Dr. Rene Van Acker is the University of Guelph’s new vice-president (research and innovation). He’s been in the role on an interim basis since July 2023.

“As I’ve come to appreciate the scope and scale of the role, I’m looking forward to continue the work I’ve been doing with the excellent leaders and teams within the Office of the Vice-President Research and Innovation,” Van Acker says.

“We are a very successful research-intensive university, but we can never take our past success for granted. We always need to take a fresh look at what we are doing to be successful going forward, and that’s what I intend to do.”

Growing up on a farm near Burford, Ont., Van Acker studied at the University of Guelph for his bachelor and master of science in crop science and weed science, respectively, before earning a PhD in crop weed ecology from the University of Reading in the U.K.

With more than 130 peer-reviewed articles published, his research has been crucial in understanding weed management, a constant challenge in crop production systems worldwide.

He became a professor at the University of Manitoba, returning to University of Guelph in 2006. He has since gained 18 years of experience within the Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) as department chair, associate dean and most recently as dean.

Source:  University of Guelph June 10, 2024 news release