A Leader in Postsecondary Education: Zoologist, Professor & Mentor - LaSalle College Vancouver is honoured to welcome Dr. George Katsushi Iwama to our Board of Directors.
Lasalle College Vancouver is thrilled to announce the newest member to our Board of Directors – Dr. George Katsushi Iwama, a renowned expert in fish physiology and aquaculture, and a respected academic leader. This significant appointment underscores the College's commitment to championing academic excellence and its focus on global citizenship and sustainability, particularly as we usher in a new era at our LEED Gold certified campus.
“On behalf of the Board of Directors of Lasalle College Vancouver” states the current Chairman, Dr. Leslie "Skip" Triplett “I am pleased to announce that Dr. George Iwama has accepted his election to the Board. Dr. Iwama is the former President and Vice Chancellor of both Quest University and of the University of Northern British Columbia. His experience in both the private and public sectors of post-secondary education will help LaSalle College Vancouver maintain its academic quality and grow its reputation as a premier provider of professional creative arts education.”
With a new board seat filled, our vision of merging a world-class education with eco-citizenship has been given enhanced clarity by welcoming Dr. Iwama to the LaSalle College Vancouver family. His exemplary research on fish stress and health, with a focus on fish species in B.C., will undoubtedly enrich our understanding of the environment, climate change, pollution, and aquaculture. As we aspire to educate students to become responsible global citizens, Dr. Iwama's passion for not only science but the communication of science to the public aligns perfectly with the caliber of learners we seek to cultivate. This is echoed in a statement from our institution’s president, Dr. Jason Dewling “LCI education is a global organization and Dr. Iwama’s experience in global education will be highly valued on our Board. His body of work in teaching and research is world class. We are honoured to welcome him to the LCV Board.”
A distinguished career to say the least, Dr. Iwama spent half of his career as a professor at UBC. For the other half, he has served in various academic and government positions. He was the Dean of Science at Acadia and Carlton Universities. He was a Director General for the National Research Council in Halifax and Prince Edward Island. He also served the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Japan, as Executive Vice President. He led Quest University in Squamish and the University of Northern BC in Prince George as President and Vice-Chancellor. He is currently President Emeritus of Quest University, Adjunct Professor of Zoology at UBC, and Visiting Professor at Ryukyu University in Okinawa Japan. He serves on the Boards of the Pacific Salmon Foundation and Freshwater Fisheries Society of B.C.
As a member of the global group LCI Education, it is a part of our mission to align with UN Sustainable Development Goals and standards. Dr. Iwama’s dedication to making scientific knowledge accessible to the public resonates deeply with this ethos. His belief that education is a conversation with active participants in the public and academic spheres is an invitation for our learners to amplify their impact on a more sustainable future. His dialogue will be instrumental in fostering an environment of inclusivity and awareness among the college's students and faculty.
In accepting our invitation to join LaSalle college, Dr. Iwama stated, "I am very pleased and honoured to have this opportunity to serve the LaSalle community by joining the Board of Directors. I have watched this energetic and creative College develop into the vibrant academic institution it is today. I look forward to working with the excellent administrators, faculty, staff and students as we continue being respected, relevant and responsive to society and to the global community."
We look forward to the insights and perspectives that Dr. Iwama will bring, affirming our position as a leading institution committed to both academic excellence and a brighter future for all our learners and the world in which we all share.
