Canada West Defence & Dual-Use Research and Innovation Forum

With a doctoral degree in international affairs (Carleton University, 2017) and over a decade of professional experience in the Canadian defence and security sector, Gaëlle combines operational expertise, strategic leadership, and extensive research experience.

Prior to CDAI, Gaëlle was a strategic analyst with DRDC where she closely worked with the RCN, the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command, and the North American Aerospace Defense Command in Colorado Springs. She is an affiliated expert with the European Center of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats and was a Fulbright research fellow in the International Security Program at the Harvard’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.

Major Dugald Thomson is a CAF officer and underwater acoustics specialist based in Victoria, BC. He joined the CAF in 2000, completed electrical engineering at the Royal Military College of Canada, and served in maritime air operations, including experience flying on the CP-140 Aurora. He later specialized in ocean acoustics, completing a Master’s in Acoustical Oceanography at the University of Victoria in 2012 and a PhD in underwater acoustics at Dalhousie University in December 2025. 

He currently works with DRDC on underwater sensing technology development, with a focus on passive acoustic monitoring, acoustic data exploitation, and machine learning. His work includes DeepPAM, a deep learning–based passive acoustic monitoring capability for maritime detection, classification, and analysis.He brings operational credibility and technical depth to discussions on maritime security, ocean technology, AI-enabled sensing, and responsible underwater operations in British Columbia and beyond.

Roz Seyednejad is an entrepreneur, investor, business leader, and advisor with over 25 years of experience in engineering, technology commercialization, government funding, and business growth. She is the Founder and CEO of Stratesol, a Canadian consulting firm that has helped innovation-driven companies with government funding and incentives, with expertise in SR&ED, grants, defence and dual-use programs, and Industrial and Technological Benefits.

Roz is also part of the leadership team at SenseNet, an AI-enabled wildfire detection and situational awareness company, and is a mentor with CDL, supporting companies in the defence and dual-use technology sector. A UBC engineering graduate with an Executive MBA from SFU, Roz serves as Chair of the Dean’s Advisory Council for UBC Applied Science and is actively involved in Canada’s technology, innovation, and defence ecosystems.

Akshay Singh is the University of British Columbia's inaugural Director, Research Security. Starting in this role in September 2023, Akshay is responsible for building and maintaining a robust research security program that sets researchers up for success as they navigate a range of security considerations. 

Akshay has over fifteen years of practical experience in international relations, national security and intelligence-related policy matters and research. He has a B.A. and M.A. in Political Science from Simon Fraser University, where he focused on international security, trade, and Canadian policy issues. Akshay wrote his final M.A. research project on the topic of formulating a pragmatic China policy for Canada and researches the implications of a shift of international power to the Indo-Pacific, with a specific focus on the opportunities and challenges this shift provides Canada.

Dr. Roza Bidshahri is Senior Manager of Canada's Immuno-Engineering and Biomanufacturing Hub (CIEBH) at UBC, where she helps set strategic direction and builds partnerships across academia, industry and government. Before CIEBH, Roza spent more than seven years at AbCellera. She joined in 2016, when it was an early-stage startup, and stayed through its IPO and growth to more than 600 people. Her roles spanned R&D, leadership and business development. During that time she worked under DARPA's Pandemic Prevention Platform (P3) program, which aimed to compress the timeline from pathogen detection to protective antibodies down to weeks. 

Roza holds a BSc from the UBC–BCIT Biotechnology Program and an industrial PhD in Biomedical Engineering from UBC, where she developed ultra-sensitive diagnostic technologies. She focuses on platform innovation, venture creation, and the partnerships that turn breakthrough science into real-world capability.

Founder and currently CEO of TerraSense Analytics, as well as a founding member of the CRWN.ai board of directors, Jozsef Hamari is responsible for the company’s technology leadership, building the engineering team and driving technical and product vision. 

Prior to taking on the role of CEO in 2025, Jozsef worked as the CTO of the company and brings expertise in intelligent sensor system design, artificial intelligence and machine learning software development and deployment, as well as remote sensing and data fusion. He has experience in remote sensing and data processing, including remote sensing in the fields of airborne sensing, forest management, and wildfire management.

TerraSense is a defence tech company focused on computer vision AI/ML and autonomy in the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance domain on air, land, and sea. The company has delivered numerous defence contracts, works closely with Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, and BAE Systems, and has a longstanding R&D partnership with UBC.

Jozsef earned both of his degrees from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.

Dr. Adam Clare is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and a Royal Academy of Engineering Research Chair. Specializing in advanced manufacturing, additive technologies, and surface engineering, his work bridges cutting-edge research and commercial impact. As lead of the Asymmetric Last Line (ALL) research accelerator at UBC, Dr. Clare active drives technology translation, supporting university spin-offs, de-risking deep-tech innovation, and collaborating with industry partners across aerospace, biomedical, and energy sectors.

Dr. Adrien Desjardins is a Professor jointly appointed in the Departments of Electrical & Computer Engineering and Mechanical Engineering at the University of British Columbia (UBC). Holding a PhD from MIT/Harvard, his research focuses on imaging, optical sensing, photonics, ultrasound, and autonomous robotics across medical and marine applications. Bringing direct entrepreneurial experience as a venture co-founder (including Echopoint Medical) and former industry senior scientist, Dr. Desjardins excels at bridging academic deep-tech with real-world commercial impact.

Dr. Bungay is a Professor in the School of Nursing and the Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Studies at the Faculty of Applied Science at UBC. She has previously served as Associate Director, Research and Teaching Scholarship (2022-2024) and Associate Director, Strategic Initiatives (2018-2021) in the School. She brings a wealth of research experience, strong leadership skills, and a proven track record of fostering inter-professional collaboration and networking. Her deep understanding of tri-council funding agencies and industry, along with her knowledge of the role of research in a research-intensive university makes her well positioned to support and advance our strategic priorities. 

Colin is currently the Acting Dean in the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science. Prior academic and administrative positions include Associate Dean Research, professor of mechanical engineering, Canada Research Chair and Visiting Research Fellow at the National University of Singapore.

Grounded in an engineering physics background, Colin’s more recent research initiatives have been in the areas of optical sensors, machine vision, instrumentation, automation and mechatronics. His research work has also involved national and international research collaborations with partners across Canada, the USA, Europe and Japan.

Mark Thibodeau serves as the Director of Sonar Systems at General Dynamics Mission Systems–Canada. With over two decades of experience at the forefront of Underwater Warfare innovation, he has consistently advanced the capabilities of this critical defence domain. 

Mark joined General Dynamics in 2006 as a Senior Engineer, where he and his team engineered the foundational code for what would evolve into a state-of-the-art mission system currently deployed by the Royal Canadian Navy. In his current, Mark leads a team focused on advancing Distributed Anti-Submarine Warfare capabilities for Canadian and allied naval forces.

Mark holds an undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering from Dalhousie University and is a licensed Professional Engineer in Nova Scotia. He also completed an Executive MBA from the University Ottawa’s Telfer School of Business in 2019. 

Lucas Bjorgan is a Senior Economic Advisor with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s Western Regional Office. In this role, he serves as the regional lead for British Columbia and Yukon’s defence and dual-use technology sectors. His expertise in defence and economic policy is informed by applied experience at ISED and other federal departments, including supporting domestic firms in leveraging the Industrial and Technological Benefits Policy and the Aerospace Regional Recovery Initiative at Pacific Economic Development Canada, and advancing international trade and investment through Global Affairs Canada’s Trade Commissioner Service. Lucas holds a Master of Public Policy from Simon Fraser University.

Rob is the Head of Growth and a founding executive at Dominion Dynamics, where he leads the development of a dual-use network that integrates multi-domain products into a sovereign data fabric to enhance Canada’s security and close critical technology gaps. Rob leads Dominion’s product expansion across Aerospace, Maritime, Land, Space, and Cyber, while building international partnerships across government and industry. 

Previously, he was Director of Business Development and Government Relations at Sanctuary AI, where he led partnerships with major enterprises including Microsoft, Nvidia, and Accenture, and secured over $32M in government funding. Including partnerships in Physical AI and Robotics with global OEMs. 

A 20-year veteran of Canada’s Department of National Defence, Rob spent a decade with the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM) leading technology-focused teams on national and international missions and directing programs that advanced AI and autonomous ISR capabilities.

Born in Poland, Eric presently resides in Vancouver, BC, Canada with his family. With a Ph.D. in remote sensing, a short stint in the Canadian Air Force, and Fellow International of the Explorer’s Club, he has spent the last 25 years teaching, most recently at BCIT where he is Director of the RPAS Hub. As Flight Operations Lead and Chief Pilot for InDro Robotics, Eric enjoys exploring RPAS applications across many sectors and all over the world.

Through his company, Space Hog Graphics, he has found a means of using his artistic talents to help underprivileged children in Nepal gain access to healthcare and education. With a deep passion for adventure travel to off-the-beaten path destinations, his photographs feature prominently in the short documentaries “Beyond the Gates of Phu” (2013) and “Colours of Edziza” (2015).
 

​Jonathan Berkshire Miller is an internationally recognized expert in security, defence, and geo-economics, with a distinguished career advising governments, multinational corporations, and international organizations on geopolitical risk, strategic foresight, and global policy development. For nearly two decades, he has held influential roles across both the public and private sectors, helping to shape policy frameworks and strategic initiatives in response to complex global economic and security challenges.

He is the co-founder and principal of Pendulum Geopolitical Advisory, a global consultancy under the Pendulum Group, headquartered in Ottawa, where he leads high-level engagements on geopolitical risk and strategy. In addition to his work with Pendulum, Jonathan is a Senior Fellow at the Ottawa-based Macdonald-Laurier Institute, where he provides thought leadership on foreign policy and national security. He also holds concurrent fellowships with the Montreal Institute for Global Security on Indo-Pacific security, the Centre for Strategic Statecraft, the Conference on Defence Associations Institute, the Center for North American Prosperity and Security (CNAPS) and the Asian Forum Japan, serving as a Senior Fellow on focusing particularly on Indo-Pacific security dynamics and regional diplomacy.

Tenille brings more than 15 years of experience in strategy, operations, technology commercialization, and communications across the high-tech, automotive, and autonomous mobility sectors.

Prior to joining ONE9, Tenille held senior executive roles focused on advancing emerging technologies from development to real-world deployment. Her experience includes building strategic public-private partnerships, navigating government funding and procurement pathways, and working with industry, government, and academic stakeholders to accelerate innovation and market adoption. She has led international initiatives, supported technology commercialization, and helped organizations navigate complex regulatory and operational environments.

Tenille holds a Master of Public Administration with a specialization in government contracting, as well as a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Sociology. A TEDx speaker and recipient of the Automotive Inspiration of the Year award, she is passionate about bridging the gap between emerging technology, government, and industry to turn innovation into operational capability.

Vina Nadjibulla is Co-Founder and CEO of the Centre for Strategic Statecraft (CSS). She is a foreign policy executive, analyst, and public commentator with more than two decades of experience in diplomacy, international affairs, and policymaking. Her work focuses on Canadian foreign policy, economic security, great-power competition, strategic technologies, and Canada’s relationships with China, India, and the wider Indo-Pacific.

Prior to founding CSS, Vina served as Vice-President, Research & Strategy at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, where she led the organization’s policy and research agenda and its work on Canada’s engagement with the Indo-Pacific. Across her career, she has worked with governments, international organizations, think tanks, and philanthropic institutions in North America, Asia, and Central Asia.

Vina is also a Balsillie Scholar at the Balsillie School of International Affairs, a Senior Research Fellow at The Soufan Center, and a Contributing Writer for Policy Magazine.

Matt Stone is the Defence Contracts & Business Development Manager at KF Aerospace in Kelowna, BC. He supports KF’s delivery of Canada’s Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) Program while leading and supporting business development and capture activities across the Canadian defence and aerospace sector. His work also includes Industrial and Technological Benefits, Indigenous partnerships and workforce development initiatives.

Chad Hey, CPA, is Director of Industrial Participation & Strategic Initiatives at Seaspan Shipyards, where he leads industrial participation strategies supporting Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy and related defence programs. Overseeing a portfolio exceeding $14 billion in Industrial and Regional Benefits and Industrial and Technological Benefits commitments, he works with government, global defence companies and Canadian suppliers to translate major procurement programs into lasting industrial capability.

Chad’s work connects defence procurement, supplier development and strategic investment to strengthen Canada’s sovereign shipbuilding and defence supply chains. His recent work includes advancing Seaspan’s collaboration with the Business Development Bank of Canada and supporting initiatives that help Canadian businesses build capacity, access capital and participate in major defence programs. 

Chad also serves on the Board of the Industrial Participation Association of Canada (IPAC), helping advance industry dialogue, share best practices and strengthen collaboration across Canada’s industrial benefits community.