Alex Clark is an internationally known administrator, researcher, and advocate for well-being and effectiveness in academic work and workplaces. A complexity theorist and researcher of psychosocial aspects of heart disease, he has worked in post-secondary education for 20 years in Alberta. He has held faculty and executive roles at the University of Alberta for more than a decade, and, most recently, was Dean of Health Disciplines at Athabasca University.  He is past chair of the International Institute of Qualitative Methodology (2011-18), and co-authored How to be a Happy Academic (SAGE, 2018). He was designated a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader / Young Scientist for his contributions to mentorship and leadership in academia.

What can we do to better help people with heart disease live longer and better lives? Dr. Clark’s research focuses on psychosocial, behavioural, and health service aspects of Coronary Heart Disease, including: heart failure/ acute coronary syndromes. He uses a variety of qualitative / quantitative research and systematic review methods and complexity / critical realist theory to understand, explain and improve health outcomes. He also writes frequently on academic skills development. mentorship, and workplace effectiveness. His main areas of interest are: chronic disease management, secondary prevention/ cardiac rehabilitation, self-care and complex interventions. He has held scientific leadership positions with CIHR and Heart & Stroke Foundation Canada and is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. In 2011, he was recognized as a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader: Young Scientist. As a lead and senior authors, his research has been published in some of the world's most influential journals, including: the British Medical Journal, American Heart Journal, the Lancet, Heart, Social Science & Medicine and Journal of Advanced Nursing. He writes on various aspects of academic workplace effectiveness, including contributions to the Guardian, Times Higher Education Supplement, Journal of Advanced Nursing, and Journal of Interprofessional Care.