Dean's Message

Welcome to the website of the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences (ALES).

Many of you will have expected to see a smiling photo of our long-time dean, Stan Blade, on this page. After two terms leading the faculty, totalling ten years, he is embarking on a new stage of his career as Director General for the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). 

Our faculty has flourished under Dean Blade’s leadership. He helped raise more than $135 million in advancement contributions and secure more than $450 million in research funding. He engaged partners locally to globally in our interdisciplinary sciences and research, all while finding time to meet students and participate in department events. His commitment to the greater good through impactful research and outstanding student experiences leaves a great impact in the faculty and beyond. 

We’re excited to be welcoming an experienced academic leader who can pick up where Dean Blade left off. Rickey Yada is joining us from the University of British Columbia on October 1, bringing his expertise as dean of the Faculty of Land and Food Systems since 2014. Many faculty members in ALES have already worked with him and can attest to the collegial nature he’s known for. I look forward to working with him. 

To bridge their terms, I’m stepping up from vice dean to interim dean. I worked closely with Dean Blade and am in regular contact with Rickey Yada. We are well aligned as we near this next stage for the faculty. 

Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions and issues you may have. Thank you for your interest in the Faculty of ALES.

Vic Adamowicz, PhD, FRSC

Interim Dean, Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences
vic.adamowicz@ualberta.ca