Head of Radiological Impact Section
Radiation Protection Bureau
Health Canada
Ottawa, Ontario

Dr. Jing Chen is the Head of the Radiological Impact Section at Health Canada in Ottawa, ON. Her role in InFORM research is to help with the assessment of radiation risk due to radionuclides in foods. Specifically, she has been determining the concentrations of naturally occurring polonium-210 in all of the salmon samples that have been collected as part of the project. Dr. Chen hopes that her work with the InFORM project will help the public develop some perspective for the amount of radiation that was added to the environment from the Fukushima accident and the amount of naturally occurring radiation that each of us is exposed to daily.

Jing completed her university degree in physics, but wished to find an application of physics within health to serve the public. Her work in radiation dosimetry, radiation protection, and associated risk assessment began in Germany just a few months after Chernobyl in 1986. Dr. Chen’s career has shown her that the best way to help the public is through equally important sound research that addresses practical concerns and effective communication of the research outcomes. When in the office or lab, Jing enjoys photographing natures beauty at local conservation areas and is often found fishing the Ottawa River with her husband during plesant summer weekends.