Dr. Heather Frost has been appointed as Assistant Vice-President, Research, commencing June 16, 2025. In this new staff role, which is part of the senior leadership team in the in the Office of the Vice-President, Research & Innovation, Heather will be responsible for supporting and advancing research excellence at a strategic level.
The role will include developing and overseeing strategies to enhance research funding opportunities, promoting institutional research impacts, and supporting compliance with federal and international standards. Heather will provide strategic direction for key institutional programs and policies, ensure alignment with institutional goals, and lead a team of managers and directors at UBC Vancouver to facilitate collaborative and impactful research initiatives. As Assistant Vice-President, she will also help lead the communications strategy and represent the VPRI on strategic issues with both internal and external stakeholders.
Heather is bringing to the role outstanding experience and demonstrated dedication to enhancing and developing support for UBC’s research community. Since 2019, Heather has been the director of SPARC, where she also oversaw the launch and development of the Office of Research Prizes and Awards. Her experience in research administration and management at UBC extends back to 2013, with roles supporting research development and strategic initiatives in both the Faculty of Education and the Office of the VPRI. With a PhD in Cultural Geography from UBC, Heather also worked as a research assistant and a postdoctoral fellow in UBC’s Faculty of Medicine.