Dr. David Ross is SAIT's 16th president. Under Dr. Ross' leadership, SAIT has become Alberta's third-largest post-secondary institution. SAIT is known internationally for its action-based applied education, solution-focused research and enterprising collaborations with people and partners from around the globe.
Before joining SAIT in March 2013, Dr. Ross was President and CEO of Langara College and Vice President of Administration and CFO at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. Dr. Ross brings over 30 years of post-secondary experience across several provinces to SAIT.
President during SAIT’s centennial in 2016, he has now launched the first strategic plan of the institution’s second century, New World. New Thinking. The plan sets a transformational course for the future and is part of the institution’s proactive approach to rapidly changing job skill requirements.
Most recently, Dr. Ross chaired the Alberta Skills to Job Task Force as the province adapts to new economic realities and develops the next generation of talent. He also chaired the Canadian Bureau for International Education. Nationally, he has been a board participant for the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), Polytechnics Canada and the Business Higher Education — Business Roundtable.
Currently, he is a board member of Colleges and Institutes Canada (CiCan), the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. He sits on international boards for the League for Innovation, the Global Education Network and the Global Applied Education Network. In Calgary, his board experience includes Calgary Economic Development and the Calgary Homeless Foundation.
Dr. Ross holds a Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska, a Master of Aquaculture (MAq) from Simon Fraser University, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Dalhousie University and a Bachelor of Science (BSc) from Dalhousie University.
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SAIT is located on the traditional territories of the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) and the people of Treaty 7 which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, the Kainai, the Tsuut’ina and the Îyârhe Nakoda of Bearspaw, Chiniki and Goodstoney.
We are situated in an area the Blackfoot tribes traditionally called Moh’kinsstis, where the Bow River meets the Elbow River. We now call it the city of Calgary, which is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3.