‘Discovery with impact’
Karen Chad appointed VP Research

November 27, 2009

Discovery with impact. That is Karen Chad’s mantra, and it will influence her work during her tenure as the University of Saskatchewan’s new vice-president of research.

By Colleen MacPherson

“I want the University of Saskatchewan to be one of the top 10 medical-doctoral institutions in the country,” said Chad. “More specifically for me, I want to foster creativity and innovation. I want to instill a sense of meaning, for faculty to feel that their contributions are integral to the university and the community, and I want communities to feel a connectedness to this university. If we are serious about serving the public interest … that means discovery with impact, not just discovery with output.”

Although her appointment is very recent, Chad is no stranger to the position of VP research, having served in the job in an acting capacity since July of last year. That experience, and the insights she gained, played a significant part in her decision to seek the position on a permanent basis.

“There’s nothing like getting in and getting your feet wet. Having a chance to be in the role gave me the opportunity to learn the breadth and depth and diversity of the job,  and to see if my skill sets and qualities as a leader were consistent with what the institution needed to bring us forward. I also found that it aligned with my core values – teamwork, quality, life-long learning. The university is doing great things that I’d like to be involved with.”

Chad earned bachelor degrees from the U of S in both physical education and education, followed by a master’s in physiology from the University of Victoria in 1985. She traveled to the University of Queensland in 1988 to complete her PhD and, after working at Australian universities, returned to the U of S in 1990 as an assistant professor in what was then the College of Physical Education.  She is also an associate member of the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition and the School of Physical Therapy.

A prolific researcher, Chad has a keen interest in health promotion and various aspects of exercise physiology including metabolism, nutrition, body composition and human health. She was twice awarded a Teaching Excellence Award by the U of S Students’ Union and received a Master Teacher Award at the 2005 fall convocation.

Asked how she has learned to balance her professional and family life, Chad laughed and said her secret is having three teenagers. “Teenagers make sure that you are a part of their lives, and I make sure I’m around to guide their choices.”