As the Spring 2021 semester comes to an end, the University of Alberta community is thanking Bob Haennel for his leadership as dean of the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine these past nine years. His tenure as dean officially ends on June 30, though Bob is neither retiring nor leaving the U of A. He will rejoin the faculty as a professor of physical therapy following an 18-month administrative leave.
Bob began his term as dean of rehabilitation medicine in 2012, but has been a familiar face around campus for much longer. He first joined the faculty in 2005 as chair of physical therapy, and had previously completed his PhD in physical education at the U of A in 1987, as well as a postdoctoral fellowship in cardiology from 1987 to 1989.
“In addition to his strong leadership in the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, Bob Haennel has been a strong voice in institutional discussions, and has provided valuable insight and input into shaping institutional initiatives,” says Provost Steven Dew. “He has been an unfailingly positive, supportive, and encouraging colleague.”
Bob’s time as an academic leader is punctuated by many major achievements in the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine. As department chair, he led the development of the satellite campus in Calgary—an initiative he continued to grow and develop as dean. The satellite campus became instrumental to expanding the faculty’s future within the Calgary marketplace, and enabling occupational therapy and physical therapy students to study in either Edmonton or Calgary.
Bob was also key to envisioning and building substantive partnerships for military and veteran rehabilitation. Under his leadership, the faculty expanded upon its 50-year partnership with the Royal Canadian Legion, establishing the Heroes in Mind, Advocacy and Research Consortium (HiMARC)—the first of its kind in Canada. The Veteran-Friendly Campus initiative, which offers academic, social and mental health support for veterans pursuing post-secondary education, marks the newest initiative within this legacy.
“During Bob's tenure he has displayed the kind of community engagement, business acumen, tireless work ethic, integrity, collaboration and professionalism that are all hallmarks of an exceptional dean,” says John Voyer, Assistant Dean (Development) in the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine. Collaborations and partnerships characterize many of the faculty’s accomplishments under Bob’s leadership, from developing continuing education workshops with Alberta Health Services, to working with the School of Business to establish combined programs that bring together an MBA with an MScOT/MScPT degree. In fact, the first students are graduating from the combined program this week.
Bob championed the growth of eight in-house clinics and camps that provide rehabilitation services to community members and give students hands-on clinical experience. Community clinics in speech-language pathology, early education, and exercise-based cancer rehabilitation are offered, and other programs support individuals facing barriers to access, including rural residents and underserved populations. Bob also oversaw the introduction of an Indigenous Focus stream in occupational therapy that offers an interdisciplinary education in Indigenous health care and aims to build capacity in future health-care providers.
Bob’s legacy can also be found in the centres and institutes associated with the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine.
“Bob was instrumental in reorganizing the advisory boards of the Institute for Stuttering Treatment and Research and under his guidance we created the ISTAR Foundation and the ISTAR Executive Council,” says Holly Lomheim, Clinic Director of ISTAR. “He was a strong advocate of ISTAR and our initiatives and helped us to stabilize our position as an institute.”
“Not only was Bob a strong advocate for the Glen Sather Sports Medicine Clinic, he was a regular patient,” adds Jason Sheehy, Executive Director of the Glen Sather. “It was always great to catch up with him in the clinic hallways after a gruelling physiotherapy session or therapeutic massage. And that's the thing about Bob: he loves a good chat and weaving colourful tales, no matter the subject!”
As his term wraps up, the emphasis for Bob remains the many accomplishments of the faculty as a whole. The 2020-21 academic year marked an all-time high in the faculty’s research grant success, and its occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech-language pathology graduate programs are considered among the best in Canada.
“Most importantly,” Bob says, “it has been my honor and privilege to lead the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine as it continues to strengthen its reputation on campus and across the province, country, and globe—due primarily to the efforts of our amazing staff, students and faculty.”