A message from Robert McMaster, Vice Dean, Research and Aslam Anis, Director pro tem, School of Population and Public Health.
We are pleased to announce that Dr. Susan Cox has been appointed interim Director of the W. Maurice Young Centre for Applied Ethics (CAE), a UBC Faculty of Medicine and School of Population and Public Health research centre, effective to June 30, 2026.
Dr. Cox is a professor in the School of Population and Public Health, where she also serves as Director of the PhD and MSc programs, and Chair of Biomedical Ethics at CAE. She is an interdisciplinary health researcher with expertise in medical sociology, qualitative methodology and ethics.
Her current research uses arts-based methods to explore what it means to live well with dementia, as well as employing research-based theatre to explore and create dialogue on experiences of graduate supervision. Her previous research centred on the experiences of people participating in health research, and ethical issues arising in predictive genetic testing for late onset conditions. Dr. Cox has also served on the research ethics board for Emily Carr University of Art and Design and the advisory board for the Arts Health Network Canada.
As interim Director, Dr. Cox will oversee the activities of the CAE, advancing its research priorities and cultivating interdisciplinary research opportunities for its many investigators and research scientists. She will also develop new and maintain existing partnerships, while pursuing fundraising opportunities to ensure the scholarly activities of CAE faculty are well supported.
Dr. Cox’s appointment follows the leadership of Dr. David Silver, who served as Director from 2012 to 2022. We would like to express our deepest gratitude to Dr. Silver for his guidance over the years. During his tenure, Dr. Silver led an extensive review of the W. Maurice Young Centre for Applied Ethics. He engaged with stakeholders through individual meetings and collective work sessions, ensuring an inclusive and thorough review process. His dedicated efforts have left a lasting positive impact on the Centre.
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Cox on her appointment.
