for one year. He continues to work closely with Graduate Studies in his home Dept. of Pharmacology and Therapeutics.

Jay DoeringJohn (Jay) Doering
2005-present Ninth Dean

Dr. Doering completed his B.Sc. (Civil Engineering) with a focus on fluid mechanics at Queen’s University in 1984. While having already decided to further his graduate education, the place and program of study was ultimately determined for Dr. Doering when he received a rare and prestigious NSERC  1967 scholarship. This opportunity permitted Dr. Doering to proceed straight to his Ph.D. and pursue studies in physical oceanography at Dalhousie University. After graduating in 1988, Dr. Doering was awarded an NSERC Visiting Fellowship at the National Water Research Institute and then joined the faculty at McMaster University in 1991. In 1993, Dr. Doering was drawn to an opening in the Dept. of Civil Engineering at the University of Manitoba where he successfully completed a project to refurbish an ailing hydraulics lab. When the “Flood of the Century” hit southern Manitoba in 1997, Dr. Doering was instrumental in working with the Manitoba Floodway Authority and continues to be on the expansion project committee to this day. Dr. Doering was appointed Head of Civil Engineering in 2001 and Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies in July of 2005.




© 2009 UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA
Faculty of Graduate Studies
500 University Centre
University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB  R3T 2N2 Canada
Tel 204.474.9377  Fax 204.474.7553  Email graduate_studies@umanitoba.ca
umanitoba.ca/faculties/graduate_studies