Stephen Wright
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. He received his Bachelors of Science at the University of Toronto, a Masters of Science at McGill University and a PhD at the University of Edinburgh.
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, including the genome-wide extent and nature of adaptive evolution, and the factors driving the evolution of genome structure.
Professor Wright holds the Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Population Genomics. He has held an EWR Steacie fellowship, and has also won the Steacie Prize for Natural Sciences in 2017 and the Margaret Dayhoff Award for Research Excellence in 2016. He was 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. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 2024 and is the Past President of the international Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.
At U of T, Professor Wright served as chair and graduate 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 was appointed Acting Dean from April 15 to June 30, 2025, while then-Dean Melanie Woodin prepared for her new role as President. He serves as Interim Dean from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026. During these appointments, he has stepped away from his role as Vice-Dean, Research & Infrastructure, a position he has held since September 1, 2024.
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