Lakehead University announces the new dean of Natural Resources Management
Lakehead University has chosen Dr. Brigitte Leblon to be the next dean of the Faculty of Natural Resources Management.
Dr. Leblon will begin her new role on September 1. She holds a PhD from SupAgro Montpellier in France and is currently dean of research at Université TÉLUQ and a full professor in the Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management at the University of New Brunswick (UNB).
At Université TÉLUQ, Dr. Leblon created a research chair and a memorial research fund. She reorganized the Office of Research Services and the LICEF Research Institute. She also coordinates the participation of Université TÉLUQ in MedFOR, an ERASMUS-MUNDUS+ master's program on Mediterranean forestry.
At UNB, Dr. Leblon designed and chaired TRANSFOR-M, a dual-degree master's program between Canada and Europe in forestry and environmental management, which earned her an international award for the most innovative graduate program. She also designed and chaired an online certificate in geoinformatics and coordinated the participation of UNB in an ERASMUS-MUNDUS+ master's program on European forestry.
Dr. Leblon grew up in Germany in a region known as Bergisches Land, which has several large forests and nature conservation areas. As a child, she enjoyed walking and living in nature.
She said she feels honoured to be Lakehead's next dean of the Faculty of Natural Resources Management.
“The Faculty has a long history of success, a vibrant present, and a bright future. Forests and natural environments are key in the challenging issues we are facing with respect to climate change,” Dr. Leblon said.
Dr. Leblon joins Lakehead as an accomplished researcher and leader in her field, said Dr. David Barnett, Lakehead's Provost and Vice-President (Academic).
“Her commitment to developing partnerships and collaborations will position her well to lead the Faculty of Natural Resources Management as we continue building educational and research programs that contribute to global challenges in the sector,” Dr. Barnett said.
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Lakehead University is a fully comprehensive university with approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent students and over 2,000 faculty and staff at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead has nine faculties, including Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Graduate Studies, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Law, Natural Resources Management, Science & Environmental Studies, and Social Sciences & Humanities. Lakehead University’s achievements have been recognized nationally and internationally, including being ranked, once again, among Canada’s Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities in Maclean’s 2021 University Rankings; as well as included in the top half of Times Higher Education's 2022 World Universities Rankings for the third consecutive year, and the number one university in the world with fewer than 10,000 students in THE’s 2022 Impact Rankings (which assesses institutions against the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals). Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.