WCHRI Career Panel

Are you an undergraduate student interested in a career in women's and/or children’s health?

Join us for the WCHRI TAC Career Panel event featuring Dory Sample, Director of Clinical Research at WCHRI, Matthea Sanderson from Alberta Precision Labs, Yuliya Fakhar from Alberta Innovates, Rob Buschmann from Government of Alberta and Vanessa Carias from the Office of the Vice President-Research and Innovation at the University of Alberta.

Don't miss this opportunity to gain insights into career pathways in women's and children's health research.

What you will learn in this session:

• Gain insights into career pathways in women's and children's health research.
• Explore diverse career opportunities and trajectories within the field.
• Receive valuable advice and perspectives from experienced professionals in the industry.

Featured panellists:

1. Dory Sample, MSN, MPH, PhDc, Director of Clinical Research (WCHRI)

Dory has been with WCHRI for 13 years, and is currently the Director of Clinical Research. She has previously held roles in the US and Canada in academic clinical research and in the pharma industry, with positions ranging from research nursing to project management of international clinical trials.

2. Matthea Sanderson, PhD, Alberta Precision Labs

Matthea Sanderson completed her PhD in Medical Genetics at the University of Alberta. She then went on to work as a genome analyst for the TIGeR project and is currently completing her CCMG training in genetics and genomics.

3.Yuliya Fakhr, PhD, Alberta Innovates

Yuliya holds a PhD in Medical Sciences with an Obstetrics and Gynecology specialization from the University of Alberta and was an active WCHRI member throughout the duration of her studies. She worked on a variety of pregnancy disorders and focused on the role of the placenta in the development of these disorders. After her graduation in 2022, she joined the CIHR- Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health as the Lead of Institute Programs. Currently, she is a Senior Business Partner at Alberta Innovates working on the Enabling Better Health through Artificial Intelligence file and supporting the Alberta Clinical Research Consortium file.

4. Rob Buschmann, Government of Alberta

Biography coming soon.

5. Vanessa Carias, PhD, Office of the Vice President-Research and Innovation, University of Alberta

Vanessa recently joined the Office of the Vice President Research and Innovation at the University of Alberta as a Major Initiatives Officer to support implementation of the recently launched Strategic Plan for Research and Innovation. Most recently, as Senior Manager, Research Portfolio at Genome Alberta Vanessa saw firsthand the positive impact of investing in research, by directly supporting research teams and the innovation ecosystem to advance genomic innovations. Prior to working at Genome Alberta, she was part of the team at the TELUS World of Science Edmonton as an Outreach Coordinator where she pursued her passion for science outreach and communication. Vanessa is a proud graduate of the University of Alberta, completing her PhD in Medical Genetics in 2019. Currently she volunteers for the TELUS World of Science Edmonton as a Foundation Member, the 1000 Women Initiative, AlumLab, and the Alumni Advisory Council for the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry.

About TAC

The Trainee Advisory Committee (TAC) is composed of students and fellows from all academic levels and is representative of all WCHRI research disciplines. TAC engages  in-training members in WCHRI programs / activities and is responsible for:

• providing career, mentorship and skill-building opportunities and resources;
• providing feedback and suggestions to improve WCHRI programs and trainee engagement;
• advising on WCHRI Research Day workshops, topics and format;
• representing in-training member interests in WCHRI.

Date:  March 26
Time: 5 - 7 p.m.
Location: ECHA  2-420

Register here