Jennifer van Wijngaarden

Jennifer van Wijngaarden joined the faculty at York University in 2022 as a full Professor and Chair of Chemistry and brought with her a wealth of experience in the academic sector from her previous roles. She has quickly established herself as a passionate lecturer, researcher and administrative lead in the Faculty of Science and serves as a York University Senator.

Jennifer’s scholarly expertise lies in the development of novel methods for generating and characterizing short-lived molecules that drive chemical reactions that are central to astrophysical and atmospheric environments through state-of-the-art experiments in her laboratory and at the Canadian Light Source (CLS) synchrotron. Recognized in 2020 with a German Academic Exchange DAAD fellowship in Astrophysics for her expertise in this field, Jennifer also served for eight years on the Board of Directors of Canada’s largest science facility, the CLS, and chaired the Board subcommittee on Health, Safety, Environment and Security.

As an academic for more than 20 years, Jennifer brings firsthand perspectives to the Board from her close interactions with York students, faculty and staff in the lecture halls, research laboratories and meeting rooms across campus. Having started her career at a liberal arts institution, Jennifer encourages STEM students to embrace the comprehensive educational opportunities available at York to prepare them for fulfilling careers.

Beyond her academic work, Jennifer has a long record of leadership and professional service. As Director of Conferences on the Board of Directors for the Canadian Society of Chemistry, Jennifer oversaw organization of the national meeting for three years and championed programming aimed at students, career development for young professionals and EDI initiatives. In 2025, she was named a Fellow of the Chemical Institute of Canada in recognition of her leadership and impact in research, service and community outreach.