One of Western Canada’s major post-secondary ag institutions will get a new hand at the wheel this summer.

The University of Saskatchewan announced Wednesday it has named soil science professor Angela Bedard-Haughn as the dean for its College of Agriculture and Bioresources for a five-year term starting Aug. 15.

Raised on a family farm in northeastern Saskatchewan, Bedard-Haughn studied at the University of Saskatchewan and University of California-Davis.

As dean, she replaces animal sciences professor Mary Buhr, who has held the post since mid-2009.

Currently the college’s associate dean of research and graduate studies, and formerly department head and graduate chair in soil science, Bedard-Haughn is known for research work in wetland soils and in predictive soil mapping. She has taught field courses on soil and landscape classification at both the undergrad and graduate levels.

“We are lucky to have such an enthusiastic and engaged group of students, faculty, staff and stakeholders,” she said in Wednesday’s release. “I hope to ensure that we are providing the training and research that the community needs, both here at home and around the world.”

Her appointment follows the university’s announcement Tuesday that it will continue “primarily remote online learning” for its fall term starting in September, combined with “limited classroom, laboratory, clinical and physical instruction only where warranted and where circumstances permit.”

The university said it plans to post more information about its COVID-19 pandemic response and decision-making processes as related to academic programs and research activity “in the coming weeks.” — Glacier FarmMedia Network