I’m pleased to announce that Professor Peter Berg will be joining Brock on January 1, 2023 as the next Dean of the Faculty of Math & Science.

Berg is currently a professor of mathematics and physics at the University of Alberta and the Chair of the Department of Science on its Augustana Campus. He is a highly experienced academic administrator with a strong track record of teaching, research, speaking and publishing, as well as innovation in academic spaces. In Alberta, he garnered support for the implementation of a new academic calendar in the Faculty to provide unique, high-impact learning experiences and enhancing retention, mental health, and cohort building. Berg’s research falls predominantly into the areas of computational physics, nanofluidics, and physical theories of electrochemical systems. The research is highly interdisciplinary and it has been supported by a variety of funding sources, including industrial collaborations with leading fuel-cell companies.

Prior to his time at the University of Alberta, Berg served as the Head of Programs for both the BSc and MSc Physics programs at NTNU: Norwegian University of Science and Technology. During his time there he created an online resource for computational physics (NumFys.net), which spurred a keen interest in technological solutions for teaching and the development of cloud-based learning environments for computational sciences. He continues to feed this interest through an international project in partnership with colleagues in the Faculty of Science & Engineering at the University of Eswatini, supported by the Canadian not-for-profit organization Academics without Borders.

Berg received his Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Bristol, UK, where his thesis focused on “Optimal-velocity models of motorway traffic” and also received a Physik Diplom from the University of Muenster in Germany. In 2020, he was awarded a Senior Research Fellowship to visit RWTH Aachen in Germany.

I would like to extend my thanks to the search committee for their time spent working on this critical hire for the University. I also want to thank Professor Ejaz Ahmed for his service during his two terms as Dean of FMS.