Sylvain Poirier holds a PhD in Parasitology from McGill University (1995) and a Bachelor's Degree in Zoology-Botany from the Université de Sherbrooke (1981). Since 1996, he has held senior management positions related to the development of capabilities in research and industrial services within private and public institutions of NB. He joined the Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick (CCNB) in 2005 as head of institutional development (applied research, continuing education, e-learning, international development). He focuses since March 2013 on the development of the entrepreneurship and innovation sector at the CCNB. This involves managing the research office and overseeing social innovation projects as well as strategic projects and initiatives in advanced manufacturing, advanced materials, advanced welding technologies, agriculture, biotechnologies, experimental aquaculture, soil and water conservation, and sustainable development. The CCNB has been ranked among Canada's 50 most active colleges in applied research over the last five years (20th in 2015 and 25th in 2016). Its team of 25-30 employees, dedicated to meeting the needs of SMEs, has generated new revenues and investments of more than $15M during this short period. He has served and still serves on various working groups, advisory committees and councils, both national and provincial.