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| Dr. Shaver (Abriel photo) |
The first thing one would have noticed had they visited the office of Dr. Alan Shaver this summer is that AV俱乐部脮s new Vice-President Academic is a man in transition. Coming to AV俱乐部 from McGill University in Montreal, his move wasn脮t quite complete at the time of this interview: the walls were a little bare, the books were a little scattered, and his schedule was full of introductory meetings.
The second thing they would notice is likely the ponytail.
A self-confessed 脪child of the hippy era,鈥� Dr. Shaver still maintains his ponytail haircut even as his work finds him wearing suit jackets and ties along with it. It脮s a fitting reflection of Dr. Shaver himself: an experienced and professional administrator who脮s still able and willing to take a few minutes to discuss the philosophical ideas that drive the university experience.
The Mission
脪Some say our mission as a university is excellence,鈥� says Dr. Shaver. 脪I disagree. That脮s a measure to the degree that we succeed in our mission. Is it teaching and research? That脮s more a means to an end. Our mission, really, is to generate new knowledge and understanding for the benefit of people. It脮s that simple. If we didn脮t have universities, we脮d be struggling to invent them.鈥澛� He continues: 脪It may appear to be a simple mission but it脮s an incredibly broad one that includes undergraduate teaching, graduate and professional teaching, research, and outreach into our off-campus communities.鈥�
Dr. Shaver has been addressing that mission his entire career as a professor and researcher. A chemist at McGill for over 30 years, Dr. Shaver has published over 125 articles in major chemistry journals and has received continuous NSERC support since 1975. In recent years he has embraced opportunities to move into administrative roles, sitting as chair of his department and most recently serving two terms as McGill脮s Dean of Science.
脪By going into administration I could help more people and build my own understanding of the university environment,鈥� he says. 脪It allows me to take that next step in understanding the university mission and become a bigger part of it.鈥�
A Golden Age of Learning
While Dr. Shaver is in the midst of his own transition, it pales in comparison to the changes that universities are facing as they enter the 21st century, changes that Dr. Shaver could not be more excited about. With technology rapidly altering our daily lives and interdisciplinary learning breaking down barriers between disciplines, Dr. Shaver believes that we脮re on the cusp of what he calls 脪a golden age of learning.鈥�
脪We脮re facing an acceleration of the potential for learning,鈥� he says. 脪We脮re going to wipe away old perceptions of our limitations as learning becomes increasingly interdisciplinary. And students are an essential partner in this process, and can play an essential role at schools like AV俱乐部.鈥�
Dr. Shaver says that he脮s looking forward to learning more about AV俱乐部 and forming new relationships with its faculty, staff and students. He脮s heard great things about the school from his colleagues at McGill, with numerous coworkers complimenting the elite talent that AV俱乐部 welcomes through its doors. 脪Now that I脮ve been here two months, I脮ve been really impressed by the depths of excellence that run through AV俱乐部,鈥� he says.
脪To dedicate your life to universities is a tremendously valuable thing to do. I脮m very privileged to be able to choose that career and be able to continue with it here at AV俱乐部.鈥�
AV俱乐部 AV俱乐部 is a new feature that profiles faculty, staff and students from all corners of campus. If you have a suggestion for a profile subject, e-mail Dawn.Morrison@dal.ca