Memorial University’s Fisheries and Marine Institute has appointed Dr. Angie Clarke as associate vice-president (academic and student affairs).

Upon the conclusion of a national search the position appointment was approved by the Board of Regents on July 7, effective Aug. 1. The term of the appointment is five years and is renewable. Dr. Clarke has been serving in the role in a pro tempore capacity since September 2021.

“Team Memorial is stronger with Dr. Clarke leading our academic and student programs at our Marine Institute campus with a student-focused vision that supports their success and well-being,” said Dr. Vianne Timmons, president and vice-chancellor of Memorial.

“Dr. Clarke’s deep experience and accomplishments at Memorial speak to her abilities as a committed university leader. We are excited that she will continue to advance our leadership role in applied oceans education, research and training, and deliver academic programming that is accessible, relevant and industry-driven,” said Dr. Rob Shea, vice-president, Memorial University (Marine Institute).

“The Marine Institute campus of Memorial University is a special place with a history of preparing learners for rewarding careers,” said Dr. Clarke. “I am looking forward to continuing to work with our campus community to offer the very best learning experience in our range of programs, from industrial response to PhD, as we continue to evolve and grow to serve the workplace needs of industry and our community.”

Academic role

Dr. Clarke will report directly to the vice-president of the Marine Institute, and will serve as the institute’s chief academic officer and a member of the senior executive team, responsible for academics, maintaining high-quality undergraduate and graduate programs, supporting the research enterprise, promoting student success and fostering a positive student experience through the student life cycle—from recruitment to graduation.

In addition to providing strategic leadership to MI’s three academic schools and their research and training centres, Dr. Clarke will lead the Institute’s Office of the Registrar, the Dr. C.R. Barrett Library, and the Academic and Student Affairs portfolio.

The associate vice-president will lead a diverse team of researchers, faculty and staff, and will collaborate with the Marine Institute’s executive committee, the Marine Institute Student Union and Graduate Student Society, as well as with senior leaders and academic administrators across all Memorial  campuses.

Dr. Clarke says it is a great time to be at Memorial.

“I am coming into this role with a tremendous respect for the institute’s 58-year history and with a very strong commitment to our future. We have evolved significantly in our three decades as part of Memorial University and I am excited to lead the Marine Institute to further strengthen our academic reputation and expertise across the oceans sectors.”

Student-centric leader

For the past two decades, Dr. Clarke has been a collaborative leader supporting diverse student populations, progressive research and graduate teaching experience through various student-facing roles. She holds a B.Sc. (Biochemistry), M.Ed. (Post-Secondary Studies) from Memorial and a doctorate in Higher Education Leadership from the University of Calgary where her doctoral thesis critically addressed the diverse factors that contribute to student retention on a technical post-secondary campus.

Her research interests include organizational models of student affairs; student retention and transition; professional and academic laddering in the marine industry; workforce development in ocean careers and skills acquisition in experiential learning.

Dr. Clarke has contributed to volunteer work locally, nationally, and internationally, most recently serving board terms with the Canadian Association of College and University Student Services (CACUSS) and the local chapter of Women in Science and Engineering (WISE).