I am pleased to share that on Sept. 1, 2026, Dr. Sarah Barrett will assume the role of interim dean, Faculty of Education.
This appointment will continue at least to Dec. 31, 2026, with a possible appointment to June 30, 2027, or until the appointment of the next dean of the Faculty, whichever comes first.
Dr. Barrett is a full professor in the Faculty of Education where she has served as associate dean, academic, since 2025. In that role, she has spearheaded the revision of the BEd program in response to Ontario’s change to the Initial Teacher Education Framework.
From 2023-25, Dr. Barrett held the role of affirmative action, equity and inclusivity officer for the University Faculty Association and has twice served as associate dean, academic.
Professor Barrett’s newest book, After the Before Times: Teachers’ Experiences of Pandemic Pedagogy, was published in June 2026 in print and open-access formats. It is informed by her prior experience as a classroom teacher and reflects her recent research on emergency remote teaching and learning in the context of the shutdowns necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Professor Barrett received the Faculty of Education’s 2022 Dean’s Research Impact Award, for which her interdisciplinary approach and attention to the social conditions of teaching and learning were recognized. Her 2021 report, “Emergency Distance Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic,” is among the first of its kind to offer a comprehensive analysis of teachers’ experiences at one of the most difficult times in the profession.
Professor Barrett holds a PhD from the Ontario Institute for Studies on Education at the University of Toronto. She is a Faculty fellow of the Harriet Tubman Institute for Research on Africa and its Diasporas and is a member of the Canadian Society for Studies in Education, the Canadian Black Scientists Association and the Science Teachers Association of Ontario.
Her research focuses on teachers’ experiences of how their values and beliefs influence their practice, the ethical aspects of environmental education, teaching science for social justice, science teacher education and developing more inclusive high school science curricula.
I look forward to welcoming Dr. Barrett as the Faculty of Education’s interim dean this fall.
Lisa Philipps
Interim President and Vice-Chancellor