Ron Thomson
Ron is a relative newcomer to the Canadian child health landscape. Since his son Samuel was born with severe Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) in 2019, he and his wife have been navigating a health care system that has a limited understanding of neonatal brain injury. Ron desires to serve the sector as an advocate for scientific advances in the understanding and treatment of all pediatric conditions, but especially those that are underrepresented in the literature. He believes that all sick children should receive equal support in reaching their maximum potential, regardless of their diagnosis. Ron is also a speech scientist and professor of applied linguistics at Brock university, where he conducts research investigating the development of second language speech perception and production. Ron's formative childhood years were spent, first, with the Siksiká First Nation (Alberta), and later, living in Pakistan. These diverse experiences, which included exposure to the suffering of marginalized populations, significantly influence his worldview.
Research Discipline: Social Sciences Research