Dean’s Message: David Kitts, Dean pro tem

October 2024 – I am excited to take the helm as Dean pro tem and work within all areas of the Faculty of Land and Food Systems. I have the privilege of interacting with faculty and staff, wonderful LFS students, and with our many donors, partners and alumni. I consider it an honour to represent the Faculty in this role.

I’m extremely proud of the quality of research and teaching taking place in LFS, especially the learning experiences we provide to our students, many of whom become thoughtful leaders and innovators in their fields. I firmly believe the people of LFS are making a unique impact in the community.

Since 2013 I’ve been Associate Dean of Research in the Faculty and, prior to that, I was Director of the Food, Nutrition and Health Program. As Associate Dean of Research, I oversaw activities associated with our research mission, both domestic and international. I worked with a small – but mighty – team to benchmark research productivity and ensure our continued success and reputation as a first-class research Faculty at UBC. We supported a substantial growth in research funding between 2016 and 2023 – a period which saw LFS’s average annual funding per faculty member rise from $198,000 to approximately $354,000, with more than 95% of LFS research faculty holding competitive Tri-council funding.

As a three-time alumni of the university, I’ve spent most of my career here – starting in 1983 as UBC-NSERC Research Fellow (URF) in the Department of Food Science when LFS was called the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences.

My goal as Dean is to support people, listen to ideas, and ensure we continue to focus on critical agri-food issues that include, climate change, animal welfare, food innovation, safety and nutrition; pillars to ensure food security for all.

I invite you to learn more about LFS – our amazing undergraduate and graduate programs, our diverse research areas bringing forth cutting-edge research and innovation, and the many ways we are making a positive impact in local and global communities to ensure success of Canada’s economic diversity.

Sincerely,
David Kitts

Visit Dr. David Kitts’ profile.