Louis Poirier obtained his MSc from the University of Calgary in 2006 studying atomic and molecular optics and his PhD in 2011 on ice friction in the sport of bobsleigh. Since completing his PhD Louis has been a researcher with the National Research Council. In 2016 Louis helped the World Curling Federation standardize curling brooms for elite competition. Louis mostly studies ice interaction with structures such as ports and bridges at both full scale in the field and reduced scale in the NRC’s Ice Tank in Ottawa.