Office of the Principal and Vice-Chancellor

Dr. Daniel R. Woolf

Principal and Vice-Chancellor

Dr. Daniel R. Woolf

Principal and Vice-Chancellor

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  • [photo of Daniel Woolf]

    Daniel Woolf at a convocation ceremony in June 2014.

  • [Arthur McDonald with Daniel Woolf]

    Dr. Arthur B. McDonald with Principal Daniel Woolf before the Nobel Prize ceremony on December 10, 2015. (Photo by Michael Fergusson)

  • [Principal Woolf with Kirsty Duncan]

    Principal Daniel Woolf shows his book collection to Minister of Science Kirsty Duncan, who shares his passion for rare gems. Minister Duncan was on campus to announce a $4-million grant from Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) on January 8, 2016.

  • [photo from Homecoming 2015]

    Principal Daniel Woolf, Chancellor Jim Leech, QUAA President George Jackson, and Nobel laureate Art McDonald at the Homecoming football game, October 24, 2015. (Photo by Suzy Lamont)

  • Principal and students

    The Principal enjoys talking with students at the John Deutsch University Centre, July 2018. (Photo by Bernard Clark)

  • [announcement for the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University.]

    Business education has a new name! Principal Woolf, distinguished guests, students, faculty and staff celebrated together on October 1, 2015, at the announcement of the transformational $50 million gift by Stephen Smith, Sc'72, to what is now the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University. (Photo by Suzy Lamont)

  • Principal delivering cookie to students

    Daniel Woolf, pictured in April 2018, bringing some cheer (and sugar!) to students in the library with his annual "cookie drop."

  • [Daniel Woolf photo]

    Daniel Woolf at the Community Breakfast in November 2014 (photo: Todd Muller).

  • Daniel Woolf with Cote Sharp family at construction site

    The Côté Sharp family toured the Innovation and Wellness Centre with Daniel Woolf, including the area that will become the Côté Sharp Student Wellness Centre. From left: Principal Daniel Woolf; Geneviève Sharp; Dennis Sharp; Hélène Côté Sharp; Catherine Sharp; and Provost Benoit-Antoine Bacon. (University Communications)

  • [photo of Daniel Woolf with students]

    Daniel Woolf and students at a Queen's Reads event in September 2013.

  • [Daniel Woolf photo at 3MT competition]

    Daniel Woolf at the 2015 3-Minute Thesis Competition with the judges from the final event (pictured l-r): Dr. Ken Stevens from Dupont, Toby Abramsky and Ann Lukits. (Photo by Chi Yan Lam)

  • [photo of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter]

    Daniel Woolf and Chancellor David Dodge (left) presented honorary degrees to Jimmy Carter, 39th president of the United States, and his wife, Rosalynn Carter, at convocation in fall 2012.

  • [photo of Daniel Woolf and Glenn Close]

    Principal Woolf hosted actress and humanitarian Glenn Close on campus June 13, 2013. Ms. Close gave a lecture on mental health and received an honorary Doctorate of Laws degree.

It is my great privilege to serve Queen’s as its 20th principal. I am the third alumnus in the role and continue to feel as enthusiastic about this university as I did landing here as a first year student many years ago.

Outstanding teaching, exceptional students, world-renowned research, community and tradition — these are the hallmarks of the Queen's experience. As principal, my job is to showcase our strengths, aspirations and initiative to the world and to advance the university's goals and its position as one of Canada's leading institutions of knowledge, innovation and social purpose.

I've been focused on doing that since first taking up my position in September 2009. Having now been re-appointed for a second term, I look forward to continuing to serve the university community through the end of June 2019. I feel passionately about Queen’s being a place for exceptional people who want to learn, discover, explore, think and do. I am committed to securing our reputation for discovery and inquiry, and to working hard to ensure that every Queen’s student gets an outstanding education, both inside and outside of the classroom.

Please stay in touch — follow me on Twitter, read and comment on my blog, and share your views with me directly at principal@queensu.ca. I welcome input from all members of the Queen’s community — students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends alike. Working together, we’ll continue to strengthen this great university.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Daniel Woolf
Principal and Vice-Chancellor