WHO
WE ARE
TEAM MEMBERS.
Mercedes Rose
Co-President
Mercedes is a biochemistry PhD student at uOttawa and Health Canada. Her research is focused on developing laboratory models to explore the relationship between air pollution and brain health in humans. She's excited about getting involved with OSPN, and is interested in learning more about how scientific research influences policy, and how young researchers can get involved in the scientific policy process!
Stephen Holland
Co-President
Stephen is a PhD Candidate in Dr. Hanns Lochmuller’s lab working on understanding the role of glycosylation in neuromuscular transmission. My work involves with characterizing the effect of deficient expression of key glycosylation enzymes and how it changes the landscape of the neuromuscular junction. Stephen joined OSPN last year and helped with the writing of the National Graduate Student Finance Survey. Through OSPN, I have also established key relationships with MPs and MPPs as we strive to improve graduate student and post-doctoral funding in Canada. Through OSPN, Stephen aims to build on his understanding of science policy and enact changes that can better support the future of science in Canada.
Valeria Vasilyeva
VP Events
Valeria is a MSc student studying at the University of Ottawa. Her project is on the metabolic causes behind Natural Killer cell dysfunction in cancer. Valeria joined OSPN due to her interest in how scientific research and policy work together to shape our society. Valeria is passionate about encouraging close collaboration between scientific researchers, policy makers, and the public to promote community engagement in science policy.
Layla
Elsakka
VP Administration
Layla is an Honours BSc student in Biopharmaceutical Science at uOttawa. Her research utilizes bioinformatic tools to analyze transcriptomics and explore gene expression. Driven by the impact of science on society, she's interested in the ethical applications of genomic treatments, and how science policy can influence scientific research.
Alexa D'Addario
VP Social Media
Alexa has both a Master of Science and Master of Journalism degree from Carleton University and Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University). She has spent numerous years in the science policy circuit as well as in science communication, having attended and helped organize the prestigious ComSciCon Flagship workshops for her third year in a row now. Alexa is passionate about audience engagement and connecting scientists, policymakers and the public to ensure science is communicated most effectively to inform evidence-based policy.
Stephanie Musa
VP EDI
Wesley
Chan
VP Technology
Wesley is a PhD student in Neuroscience at the University of Ottawa. His research focuses on elucidating key genetic and molecular mechanisms involved in nervous system development. He is interested in learning about the structures that govern and support scientific research and how young scientists can learn and engage in science policy.
Thomas
Bailey
General Executive
Thomas is a PhD student in Physics at uOttawa, researching new ways to measure light. He is interested in how governments influence research and deepening the civic engagement of scientists.