About
The McDonald Institute is supported by an Advisory Board who provide oversight and recommendations on the development and delivery of the organizational strategic plan, performance management, financial oversight and risk management, whilst advising on policies, procedures, reporting and training for senior staff.
The Board meet regularly throughout the year to provide strategic guidance to its sub-committees and the management team. The Board recommends the appointment of the Scientific Director to the Chair of the Advisory Board, who will then proceed with a recommendation to the Provost at Queen’s University. Together with the Associate Director, Operations, the Scientific Director implements the strategic plan and moves the organization towards achieving its vision and mission. The Scientific Director (Dr. Tony Noble) is a permanent voting board member, who provides scientific leadership and acts as the principal administrator for the Institute. Currently, the Institute’s Associate Director, Operations (Dr. Mark Richardson) is the senior executive administrator for the McDonald Institute and oversees all knowledge translation, strategic and corporate affairs. Board members are identified through a nomination process involving the Governance and Appointments Committee, which includes the Board chair, a senior McDonald Institute research administrator, and other senior academic administrators from Queen’s. Identified board members are approved by the Principal of Queen’s University (Dr. Patrick Deane).
Advisory Board
Klodiana Kolomitro
Queen's University
Senior Director, Research Infrastructure, Centres and Institutes
Board Committees
Finance & Audit Committee: Supports the Board to ensure financial and organizational viability and sustainability. Responsibilities include overseeing financial affairs, reviewing board policies and financial oversight.
Members: Heather Woermke (Chair), Queen’s University; Nada Haralovich, Carleton University; Kellie Hart, Queen’s University; Tony Noble, Queen’s University and the McDonald Institute; Michael Walesiak, University of Alberta; Caylin Pitcher (non-voting), McDonald Institute; other members to be confirmed.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Community of Practice (EDII-CoP): Embeds EDII principals through shared insights and reflective dialogue, with invited experts contributing specialized guidance. The CoP focuses on four key areas:
- Equitable Research Environments: Identifying barriers and practices to strengthen equity in research design, conduct, knowledge mobilization, and access to research outputs.
- Diverse Recruitment and Training: Examining processes that support equitable recruitment, mentorship, and training across partner institutions.
- Stakeholder and Community Inclusion: Supporting meaningful inclusion of stakeholders & rightsholders and equity-deserving communities across the research continuum, including opportunities for co-creation and early-stage engagement.
- Co-Development with Indigenous Students, Scholars, and Communities: Evaluating opportunities to co-develop research, programs, and knowledge-exchange activities with Indigenous students, scholars, and communities.
With these lenses, the CoP will also give feedback on research and administrative procedures within the McDonald Institute. Members: Alex Pedersen (Chair), McDonald Institute and Queen’s University; other members to be confirmed.
HQP Advisory Committee: Guides Institute Management on HQP-related investments, collecting feedback from the HQP community to guide both program design and identify in-demand HQP-related projects and produce networking opportunities to increase the connectivity of the Canadian Astroparticle Physics Community.
Members: Jeremy Savoie,Université de Montréal; Frédéric Girard, McGill; Joshua Himmens, UBC; Simon Lavoie, McGill; Taiki Shickele, TRIUMF; Kevin Gracequist, Carleton; Zac Kenny (non-voting) McDonald Institute.
International Scientific Advisory Committee: Advises on the research area priorities that fit with the McDonald Institute mandate, provides insight into new astroparticle physics research areas, gives updates on the progress of the next generation of projects in experimental astroparticle physics and Canada’s research position globally, and provides direction on the content for national astroparticle physics assemblies as we try to complement and maximize the efforts of our Canadian partners.
Members: Christian Weinheimer (Chair), WWU Münster; Tony Noble, McDonald Institute and the Queen’s University; Ken Clark, Queen’s University and the McDonald Institute; other membership to be confirmed.
McDonald Institute Administrative Organizational Structure
