| Calgary, Canada | 22 April 2016 | Asia Samachar |
Dr Baljit Singh has been appointed as dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Calgary (UCVM), effective 1 Sept 2016.
The veterinary medical expert, described as an ‘ innovative and well-respected leader’, succeeds Dr Alastair Cribb.
“Dr. Singh is a highly accomplished researcher, educator and administrator in the field of veterinary medicine, with specific expertise in lung biology and anatomy. He brings an eclectic and integrated background to the UCVM, developed through training and experience both internationally and in Canada.
“He also brings a thorough understanding of both veterinary medical education and the veterinary medical profession in Canada. He joins our Faculty of Veterinary Medicine after serving as associate dean of research at the University of Saskatchewan since 2011, where he cultivated a natural curiosity that will make him an inquisitive and thoughtful leader,” said UCVM Provost and Vice-President (Academic) Dru Marshall in a statement dated 20 April 2016. See statement here.
Dr Baljit’s formal education includes a Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry (BVSc and AH) and Master of Veterinary Science (MVSc) from Punjab Agricultural University in Punjab and a PhD from the University of Guelph; postdoctoral training at Texas A&M University and Columbia University, New York.
He completed licensing requirements set by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) and American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) for foreign veterinary graduates.
Described as an ‘excellent educator of veterinary science’, the statement said Dr Baljit has received the 3M National Teaching Fellowship, the University of Saskatchewan’s Provost’s Prize for Innovative Practice of Teaching and Learning, University of Saskatchewan Master Teacher Award, and the Carl J. Norden Distinguished Teacher Award.
He has also received the Outstanding Veterinary Anatomist Award from the American Association of Veterinary Anatomists, as well as the Pfizer Award for Research Excellence. In 2013 he was named a fellow of the American Association of Anatomists.
His research has focused on cell and molecular biology of lung inflammation. He is the author or co-author of more than 90 peer-reviewed journal articles and books, and has supervised the research training of more than 80 undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral students, the statement added.
“I am deeply honored to be selected as the dean of the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UCVM). The University of Calgary has a stellar reputation globally, and UCVM has quickly garnered recognition for its programmatic innovation in education of veterinary medical students through the Distributed Veterinary Learning Community model,” Dr Baljit said in the same statement.
“I am excited that the faculty has outstanding opportunities to lead in veterinary medical education and knowledge-creation to solve complex animal and human problems at the local, national and international level. I commit to serving the university, the UCVM and its many stakeholders with passion, collegiality, and collaborative leadership.”
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Countries advance only when merit is the criteria for any appointment regardless of the person’s origin-race-religion. Examples include US-Canada-Australia-NZ-Singapore who get the best brains from the world and then recognize their expertise/knowledge and appoint to key posts.
Countries which do not follow merit as a criteria but more often race-religion-connections-relationships-sex as a basis in any appointments are rarely known to advance. Even the former advanced countries soon go down the path of mismanagement-fraud-corruption-immorality-dishonesty from the time they adopt the culture of making appointments based on race-religion-connections-relationships-sex.
Other important components include the practice of TRANSPARENCY-ACCOUNTABILITY-HONESTY-ETHICS-ENFORCEMENT and DETERRENT-PROMPT PENALTIES AGAINST THOSE INVOLVED IN activities that result in MISMANAGEMENT-FRAUD-CORRUPTION-BRIBERY-KICKBACKS and PRIVATIZATION OF PUBLIC WEALTH FOR PERSONAL GREED.
Congratulations Dr. Baljit Singh ji. Best wishes for continued success in your career.