Acting Vice-President (Research)

Dr. Janice Deakin

Dr. Janice Deakin is Western's Provost & Vice-President (Academic), appointed to a five-year term beginning August 1, 2010. Dr. Deakin also presently serves Western as Acting Vice-President (Research).

Western's Provost & Vice-President (Academic) portfolio includes senior executive oversight of all academic units, Faculty Relations, Registrar's Office, student recruitment, Institutional Planning & Budgeting, the University library system, and Information Technology Services.

Western's Vice-President (Research) portfolio includes senior executive oversight of Research & Development Services (contract research, research ethics, research accounting), international relations, and WORLDiscoveries.

Prior to her current roles, Janice was Associate Vice-Principal (Academic) and Dean of Graduate Studies at Queen's University, where she had held various academic and administrative appointments since 1986.

As one of Canada’s foremost researchers in evaluating the determinants of expert performance in sports including figure skating, martial arts, basketball and volleyball, Janice has published extensively within her field and has provided technical reports to such agencies as the Department of National Defence, NATO and Sport Canada.

She has served as president of the Canadian Society for Psychomotor Learning and Sport Psychology, president of the Canadian Council of University Physical Education and Kinesiology Administrators, Vice-Chair of the Ontario Council of Graduate Schools, and was a member of the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities joint task force on graduate expansion through the Reaching Higher initiative.

Janice holds three undergraduate degrees from Queen’s in psychology, physical education and education. She earned her Master of Science degree at McMaster University and her doctorate in kinesiology at the University of Waterloo.

Acting Associate Vice-President (Research)

Mr. Dan Sinai

Dan Sinai was appointed to Western’s (Acting) Associate Vice-President (Research) position in July 2010.

He previously served as the Director of Research Development Services and Ethics. Sinai’s experience at Western, and in government and private sector environments, has provided him with the unique perspective necessary to lead the University’s research development efforts.

A graduate of the University of Waterloo, Sinai has held a variety of key research administration positions with both the Government of Ontario and the Federal Government. He has extensive R&D program and policy experience and has worked for several high technology companies, including Nortel. Sinai began his career with the Government of Ontario in the very early days of government R&D funding. He worked as a Senior Program Officer at the Premier’s Council Technology Fund and the Ministry of Colleges and Universities. In 1990 he joined the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) in their Research Partnerships Program at a time when the Council was embarking on its most significant growth period.

In 1998, Sinai was hired by The University of Western Ontario in the Office of Industry Liaison and Technology Transfer, where he served as a Program Officer, then Acting Director. During this period, Sinai assisted with the creation of several spin-off companies and left the University in 2000 to join EK3 Technologies Inc as a founder and President.

Prior to returning to Western as Manager of Research Development, Sinai was Managing Director of the Canadian Language and Literacy Research Network (CLLRNet), a national not-for-profit organization focused on the creation and dissemination of scientific knowledge in the area of early-child education.

Sinai and his family have lived in London for more than 10 years. He has served on a number of local Boards of Directors, including the London High Tech Association and the London Regional Children’s Museum, where he served as Board Chair and President. He is also an active runner and has completed four IRONMAN triathlons.