Dr. Robert Church is a multi-talented individual, a teacher, rancher and entrepreneur, knowledgeable in a wide range of areas and able to communicate complicated subjects in an understandable manner.

Bob Church was the founding head of the Department of Medical Biochemistry at the University of Calgary, a position he maintained from 1969 to 1983, as well as Associated Dean (Research) of the Faculty of Medicine from 1981 to 1989. As well as being a professor in the departments of Medical Biochemistry and Biological Sciences, Dr. Church is currently Acting Assistant Dean of Medical Science. He was also a founding member of the Medical Research Council of Canada.

Dr. Church was an early leader in embryo transfer technology in cattle. Through Alberta Livestock Transplants Ltd., he achieved the first commercial embryo transfer company, which was also the first to produce over 10,000 embryos per year as well as the first to go exclusively to non-surgical recovery and transfer, large scale freezing and transport and to commercialize the splitting of embryos on a large scale basis. Dr. Church was one of the first people worldwide to distinguish the importance between reproductive efficiency and production efficiency in cattle. He is a world leader in technology transfer from the basic sciences of genetics, reproductive physiology and molecular biology to agricultural and biotechnology companies.

Many Canadian breed organizations sought the advice of Bob Church in establishing their charters to ensure that these would lead them into the 21st century. He has been involved in the community as a board member for the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Centre and as a past president of the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede. In addition, Robert Church is a practicing rancher, controlling the marketing of more than 20,000 head of cattle on an annual basis.