Dr. Alan Mortimer

Dr. Alan Mortimer graduated from Carleton University (MSc in Medical Physics) and Guy’s Hospital Medical School, London, England (PhD in Medicine). He joined the research staff of the National Research Council of Canada in 1975, specializing in medical ultrasound. In 1986 he moved to the Canadian Space Agency, and became Chief Scientist, Life and Microgravity Sciences in 1989, responsible for all life sciences and physical sciences research. Dr. Mortimer accepted the position of Director of the Centre for Biologics Research, Health Canada (later the Centre for Vaccines Evaluation) in 2002. Here he was responsible for all research in biologic therapies as well as the approval and testing of all vaccines provided to Canadians. He currently is a consultant providing strategic advice to several government departments.

Read what participants have said they enjoyed most about Dr. Mortimer’s Winter 2020 and Early Spring 2017 lecture series, “Plagues to Pandemics”:

• Dr. Mortimer passion for the topic was infectious. I knew very little on the topic and have since taken a keen interest in reading and watching all material that come my way on the topic of plagues and pandemics. Thanks to Dr. Mortimer.
• The considerable knowledge of this lecturer and his ability to answer any question. I was also interested in the personal stories he shared.
• The subject matter could not be more timely. Dr. Mortimer brought a wealth of information and interesting perspective to the subject matter. He told some great stories which rounded out the ideas he was presenting.
• The depth and breadth of Dr Mortimer’s real life experience re the topic
• This is an area of personal interest and I learned a good deal from the lectures. This is complicated and complex material, but the lecturer made it understandable.
• Comprehensive coverage, from historical to topical and lots between!
• The organization of the information and the presentation of it by the lecturer. Both seemed to be designed to teach rather than just disseminate. AND, the lecturer’s dry but delightful sense of humour!
• Dr. Mortimer is very knowledgeable, and his material was well organized. Despite his apologies for diverting from the outline, I particularly enjoyed his “rabbit holes” of supplementary information.
• Talk about the right topic at the right time. And it was wonderful to have such an experienced expert leading the class.
• Clarity on a difficult subject. Well done
• The knowledge of the lecturer was excellent. He was able to provide the right information to increase our knowledge of infectious diseases without being too technical. There was just the right balance between the science behind these diseases and their historical contexts.
• The lecturer definitely knew his material, presented it in a logical way, and was great at answering questions.
• The lecturer had put a lot of effort in the slides. He was extremely knowledgeable in the subject area and able to answer any question.
• Very good lecturer. This is a second series I am taking with him. I will definitely take more if offered.
• It was an opportunity to learn about a very interesting subject from an extremely well qualified and interesting lecturer.
• The lecture content was interesting and well organized. Dr. Mortimer is an engaging speaker.
• Lecturer is very knowledgeable and his anecdotes enliven lectures. I liked his low key delivery, and his almost self-deprecating manner. He went beyond expectations by providing additional information on slides for those with special interests. In addition, his method of answering questions greatly helped understanding. He rephrases questions to ensure his understanding, and puts these into context so other participants can relate to his responses.
• Dr. Mortimer’s lectures were very interesting and I loved his wit!
• Excellent overview of a complex subject. Very informative.
• Blend of the historical and scientific. Well illustrated. Very good online notes that let you listen carefully and ask questions.
• The lecturer was very good, quite knowledgeable, very thorough, and open to any question. I would happily take another lecture series from him.

Read what participants have said they enjoyed most about Dr. Mortimer’s lecture series, “Ideas of Modern Physics”:

• Dr. Mortimer is brilliant and I would go to hear any topic from him. Specifically I enjoyed getting an understanding of what is real science as opposed to some of the pop science we hear in the media. Some of the theories weren’t discovered when I went to school and it was nice to get an explanation from someone knowledgeable.
• Physics is a subject renowned for being difficult to learn, and difficult to teach effectively. Dr. Mortimer not only made it understandable, but entertaining and fascinating. He mentioned that Richard Feynman was considered a great lecturer–please tell him that he is one too.
• Lecturer was very well-prepared. Presented very well- structured. Also at the beginning of each class the lecturer re-capped/summarized the key points from the preceding week and explained how the material tied in. Also appreciated the detailed slides and the suggested reading list.
• The lecturer knew his material and had put a lot of work into preparation. The subject matter is fascinating and some of it just bizarre. I appreciated that Dr. Mortimer frequently told us that there is no way to really make sense of some aspects of theoretical physics.
• The lecturer conveyed complex concepts in a way that was understandable and interesting.