Dr. Robert Gibbs Appointed Member of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada

Ottawa, March 7, 2011 — The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), today announced the appointment of Dr. Robert Gibbs as a member of the Council.

"I am pleased that Dr. Gibbs has accepted this appointment," said Minister Clement. "His extensive background in the humanities will be an important addition to the work of the Council."

Dr. Gibbs is Inaugural Director of the Jackman Humanities Institute and Professor of Philosophy at the University of Toronto. He is cross-appointed to the University of Toronto departments of French, German and Religion and to its Centre for Jewish Studies. Dr. Gibbs is Vice-President of the International Rosenzweig Society and serves on various academic advisory boards and journal editorial boards. He is a member of the Advisory Board of the Consortium of Humanities Centers and Institutes, a member of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research's Humanities Initiative Steering Committee, and engaged in the Scholarly Communication Institute program.

Dr. Gibbs will be the Polonsky Research Visiting Fellow in the Cambridge Inter-Faith Programme at the University of Cambridge until June 2011.

SSHRC is an independent federal government agency that funds research and graduate training at the post-secondary level through national peer-review competitions. SSHRC also partners with public, private and not-for-profit sector organizations to focus research and aid in the development of better policies and practices in key areas of Canada's social, cultural and economic life. For more information, visit the SSHRC website.

For further information (media only), please contact:

Heather Hume
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Tony Clement
Minister of Industry
613-995-9001

Media Relations
Industry Canada
613-943-2502

Trevor Lynn
Communications Manager
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
613-992-7302