Nazim Cicek appointed Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences
The University of Manitoba is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Nazim Cicek as the next Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, effective January 1, 2026.
Dr. Cicek is currently serving as Associate Dean (Research), a position he has held since 2021. A Professional Engineer and Professor in the Department of Biosystems Engineering, he joined UM in 2001 after receiving his M.Sc. in Chemical Engineering (1995) and Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering (1999) from the University of Cincinnati and gaining several years of experience working in industry. During his tenure at UM, Dr. Cicek has demonstrated excellent leadership through two five-year terms as Associate Department Head and multiple appointments as Acting Department Head.
“Dr. Cicek brings a strong commitment to collaborative and collegial leadership, student experience, Indigenous achievement, EDIA, and research excellence,” says Diane Hiebert-Murphy, Provost and Vice-President (Academic). “I am confident that he will well serve the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and the University of Manitoba. Please join me in congratulating Dr. Cicek on his appointment.”
Dr. Cicek’s research and teaching interests span agricultural and industrial waste management, bioenergy and biopolymer production, and bioprocess engineering. He has authored or co-authored more than 140 peer-reviewed journal articles, presented at international conferences, and supervised over 70 graduate and undergraduate students. His research has secured nearly $14.5 million in external research funding as Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator.
In recognition of his contributions, Dr. Cicek received the 2018 Jim Beamish Award from the Canadian Society of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (CSABE) and became a Fellow of CSABE in 2021. He also shared his vision for the future of food and sustainability as a guest on President Michael Benarroch’s “What’s the Big Idea” podcast. Listen to the Season 2 episode entitled Feeding the world without costing the Earth.
“I feel incredibly humbled and honored to serve as the next Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, a storied Faculty with a strong national and international profile and proud history of training the next generation of agri-food leaders,” says Dr. Cicek. “As Dean, I will be building on the Faculty’s globally recognized research programs, outstanding educational programming and instruction, high-quality faculty renewal, excellent support staff, and strong partnerships and stakeholder engagement. I will focus on creating an inspiring and dynamic work and learning environment that fosters belonging, positivity, and commitment.”
UM welcomes Dr. Cicek to his new appointment.