Laurier appoints Richelle Monaghan dean of Science

Dec. 1, 2025
For Immediate Release

Wilfrid Laurier University has appointed Richelle Monaghan dean of the Faculty of Science for a five year term beginning January 1.

Currently the vice-dean of Laurier’s Faculty of Science and a professor of Health Studies and Biology, Monaghan joined Laurier’s department of Health Studies in 2012 and has served as department chair. In 2024 she was named a 3M National Teaching Fellow, one of Canada’s most prestigious honours in post-secondary education.

“Dr. Monaghan is a visionary educator and leader who has an outstanding record of teaching, research, and service to the university during her time at Laurier,” said Heidi Northwood, Laurier’s provost and vice-president: academic. “I am thrilled that she will continue to inspire students and faculty in her new capacity as dean.”

Monaghan earned a PhD in Biology at the University of Waterloo in 2011 and an EdD in Educational Leadership at Western University in 2021. She previously earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at Laurier in 1999. In addition to her 3M National Teaching Fellowship, her many awards include a Laurier Teaching fellowship in 2022, a Sam Drogo Technology in the Classroom award in 2020, and a Laurier Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence and Gail Jenkins Teaching and Mentorship Award in 2017. She has served as a reviewer for several scientific education journals and is a member of the Human Anatomy and Physiology Society, the American Association for Anatomy, the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, and the Canadian Society of Zoologists.

“Laurier is a truly special place, and I’m honoured to serve as its next Dean of Science,” said Monaghan. “It’s exciting work to support our exceptional researchers, educators, staff and students, to advance the impact of science, and to support meaningful learning experiences across our communities.”

Monaghan’s research interests span laboratory and pedagogical domains, with numerous publications and conference presentations on how technology, accessibility, and cognitive science can inform university-level science education. Her innovations include programming for students with visual impairments and learning strategies grounded in principles of memory, such as the use of music, dance and escape-box simulations. She is a founding member of the Centre for Leading Research in Education (CLRiE) at Laurier, leads the Faculty of Science’s Academic Advising Office, and has served on numerous curriculum and other committees at institutional and faculty levels. Before entering academia, Monaghan spent 15 years as a regulated healthcare professional specializing in acute and chronic pain management.

Monaghan succeeds Anthony Clarke, Laurier’s dean of science since 2019.

“I am very grateful to Dr. Clarke for his exceptional leadership and passionate commitment to Laurier and to the growth and maturation of the Faculty of Science across all three of our campuses,” said Northwood. “He has made a significant impact on student learning at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, and he has advanced the research program of the Faculty. I wish him all the best in his retirement.”

Laurier’s Faculty of Science offers undergraduate and graduate academic programs across eight academic departments, with a commitment to interdisciplinary approaches that encourage creativity, critical thinking, and connections between different fields. Students access research methods, hands-on laboratory work and experiential learning opportunities that prepare them for further education or careers in highly competitive STEM fields.