WCMR is pleased to welcome Dr. Valerie Ward as the Acting Director for WCMR. As an Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Microalgae Biomanufacturing in the Chemical Engineering Department, Valerie's primary focus has been the use of micro algae, metabolic engineering, and ionic liquid based separations in biological systems.
Valerie has been supporting WCMR as Associate Director for the past two years and has enthusiastically led the process of preparing WCMR for senate renewal at the University of Waterloo. She is happy to step forward to run the centre as the formal search for our next Director is underway.
WCMR extends a special thank you to Dr. Trevor Charles, the inaugural director of WCMR. His leadership has been outstanding and his shoes will be difficult to fill, but we are happy to have him continue to be actively engaged through WCMR membership, and are looking forward to exciting new opportunities after a successful renewal in spring of 2025!