Canadian Light Source appoints leading researcher as Chief Science Officer

SASKATOON – The Canadian Light Source (CLS) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) has appointed Dr. Ingrid Pickering as its new Chief Science Officer. A professor and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Molecular Environmental Science at USask, Pickering is appointed for a 5-year term.

With more than 225 peer-reviewed publications and 21,500 citations, Pickering leads a cross-disciplinary research team that uses and develops synchrotron techniques to investigate the roles and impact of essential and toxic elements in the environment and human health.

“We conducted a global search for the best scientist for this crucial role at this important juncture in the life of our facility, and I’m so pleased Ingrid will join us,” said Bill Matiko, CLS CEO. “She brings a unique combination of scientific prowess, a proven record of building and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders, expert familiarity with Canada’s funding ecosystem, and more than three decades of using synchrotron facilities.”

Pickering holds a PhD in Physical Chemistry from Imperial College London (UK). Following an industrial postdoctoral fellowship in New Jersey, US and an appointment at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in California, she moved to USask in 2003.

At USask, Pickering co-led the scientific development of the CLS BioXAS suite of beamlines, served as chair of the CLS Users’ Advisory Committee in 2007, and was Program Director for two synchrotron graduate training programs – the former CIHR-funded THRUST (2010-2017) and the current NSERC CREATE to INSPIRE. Internationally, she serves as Chair of the Science Advisory Committee (SAC) for the National Synchrotron Light Source-II and as SAC member for the Advanced Photon Source.

“After over 20 years of engagement with the CLS, leading beamline development and training and mentoring the next generation of scientists, I am excited for the opportunity to help advance the CLS into its next chapter,” said Pickering. “I look forward to working with the CLS staff, user community and supporters, many of whom I know well, to continue the essential role of CLS in producing leading science to benefit Canada.”

Professor Pickering is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and former Chair of the Board of the Canada Foundation for Innovation.

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Media Relations:

Sandra Ribeiro
Communications Advisor
Canadian Light Source
306-657-3558
sandra.ribeiro@lightsource.ca