James McWha explained

James McWha
Order:5th
Vice Chancellor of Lincoln University
Term Start:March 2018
Term End:December 2018
Chancellor:Steve Smith
Predecessor:Robin Pollard
Successor:Bruce McKenzie
Order1:1st
Title1:Vice Chancellor of the University of Rwanda
Term Start1:October 2013
Term End1:October 2015
Successor1:Philip Cotton
Order2:19th
Title2:Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Adelaide
Term Start2:2002
Term End2:2012
Predecessor2:Cliff Blake
Successor2:Warren Bebbington
Order3:3rd
Title3:Vice-Chancellor of Massey University
Term Start3:1995
Term End3:2002[1]
Predecessor3:Neil Waters
Successor3:Judith Kinnear
Birth Date:28 May 1947
Birth Place:County Down, Northern Ireland
Module:
Embed:yes
Alma Mater:Queen's University Belfast (BS)
Glasgow University (PhD)
Thesis Title:Studies on the involvement of abscisic acid in the regulation of dormancy in fruits of Lactuca sativa L
Thesis Url:https://theses.gla.ac.uk/73922/
Thesis Year:1973
Doctoral Advisor:J R Hillman

James Alexander McWha (born 28 May 1947) is a botanist whose professional career was devoted to teaching, research and educational administration in New Zealand, Northern Ireland and Australia. He retired as Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Adelaide on 30 June 2012. In October 2013 he was appointed as Vice Chancellor of the newly created University of Rwanda.[2] He retired from the University of Rwanda in October 2015.[3]

Early life and family

McWha was born in County Down, Northern Ireland, on 28 May 1947, the son of Sarah Isabel McWha (née Caughey) and David McWha.[4] He graduated with a BSc and BAgr (with honours in agricultural botany) from Queen's University Belfast in 1969 and 1970.[4] McWha received his PhD in plant physiology from Glasgow University in 1973.[4]

In 1970, McWha married Jean Lindsay Farries and, after migrating to New Zealand in 1973, the couple went on to have three children.[4]

Career

After his PhD, he took up an appointment at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, where a period as a lecturer in the Department of Botany was followed by a term as Head of the Department of Plant and Microbial Sciences. In 1985 he returned to Northern Ireland to take up a joint appointment as Professor and Head of Agricultural Botany at Queen's University Belfast, and Deputy Chief Scientific Officer in the Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture. In 1989 he was appointed Director of DSIR Fruit and Trees in the New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, and in 1992 became foundation Chief Executive Officer of HortResearch (the Horticulture and Food Research Institute of New Zealand Ltd).[5] He was appointed Vice-Chancellor and President of Massey University in New Zealand in 1996, and Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Adelaide, Australia, in 2002. In October 2013 he was appointed as Vice Chancellor of the newly created University of Rwanda.[2] He retired from the University of Rwanda in October 2015, returning to Australia.[3] In March 2018, McWha was appointed Vice Chancellor of Lincoln University in New Zealand, on a fixed-term contract until December 2018.[6]

Honours

McWha was recognised in 2003 by the award of the Australian Centenary Medal for his services to education.[7]

In May 2004, he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Science (honoris causa) from Massey University in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Massey and his advocacy for New Zealand's education system.

He was made an honorary officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for services to higher education in December 2011.[8]

Notes and References

  1. The Good Stewards . Massey . April 2014 . 34–36.
  2. Web site: Kwibuka . Eugène . Profile: Who is who at University of Rwanda . newtimes.co.rw . The New Times Rwanda . 29 July 2014 . 17 October 2013 . The real daily management of the University of Rwanda will be handled by veteran academics Emeritus, Prof. James McWha, who was named vice-chancellor . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140810064411/http://www.newtimes.co.rw/news/index.php?i=15513&a=71315 . 10 August 2014 .
  3. News: New UR Vice-Chancellor looks to cut bureaucracy. The New Times. Eugene. Kwibuka. 17 October 2015. 26 October 2015.
  4. Book: Taylor . Alister . Alister Taylor . New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa 2001 . 2001 . Alister Taylor Publishers . Auckland . 1172-9813 . 621.
  5. Web site: The Senate approves Prof. James McWHA as Vice-Chancellor of University of Rwanda and Dr. Marc Herant as Director General of the Rwanda Biomedical Centre. parliament.gov.rw. Republic of Rwanda Parliament. 29 July 2014. 15 November 2013.
  6. Web site: New leadership at Lincoln University . 28 March 2018 . Lincoln University . 22 August 2018 . 4 August 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180804204811/http://www.lincoln.ac.nz/News-and-Events/New-Leadership-at-Lincoln-University/ . dead .
  7. https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1127706 It's an Honour: Centenary Medal
  8. Web site: Holderhead . Sheradyn . University head awarded Order of Australia . Adelaide Now . 2011-12-05 . 2012-02-10.