Susan Rowsell moved to Medicine Hat 18 years ago when she accepted a position with Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC), and she joined the APEX Alberta governance committee in 2022.

DRDC is one of the major science and technology innovation organizations in the region, so those industries are already part of her day to day work. Being on the board, while embedded in science and technology innovation, helps Rowsell to expand her knowledge in what’s going on outside of defence.

“What is being done on the innovation side on the provincial, regional, and local levels is really interesting and not something I get to see often. Learning about the diversity of innovation that’s happening in our small corner of the province, there’s some really amazing things going on,” says Rowsell.

Science, technology and innovation are such complex spaces already, so having networks like APEX Alberta allows people to receive help on navigating that system. Rowsell says it’s important having resources like this, to help innovators flush out their ideas, grow their businesses, and build partnerships.

“It’s important to take the burden off individual innovators, so they can focus on what they’re doing and lean on those around them more to strengthen what they're doing. There are innovators who are playing on a national and global stage in Southeast Alberta, which really is a big deal,” she says.

The innovators are responding to a local need and saw the opportunity to expand that beyond the boundaries of the city or community they live in. Rowsell says innovators have the courage to work to grow bigger and impact the region, province, and beyond. And the pace at which innovators work is what fascinates Rowsell. 

“Everything is so fast-paced now and watching companies keep up and evolve with it is interesting. I do appreciate that others are able to be agile, and I hope that I can learn from that and bring it into my own work environment,” she says. 

Rowsell is a microbiologist by training and now manages a team of scientists who conduct research for the Department of National Defence at DRDC. Being on the APEX Alberta governance committee gives Rowsell better situational awareness of innovation in the region.

“There is so much going on that people are not aware of. We really see just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to science and technology. If you get connected to the right people, a whole new world opens up,” says Rowsell.