"The appointment was unanimously recommended for consideration by the nominating committee established under Policy 45 and has been approved by the Board of Governors and Senate," wrote Vice-President, Academic & Provost Ian Orchard in a memo distributed today. "Professor Rush has been acting as interim dean since July 2014 when Susan Elliott stepped down from the deanship."
Jim Rush completed his BSc in human kinetics and his MSc at the University of Guelph, and his PhD at State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse.
A Waterloo faculty member since 2000, he currently holds the position of professor in the Department of Kinesiology. Prior to joining the university, he was postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences and Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri-Columbia.
"His past administrative service includes appointments as interim dean (July 2014 to present), associate dean (2013-14), chair of the Department of Kinesiology (2009-13), associate chair of the department (2008-09) and associate dean, graduate studies and research (2006-07)," says a statement from the Secretariat and Office of General Counsel. "His research interests are in vascular and skeletal muscle physiology, and from 2003-13 he held the CIHR-Canada Research Chair in Integrative Vascular Biology. His research program (as principal or co-investigator) has secured 30 grants totalling nearly $7 million, and he has supervised or co-supervised 21 graduate students or postdoctoral fellows."
"In addition to his university responsibilities, Professor Rush has served as a journal editor or associate editor for a variety of publications, has sat on a variety of external grant allocation/review committees, and is a member of the board of directors of the Schlegel-University of Waterloo Research Institute for Aging and with the Waterloo Regional Cardiac Rehabilitation Foundation."
"I wish to add my own support for Professor Rush’s appointment," the provost writes. "His experience at the university as a respected administrator and his exemplary track record as a researcher will foster his ability to lead this unique and exceptional Faculty for the next few years.”