Shad Lethbridge

Program Directors

Catharine Reader

Manager, Communications, University of Lethbridge
 Director, Marketing & Communications, Office of the Dean, Faculty of Arts & Science

Catharine (she/her) is brand new to Shad, but she is incredibly excited to have joined the Shad family. In the summer of 2023, she travelled from coast to coast to embrace learning about all things Shad. After three weeks at UBC, she headed off to MUN for the final two weeks of their program. She is incredibly grateful for the experience, the exceptional Shads she met along the way, and the opportunity to learn from incredibly insightful program directors with established programs as she prepares to bring Shad to ULethbridge in July 2024 with co-program director, Dr. Trushar Patel.

Catharine stumbled into a career in marketing and communications during a chance encounter in England, and the rest is history. This chance encounter sparked a passion that led to a fantastic career in the industry that spans over 26 years. She is excited to bring her entrepreneurial spirit, marketing knowledge, and business savvy to Shad ULethbridge and hopes to inspire Shads as they tackle their house projects and associated business plans.

Catharine’s love for the University of Lethbridge and her ceaseless drive to showcase the brilliance of its students and faculty members have left an indelible mark. Her recognition through the President’s Award for Service Excellence (in 2020) is a testament to her tireless enthusiasm, innovative spirit, and exceptional contributions. She promises to bring this same enthusiasm to Shad ULethbridge and is committed to creating a transformative program that will ignite youth potential.

Watching live sporting events, particularly the Oilers, fuels her excitement while her affinity for kayaking down fast-paced rivers has recently turned into an addictive passion. She treasures the tranquility of nature, often camping in cell-service-free mountains. Family holds the utmost priority in her life, followed closely by a strong work ethic intertwined with frequent laughter.

Trushar R. Patel, PhD, DSc, FRSC (UK)

Canada Research Chair and Associate Dean, Faculty of Arts and Science, University of Lethbridge

Trushar (he/him) is working to understand the communication events between viral nucleic acids and human proteins. He was recruited to the University of Lethbridge, Canada in 2016 and subsequently was awarded Canada Research Chair in 2017. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 2020. Before joining the University of Lethbridge, he received a distinguished Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship to work at the University of Birmingham (United Kingdom) and Canadian Institutes of Health Research post-doctoral fellowship to work at the University of Manitoba (Canada). Trushar completed his PhD in Biophysics studying carbohydrates from the University of Nottingham and BSc and MSc degrees in Biotechnology from India. He has published 87 peer-reviewed articles, and 35 Editorials and delivered >50 media interviews. Trushar serves as an editor of the European Biophysics Journal and has been very active with scientific and science-policy-related conference organizing activities. Recently, he was recognized with the New Investigator Award from the Canadian Society for Molecular Biosciences, Young Investigator or the Biophysical Society of Canada, the University of Lethbridge Volunteer of the Year awards as well as the Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal. Although he did not attend the Shad program, he heard a lot of positive and inspiring stories about Shad from Shad Alumni. Therefore, when he had an opportunity to work with Shad at the University of Lethbridge, along with Catharine Reader, he was very excited to join the Shad Canada team. As an Associate Dean, Trushar also oversees a number of outreach activities on campus. Outside of work, he enjoys watching cricket, movies and traveling.