Executive committee

Dr. Sarah Gallagher

Director; Professor- Department of Physics and Astronomy

Research Interests / Specializations: Blackholes
Biography: Dr. Sarah C. Gallagher is the Director of the interdisciplinary research Institute for Earth and Space Exploration and a Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Western University in London, Canada. Her astrophysics research focuses on light-driven winds from supermassive black holes. She employs both ground and space-based observatories that span the electromagnetic spectrum to reveal the mechanisms that link the growth of the black hole found in the centre of every massive galaxy to the galaxy itself. She is engaged in planning and advocating for next generation observatories to enable an ambitious science program to use time domain astrophysics to map black holes’ inner regions. As the first Science Advisor to the President of the Canadian Space Agency, Dr. Gallagher advised the agency’s Executive Committee on issues related to science investments and capacity development. She served as a liaison to the academic space science community and other government departments via the Departmental Science Advisor Network of Canada’s Chief Science Advisor. During her two terms, she advised on Open Science policies and co-founded Can COVID, the pan-Canadian pandemic research network. She teaches physics and astronomy and regularly communicates to the public about the value of space science and exploration.

Dr. Keith Thompson

Associate Director of Research and Family Physician

Biography: Dr. Thompson is a London Ontario based family physician, graduate of the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at Western University and awarded Fellowship Canadian College Family Practice in 2005. Chief Medical Officer for Nuralogix. He is Board Certified Medical Affairs specialist. He is Adjunct Faculty Professor with both the departments of Family Medicine and Institute for Earth and Space Exploration at Western University in London Ontario. He also serves at Western as Co-investigator on 2 virtual care studies and is Medical Mentor for the Medical Innovation Fellowship program at WORLDiscoveries. He was one of the initial Canadian Physicians hired to consult with the Teladoc/BestDoctors Canada start-up team in February of 2018 and worked as CMO for iTelemed- a telemedicine startup in London Ontario, prior to his recent appointment with Nuralogix. He is a current working group member lead for IEEE SA telehealth Industry Connections, IEEE New Jersey Coast SIGHT(Special interest Group for Humanitarian Technology) program member, Ehealth working group executive member World Congress of Family Doctors (WONCA), member of Association for Corporate Growth Toronto Chapter, member C.D. Howe Institute and Advisory Board Member for Health Technologies Without Borders

Catherine Neish

Associate Director of Training, Western Institute for Earth & Space Exploration

Biography: My research interests focus on the use of orbital radar observations to study the geology of planetary surfaces, with a particular focus on processes related to impact cratering. To pursue my interest in planetary radar, I am involved in several spacecraft missions. I am a Co-Investigator on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter’s (LRO) Mini-RF instrument, and was an associate member of the Cassini RADAR team. I am also a Co-Investigator on NASA's Dragonfly mission, a rotorcraft lander that will characterize Titan's habitability and prebiotic environment.

Courtney Swinden

Administrative Officer