Dr. Anders Nygren appointed dean of Schulich School of Engineering

I am pleased to announce that Dr. Anders Nygren, PhD, PEng, has been appointed dean of the Schulich School of Engineering (SSE) for a five-year term beginning July 1, 2025. 

Dr. Nygren first joined the University of Calgary as a postdoctoral associate in 1999 and has been a faculty member in the Schulich School of Engineering since 2004. For the past academic year, he has served as SSE’s interim dean and, prior to that, was vice-dean between 2018 and 2024. Dr. Nygren also served as acting dean of SSE from July to December 2019. He was also associate dean (academic & planning) from 2014 to 2018 and co-director for the Centre for Bioengineering Research & Education (now the Department of Biomedical Engineering) from 2011 to 2014. 

Dr. Nygren has played a central role in many initiatives at SSE over the past decade, including the successful launch and accreditation of the Energy Engineering program, the establishment of the combined BSc Engineering and BComm program with the Haskayne School of Business, and implementation of significant growth in enrolment in the BSc Engineering and course-based Master of Engineering programs.

Dr. Nygren holds master’s degrees from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden, and the University of Houston, and a PhD from Rice University in Houston, all in electrical engineering. Prior to joining SSE, Dr. Nygren completed several years of postdoctoral training in physiology and biophysics at UCalgary. His research interests are in the area of computational approaches to cardiac electrophysiology and mechanisms underlying cardiac arrhythmias.

A lengthy and broad search was conducted to find the best possible candidate for the position of dean of the Schulich School of Engineering. I would like to extend my appreciation to the members of the advisory selection committee for contributing their time and insight to this important search process. They are: Dr. Steven Bryant (VP (research) representative), Dr. Alex de Barros (tenured academic staff representative), Dr. Elena Di Martino (tenured academic staff representative), Denis Onen (tenured academic staff representative), Dr. Milana Trifkovic (tenured academic staff representative), Dr. Francine Smith (TUCFA representative), Dr. Tara Beattie (decanal representative), Teri Jones (MaPS representative), Chrissy Thatcher (AUPE representative), Lujaina Eldelebshany (SU representative), Jacob Amengor (GSA representative), Dr. Barry Sanders (GFC representative), Dr. Getachew Assefa (GFC representative), Don Clague (community representative) and Nannette Ho-Covernton (community representative).

I would like to thank Dr. Nygren for his continuing track record of excellence in leadership within the Schulich School of Engineering and warmly welcome him to his role as dean.

Sandra Davidson, PhD, MSN, RN, FAAN, FCAN
Provost and Vice-President (Academic)