Allyson Brady

Allyson Brady is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at Carleton University. Her research focuses on understanding complex microbial ecosystems. Dr. Brady has participated in several NASA and Canadian Space Agency analogue missions focused on not only detecting signs of life but studying how best to combine science and operations (life support, communications) including training astronauts to be field scientists. Her work in microbial ecology has taken her to field sites in the Antarctic, hotsprings in Western Canada, volcanoes in Hawaii, and piloting single-person submersibles underwater in B.C. She hopes that by studying these environments we can learn more about microbes survive and thrive in these locations, and use that information to develop biotechnology tools to solve environmental problems and guide human scientists and explorers on Mars or other planets.