Jean-François Picard is a member of the Huron-Wendat Nation and lives in Wendake. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Geological Engineering and a Master's degree in Earth Sciences from Université Laval. Jean-François has worked for the ministère des Transports du Québec and for Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. Since 1999, he has served as an Industrial Technology Advisor for the National Research Council of Canada's Industrial Research Assistance Program. He is a founding member of QASEA and has been involved in its various activities since 1998. In 2013, he received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his involvement in promoting science and engineering among First Nations' youth.