Indira Samarasekera, O.C. is the twelfth president and vice-chancellor of the University of Alberta. During her presidency, she has helped build strong international partnerships, exemplified by agreements with the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres, the Li Ka Shing Foundation, and the Aga Khan University, and IC IMPACTS—a collaboration between top research institutions in Canada and India, dedicated to ensuring health, safety, and sustainability in both countries. Samarasekera is chair of the Worldwide Universities Network, a council member of the National Institute for Nanotechnology, and she sits on the board of directors of Scotiabank and the Science, Technology, and Innovation Council. She was part of a group of special advisors to the Canadian minister of environment at the 2009 Copenhagen Summit; has been a moderator, presenter, and facilitator at the 2010, 2011, and 2012 World Economic Forums; and participated in the prime minister’s roundtable on Canada-India higher education cooperation. She was awarded the Order of Canada in 2002, and is a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, the Canadian Academy of Engineering, and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum.