Dr. Carmela Jackson Lepage is a senior Defence Scientist at DRDC Suffield Research Centre with over 20 years of experience in chemical defence science and technology. She earned her Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Regina in 2002, following early defence-focused research involving Reactive Skin Decontamination Lotion. Since joining DRDC in 2002, she has led major research efforts in chemical warfare agent (CWA) sampling and analysis. She served as Head of the Detection, Analysis and Identification Group beginning in 2010 and became Head of the Chemical Threat Defence Section in 2024.

Dr. Jackson Lepage’s work spans advanced analytical methodologies for CWAs, and detection capability development for the Canadian Armed Forces. She has provided extensive training for civilian, military, and first-responder communities and supported national security operations with deployable analytical laboratory expertise. She currently leads scientific personnel delivering Canada’s chemical defence S&T programme across detection, protection, decontamination, and hazard assessment