I am delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Karim El-Basyouny as the new Associate Vice-President, Institutional Research Infrastructure and Initiatives (AVP, IRII), effective January 1, 2026.
A respected leader within the university community and a tenured professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Dr. El-Basyouny previously served as Associate Dean, Research (Infrastructure & Centres) in the Faculty of Engineering. In that role, he provided strategic leadership for major research infrastructure and cross-faculty initiatives, gaining the extensive experience in core facilities and space strategy that will serve as the foundation for his work as AVP.
The IRII portfolio is central to stewarding the shared infrastructure and strategic initiatives that underpin our research success and directly support the Forward with Purpose institutional strategy. Dr. El-Basyouny will oversee the strategic planning and development of major institutional facilities, centres and institutes, as well as cutting-edge digital assets such as research computing and data infrastructure.
A key focus of his mandate will be collaborating with University Services, Operations and Finance, the Office of the Chief Information Officer, and other vice-president portfolios. These partnerships will ensure that institutional investments are integrated, innovative and positioned to strengthen the university’s global research competitiveness.
Please join me in offering Dr. El-Basyouny our warmest congratulations as he transitions into this key role. We look forward to his leadership in enhancing the foundation of research excellence at the University of Alberta.
Sincerely,
Dr. Aminah Robinson Fayek
Vice-President (Research)