GLIER and biology professor Trevor Pitcher has accepted the position of acting executive director of the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research (GLIER) for a one-year term, effective July 1, 2017, UWindsor VP Research and Innovation K. W. Michael Siu and Dean of Science Chris Houser announced Wednesday.

In this new role, Dr. Pitcher will report jointly to the VP Research and Innovation and the Dean of Science and provide leadership and operational management in academic programming, as well as the development and promotion of research and innovation at GLIER.

Dr. Siu says he is “absolutely delighted” that Pitcher has agreed to serve in this capacity.

“Trevor brings to the position a wealth of research and administrative experience,” he says.

Pitcher joined the University of Windsor’s Department of Biological Sciences and GLIER as an associate professor in 2006, and became acting director of the Office of Research and Innovation Services in January 2016.

He conducts both basic and applied research on fish restoration ecology, reproduction and genetics in the Great Lakes and British Columbia, and is the driving force behind the recent establishment of the Freshwater Restoration and Ecology Centre on the Detroit River in LaSalle, Ontario.

In 2013, he spearheaded a team of researchers in partnership with industry to develop a research and development program on salmon breeding that was recognized with a prestigious NSERC Synergy Award for Innovation, and earlier this year received the JC Stevenson national award for his research and contributions to fisheries and aquatic sciences.

Pitcher will succeed Daniel Heath, executive director of GLIER since 2012.

Dr. Heath has provided exemplary service and research contributions to the institute and the University, says Siu: “I thank him for his ongoing contributions and many years of service.”