Governance

The concept of data-driven governance is a key enabling element of our BrainsCAN implementation plan, because reliance on quantitative metrics allows our governing and managing bodies to understand the precise state of our scientific endeavor. Where metrics lag, we see quantified risk; where metrics exceed, we see quantified opportunity. With these data in hand, management can form concrete action plans to minimize risk and capitalize on opportunity; likewise, at the governance level, these same data enable the board to meet their obligation to hold the endeavor accountable to its commitments.

Board of Directors

The BrainsCAN Board of Directors is a governance body responsible for oversight of the project at Western and for ensuring that Western's obligations to its partners are met. Responsibilities include ensuring that:

  • Expenditures of the Government of Canada's CFREF award and partner funds within the BrainsCAN program at Western University are aligned with the goals of the CFREF program and with the institutional and scientific strategic priorities and plans set out by Western University for the BrainsCAN program in its approved proposal;
  • Resource allocation is fair, transparent and provides access to designated groups according to the BrainsCAN and University equity plan;
  • Appropriate governance, management and personnel structures, policies, procedures and strategies, including those related to risk management, management of conflict of interest, criteria for funding eligibility and performance based evaluations, are in place.

The BrainsCAN Board of Directors is chaired by the Vice-President (Research), Western University.

The Board of Directors

  • Acting Vice-President (Research), Chair - Dr. Bryan Neff
  • Founding Deans - Dr. Matt Davison, Dr. Nicholas Harney, Dr. John Yoo
  • Vice-Principal (Research & Innovation), McGill University - Dr. Martha Crago
  • A maximum of two members from private industry - Vacant
  • A maximum of 4 members at large - Dr. Viviane Poupon, Dr. Jane Roskams, Dr. Allison Sekuler

EDI Committee

The BrainsCAN Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Committee is a sub-committee of the Executive Committee. The Committee provides a forum for developing high-level advice to the BrainsCAN Executive Committee on all matters of significance related to equity and inclusion issues that impact on service provision, outcomes and the reputation of BrainsCAN.

The committee is tasked with translating EDI principles and regulations into clear policies and action plans. The action plans should specify how objectives have been identified and progressed, outcomes tracked and risks managed.

BrainsCAN is committed, through its EDI Committee, to ensuring that the impact and outcomes of the actions are accurately and consistently measured, monitored and reported.

For further information, please review the EDI Committee's Terms of Reference.

The EDI Committee

  • Fay Harrison, Chair
  • Wataru Inoue, Faculty Representative
  • Jibran Khokhar, Faculty Representative
  • Jessica Grahn, Faculty Representative
  • Marieka DeVuono, Postdoc Representative
  • Miguel Skirzewski, Research Staff Representative
  • Angela Core, Affiliate Representative
  • Kim Reeve, External Representative, McGill University

Executive Committee

Reporting to the Vice President (Research) through the Board, the Executive Committee is responsible for overseeing the day to day management of the project including strategic direction and annual reporting, funding programs, financial planning and resource allocation, staffing and recruitment.

The remit and work of the committee incorporates:

  • Overseeing the day to day management of the project, including the evolution of the project towards the defined milestones;
  • Responsibility for overseeing the project risk assessment, responding to issues escalated by the Executive Director for adjudication;
  • Operationalizing all aspects of the BrainsCAN performance management plan;
  • Implementing changes as directed by the Board.

For further information, please review the Executive Committee's Terms of Reference.

The Executive Committee

  • Dr. Lisa Saksida, Chair - Co-Scientific Director
  • Fay Harrison - Executive Director
  • Dr. Ravi Menon - Co-Scientific Director
  • Dr. Adrian Owen - Canada Excellence Research Chair

International Scientific and Outreach Advisory Board

The BrainsCAN International Scientific and Outreach Advisory Board (ISOAB) is an advisory board that provides advice and guidance to the BrainsCAN Executive Committee on all matters related to the strategic mission of BrainsCAN. The remit and work program of the ISOAB incorporates:

  • Provide advice and guidance on the scope of BrainsCAN's scientific objectives
  • Provide advice and guidance on the sustainability of BrainsCAN
  • Evaluation of BrainsCANs scientific outputs
  • Benchmarking against international excellence and best practice
  • Identify scientific, clinical and commercial partnership opportunities
  • Assessment of BrainsCAN's contribution to the scientific community in Canada and internationally

For further information, please review the International Scientific and Outreach Advisory Board's Terms of Reference.

The Advisory Board

  • Andrew Holmes - Chief, Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
  • Heidi Johansen-Berg - Director of the Wellcome Centre For Integrative Neuroimaging
  • Earl Miller - Picower Professor of Neuroscience, Picower Institute, MIT
  • Lynn Raymond - Director, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health
  • Mike Salter - Professor, Neuroscience Platform, University of Toronto

Special Initiatives Funding (SIF) Program Review Panel

BrainsCAN prides itself on being agile and responsive to initiatives that promote and move forward cognitive neuroscience at Western and abroad. As such, BrainsCAN accepts, on a continuous basis, funding applications for these types of special initiatives. The types of proposals this fund has previously supported include, but are not limited to, knowledge mobilization; workshops/seminars; collaboration development; technology / capacity development; and community outreach.

For further information, please see the SIF Review Panel's Terms of Reference.

SIF Governance

The Review Panel is chaired by Vania Prado who reviews applications to determine if they are within the mandate of a specific BrainsCAN core. If they are, the funding request will be sent to the appropriate core's steering committee.

If the application is a central BrainsCAN priority AND LESS than $1500, the PIs will be invited to complete the short-form application to be reviewed by the SIF chairs.

If the application is a central BrainsCAN priority AND MORE than $1500, the PIs will be invited to complete the Full Special Initiative Form to be reviewed by the SIF panel that will provide funding recommendations to the Executive Committee to be ratified.

Full details about the Special Initiatives Funding Program can be found here.

The Review Panel

  • Vania Prado (Chair)
  • Daniel Ansari
  • Laura Batterink
  • Janis Cardy
  • Brian Corneil
  • Wataru Inoue
  • Jacqueline Sullivan