As ICES Western continues to grow and evolve, we are pleased to highlight strengthened operational support from London Health Sciences Centre Research Institute (LHSCRI), ICES Western’s host institution. This enhanced support reflects a deeper integration of the ICES Western mission within LHSCRI’s strategic priorities, reinforcing a shared commitment to high‑quality, data‑driven population health science, training, and innovation. This alignment will further support scientists and trainees across the London research community, including through our partnership with Western University and Lawson Research Institute of St. Joseph’s Health Care London, and enhance the impact of ICES Western’s work.
This period of strengthened partnership also marks an important moment of leadership transition for ICES Western. ICES is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Michael Haan as Site Director of ICES Western, effective April 1, 2026.
Michael is a Professor in the Department of Sociology at Western University and has served as the Academic Director of the Western Research Data Centre since 2016. He is formerly a Canada Research Chair in Population and Social Policy at the University of New Brunswick and a Canada Research Chair in Migration and Ethnic Relations at Western. His research focuses on population dynamics, housing, migration, and social inequality, with a strong emphasis on the use of administrative data to inform public policy.
An experienced research leader, Michael has led numerous large‑scale, data‑driven initiatives and has worked extensively with municipal, provincial, and federal partners to support evidence‑based decision‑making. He is also a founding co‑director of the New Brunswick Institute for Research, Data, and Training (now DataNB).
Michael succeeds Dr. Kristin Clemens, who has served as Site Director of ICES Western since 2023. Under Kristin’s leadership, ICES Western has strengthened its role as a vital platform for health research, training, and evidence‑informed decision‑making across the London research community. Her tenure saw expanded support for investigator‑initiated research, enhanced mentorship and training opportunities, and increased knowledge sharing through initiatives such as the Research Bites seminar series and a refreshed ICES Faculty Scholars Program. Kristin also led meaningful operational and strategic advancements to streamline research processes, improve the researcher experience, and foster new collaborations.
Kristin will remain actively engaged with ICES Western as Clinical Lead, continuing to support clinical faculty and trainees and to mentor Michael in his new role.
Please join us in congratulating Michael on his appointment and in thanking Kristin for her outstanding leadership and ongoing contributions to ICES Western.
— Astrid Guttmann
Interim CEO