Stephen Wright
Acting Dean, Faculty of Arts & Science (April 15 to June 30, 2025)
Interim Dean, Faculty of Arts & Science (July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026)
Professor, Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
Contact
Daniela Trapani – Executive Assistant to the Dean
Email: dean.artsci@utoronto.ca
Tel: 416-978-5413
Victoria Larke – Director, External Affairs and Strategic Initiatives
Email: victoria.larke@utoronto.ca
Tel: 416-946-5313
Read about Professor Wright's appointment
Biography
Professor Stephen Wright joined the University of Toronto in 2008 as an assistant professor in the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and became a full professor in 2016. Prior to joining U of T, he was an assistant professor at York University and an NSERC postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, Irvine.
Professor Wright has held an E.W.R. Steacie Fellowship and a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair. In addition to these research awards, he also won the Steacie Prize for Natural Sciences in 2017 and the Margaret Dayhoff Award for Research Excellence in 2016. He was also admitted to the College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists, Royal Society of Canada in 2015. In 2023, he was the winner of the Canadian Society for Ecology and Evolution’s President’s Award for research excellence.
Professor Wright is internationally recognized as a leading scientist in the emerging field of plant evolutionary genomics. His research makes use of genomic approaches to address long-standing evolutionary questions of both fundamental and applied importance: What fraction of genomic differences between populations and species results from adaptive evolution? What are the evolutionary consequences of transitions in mating systems? What are the major evolutionary processes driving the spread and success of agricultural weeds?
At U of T, Professor Wright served as chair of the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology from 2019 to 2022. He served as interim chair and interim graduate chair from July to December 2023. Professor Wright has been appointed Acting Dean from April 15 to June 30, 2025, while Dean and newly-announced President-designate Melanie Woodin prepares for her new role. He will then serve as Interim Dean from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026. During these appointments, he will step away from his role as Vice-Dean, Research & Infrastructure, a position he has held since September 1, 2024.
Request the Acting Dean's Participation
The Acting Dean welcomes every opportunity to connect with our community, but his schedule limits his availability. If you would like to invite the Acting Dean to attend or participate in an upcoming event, please fill out this form as soon as possible, preferably a minimum of 8 weeks in advance.