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Raised in Islington, then a village just outside of Toronto, Janet Wardlaw enrolled at the University of Toronto in 1942, majoring in household economics. After graduation, Wardlaw worked as a dietitian for the Canadian Red Cross. She received a master’s degree in public health nutrition from the University of Tennessee, and a PhD in nutrition from Pennsylvania State University.

In 1966 she joined the University of Guelph as a professor in the Department of Foods and Nutrition. From 1969 to 1984, Wardlaw was Dean of the College of Family and Consumer Studies at Guelph, and in 1984 she became the first woman to enter the university’s executive ranks when she was named associate vice-president.

In 1985 Wardlaw became the first female Chair of IDRC’s Board of Governors. Wardlaw retired from Guelph in 1987 and continued to serve as IDRC Chair until 1992. She currently volunteers for numerous community agencies and maintains close links with the University of Guelph.

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