Julie Burtt

Radiation and Health Specialist with the Health Sciences and Environmental Compliance Division

Julie Burtt has been working with the CNSC since 2007.

Expertise and education

Julie earned an undergraduate degree in biochemistry, with a concentration on cellular and molecular medicine, from the University of Ottawa. She also holds a master’s degree in chemical sciences.

Recently, Julie began pursuing a doctorate degree in human studies and interdisciplinarity at Laurentian University. Julie’s thesis goes beyond traditional radiation biology and focuses on investigating how people perceive the risk of radiation exposure.

Her love of learning has contributed to all the successes she has experienced over her career.

Julie’s main area of expertise is focused on the human health impacts of low-dose radiation exposures.

Roles and responsibilities

Julie’s role as a health specialist is highly diverse. It ranges from putting together information for the CNSC website, to meeting people in their communities and speaking to technical researchers around the globe about CNSC projects and research.

Every day is different, but all this work comes back to making sure that the health of Canadians and Indigenous Peoples is protected.

Other roles

Julie’s expertise has provided great opportunities to represent the CNSC and Canada on international committees such as the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, the International Commission on Radiological Protection, the Nuclear Energy Agency’s Expert Group on Non-radiological Public Health Aspects of Radiation Emergency Planning and Response, as well as other important working groups.

By participating in these groups, Julie’s work ensures that the CNSC remains up to date on the latest radiation research internationally, and that she can share with our international partners the excellent research and regulatory improvements the CNSC is undertaking.