Champion of learner-centred education appointed Ontario Tech University’s new Dean, School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies

Ontario Tech University announces the appointment of Dr. Pejman Mirza-Babaei as the new Dean of the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (SGPS), effective Tuesday, July 1.

Dr. Mirza-Babaei joined Ontario Tech in 2013 and is currently a Professor of User Experience (UX) Research in the Faculty of Business and Information Technology (FBIT), with a scholarly and teaching focus on the design, evaluation and enhancement of UX in interactive systems. Since 2019 he has served as Vice-President of the Association for Computing Machinery’s Special Interest Group for Computer-Human Interaction, the leading international society in his field.

Over the past seven years, Dr. Mirza-Babaei has transitioned into academic leadership and expanded his passion for learner-centred education. His leadership approach focuses on teamwork, kindness and drawing on the collective wisdom and talents of the team to support learners and campus community members.

As Associate Dean, Industry Partnerships, FBIT from 2018 to 2021, he collaborated with internal and external partners to launch initiatives focused on growing capacity, improving student experience, and advancing interdisciplinary collaboration. He led the redesign of FBIT’s experiential learning programs, increasing students’ access to and participation in hands-on learning opportunities.

Most recently, as Associate Dean, SGPS, Dr. Mirza-Babaei has prioritized building a strong culture through relationships across the university to advance quality assurance, integrity and consistency. He has also helped to enhance the graduate thesis evaluation process by ensuring policy compliance, evaluation consistency, and clarity in guidelines for committee structures and thesis examinations. 

Quotes

“Dr. Mirza-Babaei has demonstrated a strong commitment to advancing innovative initiatives and supporting the diverse priorities of our graduate students. Ontario Tech University’s senior leadership team is pleased to have him take on this new role within the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, as the university continues to adapt and respond to the evolving needs of its learners.”
- Dr. Lori Livingston, Provost and Vice-President, Academic, Ontario Tech University 

“I’m deeply honoured to lead the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies at this pivotal moment in its evolution. I look forward to strengthening the graduate education ecosystem through strategic growth, deeper collaboration, and more efficient, transparent processes. Together, we will support our students, postdocs, faculty and staff as we build a strong, inclusive and connected graduate education community to elevate the impact of SGPS across the university and beyond.”
- Dr. Pejman Mirza-Babaei, incoming Dean, School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Ontario Tech University