Univation
National Arts Centre, O’Born Room
Ottawa
Universities innovating to prepare students for a disrupted world
How can universities, civil society and private-sector partners work together to advance a shared agenda, unleash greater innovation and experimentation, and help Canada meet its future skills, innovation and workforce needs?
This national forum brought together university, public service, business and civil society leaders – as well as students and young entrepreneurs – to explore the challenges and opportunities around preparing Canada’s young people for the future.
View web program
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Archived webcasts on our Facebook page
February 6, 2018
February 5, 2018
Keynote Speakers
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Sethuraman “Panch” Panchanathan
Executive v-p, ASU Knowledge Enterprise Development, Arizona State University
Sethuraman “Panch” Panchanathan
Executive vice-president, ASU Knowledge Enterprise Development, Arizona State University
Dr. Sethuraman “Panch” Panchanathan leads the knowledge enterprise development at Arizona State University (ASU), which advances research, innovation, strategic partnerships, entrepreneurship, global and economic development.
Dr. Panchanathan was founding director of the School of Computing and Informatics and was instrumental in founding ASU’s Biomedical Informatics Department. He chaired the computer science and engineering department and founded ASU’s Center for Cognitive Ubiquitous Computing.
In 2014, Dr. Panchanathan was appointed by President Barack Obama to the U.S. National Science Board and chair of the Committee on Strategy. He was also appointed by former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker to the National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
Dr. Panchanathan is a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Canadian Academy of Engineering. He is also a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the Society of Optical Engineering. Additionally, he chairs the Council on Research within the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities.
Dr. Panchanathan’s research interests include human-centered multimedia computing, haptic user interfaces, person-centered tools and ubiquitous computing technologies for enhancing the quality of life for individuals with disabilities, machine learning for multimedia applications, medical image processing and media processor designs.
LinkedIn: Sethuraman Panchanathan
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Sean Mullin
Executive director, Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship
Sean Mullin
Executive director, Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship
Sean is an economist, public policy expert, leader and thinker. In 2015, he joined the Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship (BII+E) as its founding executive director, where he provides strategic direction and leads overall day-to-day activities. For more than a decade, Sean has championed and shaped important public policy decisions with a particular focus on economic issues. Through this experience, he has become increasingly convinced of the importance of fostering innovation and entrepreneurship as conduit for economic growth and prosperity.
Previously, Sean served for more than six years in senior advisory roles to the Premier of Ontario and Ontario’s Minister of Finance, where he coordinated the development of the annual budget for the Province of Ontario. He also worked as a consultant, providing expertise and advice on business strategy and management to clients in the technology, non-profit and public sectors.
Sean also contributes to the public policy discourse in Canada; he has frequently been published as an author and contributed to reports or invited to speak on topics ranging from tax policy, infrastructure, clean technology, economic development and innovation and entrepreneurship. Sean has a degree in economics and computer science from the University of Toronto, an MA in economics from McGill, and an MBA from the University of Oxford.
Other speakers
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John Baker
President and CEO, D2L
John Baker
President and CEO, D2L
Mr. Baker founded D2L (formerly Desire2Learn) in 1999 at the age of 22 while attending the University of Waterloo. He saw that online digital tools could open the door to entirely new and more effective models of education and create learning experiences that are personal, engaging, and inspiring. His vision for D2L is to transform the way the world learns, improving outcomes for learners everywhere.
In 2017, Mr. Baker was awarded a Meritorious Service Cross (Civil Division), one of Canada’s highest civilian decorations, for the work he has done to advance learning in Canada and around the world. In 2013, he was named as an EY Entrepreneur of the Year within Ontario, received the Young Alumni Achievement Medal from the University of Waterloo in 2010, and was inducted into the Waterloo Region Hall of Fame as an Intrepid Entrepreneur in 2009.
Mr. Baker devotes both his personal and business efforts to supporting young entrepreneurs who are developing and applying technology to improve society worldwide.
He was appointed to the governing council of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, is chair of the board of Communitech, and is a board member of Canada’s National Ballet School and other organizations.
Mr. Baker graduated from the University of Waterloo with an honours BASc in systems design engineering with first class honours and an option in management sciences.
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Ruby Barclay
Fourth-year child and youth care student, Vancouver Island University
Ruby Barclay
Fourth-year child and youth care student, Vancouver Island University
Ruby Barclay is a fourth-year child and youth care student at Vancouver Island University (VIU). As a student, she created, and is now employed as the peer support navigator for, VIU’s Post-Care Tuition Waiver Program, supporting students with experience living in care.
Passionate about social justice, she finds herself taking many roles within her community, supporting individuals in navigating post-care and post-secondary education. Combining her lived experience and academic studies, Ruby is passionate about advocating for student accessibility in multiple contexts.
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Mark Beckles
Senior director, youth strategy & innovation, RBC
Mark Beckles
Senior director, youth strategy & innovation, RBC
With over 25 years’ experience in financial services, Mark Beckles has held executive leadership roles in banking, insurance, risk management and the non-profit sector.
Currently, Mr. Beckles is the senior director, youth strategy and innovation, and has national responsibility for executing RBC Future Launch, a $500MM investment to ensure that young Canadians are ready for the future of work.
Prior to assuming this role, Mr. Beckles was responsible for leading over 500 licensed insurance advisors who provide insurance advice and solutions to RBC Insurance clients across Canada. He has served as regional vice president, Retail Banking in the Greater Toronto Region.
At RBC, Mr. Beckles serves as the executive champion for cultural markets and helped to create the national RBC Black History Month Essay Competition.
He is actively engaged in the community and has volunteered on many boards. He currently serves on the board of Harbourfront Centre, and is an Advisory Board member of the Canadian Multicultural LEAD Organization.
Mr. Beckles holds an MBA in international business from the University of Bradford and has completed executive programs with Richard Ivey School of Business and Rotman Business School.
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Margaret Biggs
Matthews Fellow in Global Public Policy, Queen’s University
Margaret Biggs
Matthews Fellow in Global Public Policy, Queen’s University
Margaret Biggs is currently Matthews Fellow in Global Public Policy, Queen’s University, and chairperson of the board of governors for the International Development Research Centre. Ms. Biggs served as the president of the Canadian International Development Agency from 2008-2013 and was responsible for overseeing Canada’s international development and humanitarian assistance efforts worldwide.
Previously, Ms. Biggs served as deputy secretary to the federal cabinet, and assistant secretary, priorities and planning, in the Privy Council Office and as assistant deputy minister responsible for skills, learning and social development programs in the federal government.
Ms. Biggs is the current chair of the board of World University Services Canada. She recently co-chaired with Roland Paris the Study Group on Global Education and co-led the Study Group’s report – Equipping the Next Generation of Canadians to Succeed in a Complex World. Ms. Biggs is a graduate of the University of British Columbia and the Norman Patterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University.
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Paulina Cameron
Director (British Columbia and Yukon), Futurpreneur Canada
Paulina Cameron
Director (British Columbia and Yukon), Futurpreneur Canada
Paulina Cameron is an award-winning impact leader and entrepreneur.
She is the director for BC & Yukon for Futurpreneur Canada, where she leads in supporting hundreds of young entrepreneurs to successfully launch their businesses.
In 2017, she served on the Expert Panel on Youth Employment for the Government of Canada, producing a report for the Prime Minister on strategies to modernize youth employment in Canada.
She is a visiting professor in entrepreneurship and innovation at Simon Fraser University and is the author of the best-selling Canada 150 Women.
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Elizabeth Cannon
President and vice-chancellor, University of Calgary
Elizabeth Cannon
President and vice-chancellor, University of Calgary
Dr. Cannon serves as past chair of the board of Universities Canada.
Elizabeth Cannon was appointed the eighth president and vice-chancellor of the University of Calgary on July 1, 2010. Prior to assuming the position of president, Dr. Cannon was dean of the Schulich School of Engineering at the University of Calgary.
An expert in geomatics engineering, Dr. Cannon has led research at the frontier of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) since 1984 in both industrial and academic environments, and she has commercialized technology to over 200 agencies worldwide.
Dr. Cannon is a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, the Canadian Academy of Engineering, and the U.S. Institute of Navigation, as well as an elected foreign associate of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering.
She has served on numerous public- and private-sector boards and with national advisory groups and community committees. Currently, Dr. Cannon serves on the board of governors of the Sidra Medical and Research Center in Doha, Qatar, as well as co-chair of the Business/Higher Education Roundtable. Previously, Dr. Cannon was a board member of the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), board member of the Royal Society of Canada, and chair of the Canadian Research Knowledge Network (CRKN). Dr. Cannon has been a member of several national committees and task forces; most recently, she served as an Innovation Leader in the development of the federal Innovation Agenda.
She is the recipient of many honours and awards. Throughout her career, Dr. Cannon has blazed a trail for women in non-traditional areas and worked to ensure that women receive opportunities to excel, particularly in science and engineering.
Dr. Cannon holds a BSc in mathematics from Acadia University, and a BSc, MSc and PhD in geomatics engineering from the University of Calgary. She holds honorary degrees from Acadia University, the University of Ottawa and Université de Montréal.
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Julia Christensen Hughes
Dean, College of Business and Economics, University of Guelph
Julia Christensen Hughes
Dean, College of Busines and Economics, University of Guelph
Dr. Julia Christensen Hughes is dean of the College of Business and Economics at the University of Guelph. With a career defined by advocacy, she has addressed the United Nations General Assembly on the need for business schools to contribute to advancing the UN’s sustainable development goals, including quality education. Previously, Dr. Hughes served as president of the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, serving as director of Teaching Support Services at the University of Guelph.
Her scholarly work includes the edited book, Taking Stock: Research on Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (2010), McGill-Queen’s University Press. Dr. Hughes has also written on ethics and integrity in the academy, with papers published in the Canadian Journal of Higher Education. She has received many awards and recognitions, including the gold “educator” award from the Ontario Hostelry Institute; the Sheffield Award from the Canadian Society for the Study of Higher Education, for excellence in research; the University of Guelph’s John Bell Award, for distinguished educational leadership; and the “Woman of Distinction Award” from the Guelph YMCA, for outstanding contributions to education and training.
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David Coleman
Professor, University of New Brunswick
David Coleman
Professor, University of New Brunswick
Dr. David Coleman is a professor of technology management and entrepreneurship (TME) as well as geomatics engineering at the University of New Brunswick. The former dean of UNB’s Faculty of Engineering (2002-2014) and chair of its Department of Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering (1997-2002), Dr. Coleman has led and supported major curriculum developments in undergraduate engineering and overseen a major expansion to UNB’s own TME undergraduate diploma and postgraduate masters programs over the past 15 years.
Prior to obtaining his PhD, he spent 15 years in the Canadian geomatics industry as a project surveyor and engineer, then an executive with one of Canada’s largest aerial mapping firms, and later as a partner in a land information management consulting firm. He is currently a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, Engineers Canada, and the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. In the past, he has served as president of the Canadian Institute of Geomatics, a member of the Mapping Sciences Committee of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, and a member of advisory boards to public and private organizations in Canada and Australia.
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Jesse Darling
Program manager, Policy Innovation Platform, Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship
Jesse Darling
Program manager, Policy Innovation Platform, Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship
As program manager of the Policy Innovation Platform at the Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship, Ms. Darling leads a portfolio of projects designed to assist policy professionals in generating solutions to challenges in today’s society. In this role, she works with partners to co-design new projects and initiatives drawing on multi-disciplinary tools and approaches. She believes that public policies, services and programs should be co-created with citizens and stakeholders and finds opportunities to create better relationships between these communities and policymakers.
This role builds off her previous experience at Evergreen CityWorks, the Martin Prosperity Institute, and the Harvard Graduate School of Design. Ms. Darling is the 2018-2019 co-chair of CivicAction’s Emerging Leaders Network and sits on the board of Jane’s Walk. In 2017, she was selected as a Canadian delegate at the Next Leaders’ Initiative for Sustainability.
Ms. Darling has a business degree from the University of Western Ontario and her master’s degree in urban planning from the Bartlett School of Architecture and Planning at University College London.
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Paul Davidson
President, Universities Canada
Paul Davidson
President, Universities Canada
Paul Davidson has played leadership roles in government, the private sector and the voluntary sector for more than 25 years. He joined Universities Canada in May 2009 as president and CEO.
As president of Universities Canada, Mr. Davidson is building strong partnerships with business, postsecondary education and community leaders to advance a vision of higher education that promotes opportunity and excellence for Canadians. The university sector has also seen substantial and exceptional investments in university research funding, increased resources for campus internationalization and a heightened awareness of the need to improve Aboriginal Canadians’ access to postsecondary education. Mr. Davidson has been named both a top lobbyist in Ottawa and a top foreign policy influencer.
Prior to joining Universities Canada, Mr. Davidson was executive director of World University Service of Canada. He also held senior positions in the Canadian book publishing sector, including five years as executive director of the Association of Canadian Publishers. In the early 1990s, Mr. Davidson led the Toronto office of a prominent government relations firm after having served as a political advisor to Ontario’s Leader of the Opposition, Treasurer and Deputy Premier.
He holds an MA from Queen’s University, where he studied southern African history and a BA from Trent University, where he was part of the first graduating class of the Trent International Program.
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Patrick Deane
President, McMaster University
Patrick Deane
President, McMaster University
Patrick Deane is the seventh president and vice-chancellor of McMaster University, a position he has held since 2010. As president, Dr. Deane is focused on promoting and supporting research, strengthening the connections between the university and the local and global communities that it serves and ensuring a distinctive, personalized and engaging experience for McMaster’s students.
Dr. Deane is also a professor in the Department of English and Cultural Studies, with his principal research interest being British writing of the period 1914-1945.
He has written two books, as well many articles and other publications, and was honoured with the first John Charles Polanyi Prize for Literature in 1988.
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Jennifer Ditchburn
Editor-in-chief, Policy Options
Jennifer Ditchburn
Editor-in-chief, Policy Options
Jennifer Ditchburn is the editor-in-chief of Policy Options, the online policy forum of the Institute for Research on Public Policy. An award-winning parliamentary correspondent, Jennifer began her journalism career at the Canadian Press in Montreal as a reporter-editor during the lead-up to the 1995 referendum. From 2001 and 2006 she was a national reporter with CBC TV on Parliament Hill, and in 2006 she returned to the Canadian Press. She is a three-time winner of a National Newspaper Award: twice in the politics category, and once in the breaking news category. In 2015 she was awarded the prestigious Charles Lynch Award for outstanding coverage of national issues.
Jennifer has been a frequent contributor to television and radio public affairs programs, including CBC’s Power and Politics, the “At Issue” panel, and The Current. She holds a bachelor of arts from Concordia University, and a master of journalism from Carleton University.
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Jennifer Flanagan
President and CEO, Actua
Jennifer Flanagan
President and CEO, Actua
Jennifer Flanagan is the co-founder and president and CEO of Actua, a national charitable organization that engages Canadian youth in transformational experiences in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and contributes significantly to future innovation in Canada.
Ms. Flanagan leads a national network of university-based organizations across Canada that deliver interactive STEM programs annually engaging 225,000 youth in 500 communities. Over the past decade, she has led the development of STEM education outreach programs designed to engage underserved youth populations including Indigenous youth, girls and young women, youth living in rural and remote communities and other at-risk youth.
To accomplish this work, Ms. Flanagan partners with leading corporate sector companies, governments and other non-profits. She has served on the boards of local, national and international groups that are committed to furthering educational opportunities for youth and for women. In 2007, Ms. Flanagan was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women. In 2011, she was the recipient of a Y Women of Distinction Award (Education and Training) and was named one of Ottawa’s Top Forty Under 40.
She holds a bachelor of science from the University of New Brunswick and a master of management from McGill University.
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Scott Haldane
President and CEO, Rideau Hall Foundation
Scott Haldane
President and CEO, Rideau Hall Foundation
Scott Haldane is president and CEO of the Rideau Hall Foundation. The foundation was created by His Excellency David Johnston, Governor General of Canada to enhance and amplify the impact of the Governor General and the Office of the Governor General and to bring ideas, people and resources together towards the vision of a smart and caring nation. Mr. Haldane became the first CEO of the foundation on January 1, 2016.
Prior to joining the Rideau Hall Foundation, Mr. Haldane spent 39 years in a variety of senior leadership positions with the Canadian YMCA, including five years as president and CEO of YMCA Canada..
Mr. Haldane has been engaged in a wide range of task forces, committees and boards within the charitable and non-profit sector as well as initiatives with the public and private sectors. Notably, he chaired the National Panel on First Nation Education for Elementary and Secondary Students Living on Reserve in 2011 – 2012. Mr. Haldane is a founding adult ally of the 4Rs Youth Movement that brings Indigenous and non-Indigenous young people together.
Mr. Haldane holds a bachelor of arts degree from McGill University (sociology), a master of management degree from McGill University, an advanced management program graduate from Harvard Business School. He is a certified corporate director with McMaster University’s Director’s College.
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Pari Johnston
Vice-president, policy and public affairs, Universities Canada
Pari Johnston
Vice-president, policy and public affairs, Universities Canada
Pari Johnston is vice-president, policy and public affairs at Universities Canada, leading all federal policy and advocacy initiatives of the association. She is responsible for strategic oversight of Universities Canada’s government relations, communications, policy and research and international relations to promote the role of higher education, research and innovation in Canada’s future, at home and abroad.
Ms. Johnston joined Universities Canada in 1997, and has played increasingly senior roles, including director of international relations, before building a new member relations program and leading the public affairs team.
She is a member of the board of directors of The Conversation Canada, a global platform for academic journalism recently launched in Canada.
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Alyssia Jovellanos
Third-year computer science student, McMaster University
Alyssia Jovellanos
Third-year computer science student, McMaster University
Alyssia Jovellanos is a third-year computer science student and Wilson Leader at McMaster University using technology – including exploring artificial intelligence, digital divide and cybersecurity – to help solve complex problems in areas such as education, healthcare and accessibility. She has spoken about her award-winning projects, and about diversity within engineering, to audiences as large as 15,000 people.
As a Silicon Valley alum – most recently with Intuit and soon with Google – Jovellanos runs free sessions for fellow students on cracking tech interviews and works to introduce youth from low-income neighbourhoods to coding. She also co-founded DeltaHacks, one of Canada’s largest student-run hackathons.
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Kevin Kee
Dean, Faculty of Arts, University of Ottawa
Kevin Kee
Dean, Faculty of Arts, University of Ottawa
Dr, Kevin Kee became dean of the Faculty of Arts of the University of Ottawa on August 1, 2015. He was previously an associate vice-president for research at Brock University, where he also held a Canada Research Chair in Digital Humanities, and won a prize for excellence in teaching. His research interests cover the use of computing to analyse and express history and culture in innovative ways.
Before assuming these positions, Dr. Kee was an assistant professor at McGill University, and director of undergraduate studies for McGill’s Department of Integrated Studies in Education. In addition to his university career, Dr. Kee has worked with the National Film Board of Canada as a director, and has been the president of a software development company.
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Mary Kilfoil
Director, Norman Newman Centre for Entrepreneurship, Dalhousie University
Mary Kilfoil
Director, Norman Newman Centre for Entrepreneurship, Dalhousie University
Dr. Mary Kilfoil is director of the Norman Newman Centre for Entrepreneurship (NNCE) at Dalhousie University. With more than 20 years of experience as an entrepreneur and consultants for start-ups and government, she has authored reports and publications on innovation, entrepreneurship and economic policy.
Dr. Kilfoil led the team that brought the Starting Lean Course to Dalhousie University in the Fall of 2012, providing students with new experiential learning opportunities in entrepreneurship— combining Lean Launchpad methods, a flipped classroom and accomplished mentors. She has also launched a campus-wide Innovation course based on Design Thinking principles.
Outside of the classroom, Dr. Kilfoil helps students create companies—and jobs driving Nova Scotia’s economy forward—as lead for Launch Dal, a compliment of extra-curricular experiential entrepreneurship programs. Launch Dal initiatives include Canada’s Business Model Competition, Dalhousie’s $100K Competition, the Collide year-round accelerator and an on-campus student startup accelerator (LaunchPad) for early stage ventures.
Dr. Kilfoil was listed in Academia’s Top 10 courses in Canada 2013 and received Start-up Canada’s National Entrepreneurship Educator Award in 2014.
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Philip Landon
Vice-president, governance and programs, Universities Canada
Philip Landon
Vice-president, governance and programs, Universities Canada
Philip Landon is vice-president, governance and programs at Universities Canada. He is responsible for the association’s corporate and governance framework, member service initiatives and serves as secretary to the Board of Directors. He also leads the publications (including University Affairs), and programs teams which include Scholarship Partners Canada and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarships program.
Philip has over 25 years’ experience in the higher education, international development, and governance sectors. His work has focussed on shaping organizations and partnerships to effectively deliver programs that create and share knowledge to improve lives.
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Olivier Lépine
Third-year psychology student, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)
Olivier Lépine
Third-year psychology student, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)
Olivier Lépine is a third-year psychology student at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM). His undergraduate thesis focuses on interactions between humans and animals, and on individual welfare and its resulting harms.
He volunteers with on-campus student support groups and within the community at help centres for people in psychological distress, research organizations on homophobia in school settings, and retirement homes. He hopes to pursue a doctorate in psychology research and intervention.
Olivier Lépine is an RBC Scholar.
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Sheldon Levy
CEO, NEXT Canada
Sheldon Levy
CEO, NEXT Canada
Sheldon Levy is CEO of NEXT Canada, which helps promising young Canadian innovators start and scale their own ventures. A long-time champion of innovation and builder of start-up ecosystems, Mr. Levy also serves on the advisory board of the Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship and on the Leadership Council of Scale Up Ventures, Inc.
He served from 2015 to 2017 as deputy minister of the Ontario Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development, where he helped drive innovation and entrepreneurship throughout Ontario’s postsecondary education and training system.
From 2005 to 2015, as president and vice-chancellor of Ryerson University, Mr. Levy initiated Ryerson’s many initiatives to foster student innovation. Under his direction, Ryerson created the Digital Media Zone (DMZ), an early-stage incubator for student entrepreneurs which has since become an international success. Mr. Levy is also a founder and advisor to Ryerson Futures Inc., an accelerator that has exported the DMZ concept to such locations as Calgary and Mumbai.
His prior positions have included president, Sheridan College; vice-president, finance and strategy, University of Ontario Institute of Technology; vice-president governmental and institutional relations, University of Toronto; and vice-president institutional affairs, York University.
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Sarah Lubik
Director of entrepreneurship, Simon Fraser University
Sarah Lubik
Director of entrepreneurship, Simon Fraser University
Dr. Sarah Lubik is Simon Fraser University (SFU)’s first director of entrepreneurship, promoting the power of, and need for, interdisciplinary teams and commercialization of research to solve wicked problems. She is co-champion of the Technology Entrepreneurship@SFU program, a lecturer in entrepreneurship and innovation in Beedie School of Business and a researcher in university entrepreneurship, including incubation, spin-outs, commercialization, entrepreneurship education and innovation ecosystems. Her work as been featured in journals such as Long Range Planning, R&D Management and Innovation Management: Policy and Practice.
She has experience coordinating pan-European startup support programs focusing on key areas such as coaching, funding and clusters, is a certified expert business coach and is the co-founder and marketing director of a high-tech startup: Lungfish Dive Systems. Sarah has been named one of Business in Vancouver’s Top 40 under 40 and an innovation leader by the Government of Canada. This year, she has been noted in BC Business magazine’s Women of Influence issue and been named a finalist for the 2017 YWCA Women of Distinction in Education, Training & Development.
Sarah holds a BBA (honours) from SFU and a master and PhD from the University of Cambridge.
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Kevin Lynch
Vice-chairman, BMO Financial Group
Kevin Lynch
Vice-chairman, BMO Financial Group
The Honourable Kevin Lynch has been vice-chairman of BMO Financial Group since 2010. Prior to that, he was a distinguished former public servant with 33 years of service with the Government of Canada, serving as clerk of the Privy Council, secretary to the Cabinet, deputy minister of Finance, deputy minister of Industry as well as executive director for Canada at the International Monetary Fund.
Dr. Lynch is chancellor of the University of King’s College, a senior fellow of Massey College and the past chair of the Board of Governors of the University of Waterloo. He chairs the board of SNC Lavalin and is a director of CN Railway and China National Overseas Oil Company. As well, Dr. Lynch is a trustee of the Killam Trusts and a director of Communitech, the Rideau Hall Foundation and the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada.
Dr. Lynch earned his BA from Mount Allison University, a master’s in economics from the University of Manchester and a doctorate in economics from McMaster University. He was made a member of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada in 2009, was appointed an officer of the Order of Canada in 2011, has received 11 honorary doctorates from Canadian universities and was awarded the Queen’s Golden and Diamond Jubilee Medals for public service.
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Deborah MacLatchy
President and vice-chancellor, Wilfrid Laurier University
Deborah MacLatchy
President and vice-chancellor, Wilfrid Laurier University
Dr. Deborah MacLatchy was appointed president and vice-chancellor of Wilfrid Laurier University on July 1, 2017. Since joining Laurier in 2007 as dean of the Faculty of Science, Dr. MacLatchy has played a lead role in many of the university’s significant initiatives. Some highlights include: the development of a new strategic academic plan; the establishment of innovative undergraduate and graduate degrees; the advancement of the university’s research agenda; the launch of the Laurier Institute for Water Science; and the creation and expansion of the Office of Aboriginal Initiatives.
In addition to her role as a senior administrator, MacLatchy is an active researcher and graduate-student supervisor with a focus on ecotoxicology and comparative endocrinology. She began her academic career at the University of Winnipeg and University of New Brunswick (UNB) and served in a number of senior roles at UNB including dean of Science, Applied Science and Engineering and director of the International Office.
MacLatchy holds an honours BSc in biology from Acadia University, a PhD in zoology from the University of Manitoba and completed postdoctoral work at the University of Guelph.
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Brent Mainprize
Professor, Peter B. Gustavson School of Business, University of Victoria
Brent Mainprize
Professor, Peter B. Gustavson School of Business, University of Victoria
Dr. Brent Mainprize is an award-winning professor at the University of Victoria Peter B. Gustavson School of Business, where he teaches entrepreneurship—including programming on Indigenous entrepreneurship—and strategy.
As an entrepreneur, Dr. Mainprize raised venture capital, and commercialized technology and intellectual property, in the areas of telecommunications and analytical software. He has been recognized as a “Top 40 Under 40” visionary on Vancouver Island and was a judge on CBC’s Dragon’s Den regional screening of entrepreneurs.
Dr. Mainprize has been deeply engaged with many Indigenous communities in Northwest British Columbia for almost two decades. He is the faculty champion (business) of the National Consortium for Indigenous Economic Development at the University of Victoria and works extensively on economic prosperity initiatives, entrepreneurship training and sustainable employment planning with more than 45 Indigenous communities.
In 2010, Tribal Resource Investment Corporation invited Dr. Mainprize to co-create and direct the Aboriginal Canadian Entrepreneurs program. This award-winning program has supported the development of Indigenous-owned businesses, building the entrepreneurial capacity of Indigenous participants through culturally relevant university level programing in their communities. Dr. Mainprize has taught and coached over 5,000 students, entrepreneurs, executives and managers in Canada and around the world.
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Jon Medow
Research fellow, Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship
Jon Medow
Research fellow, Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship
Mr. Medow is a research fellow of the Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship (BII+E) and an independent policy and public affairs consultant. Jon brings a multi-dimensional perspective to his collaboration with BII+E based on 10 years of experience in the think tank and non-profit sectors, government, and public policy consulting.
Mr. Medow has held civil service and political roles with the Ontario Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development, most recently as lead manager for development of a policy recognizing and supporting Ontario’s Indigenous-owned and controlled postsecondary education institutions.
Prior to joining government, Mr. Medow held policy, research, and government relations roles with Higher Education Strategy Associates, the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association, and the Mowat Centre, where he served as project lead for the Employment Insurance Task Force.
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Anna L. Moro
Associate dean, Faculty of Humanities, McMaster University
Anna L. Moro
Associate dean, Faculty of Humanities, McMaster University
Dr. Anna L. Moro is the associate dean of the Faculty of Humanities at McMaster University (since 2013), and associate professor of linguistics. As associate dean, she has contributed to the development of new programs across disciplines and faculties, and to providing students with new experiential education opportunities.
In her first year, she collaborated on the establishment of a new pathway for Mohawk College general arts and science students to transfer to a university degree program. She partnered with the associate dean of the School of the Business to introduce two new cross-disciplinary initiatives to undergraduate students: a specialized minor in commerce for students in humanities (launched in 2015), and a new commerce degree in integrated business and humanities (launched 2017). The latter initiatives were featured recently in the Toronto Star and The Atlantic.
Dr. Moro is also the director and founder of the McMaster English Language Development program, launched in 2014, an innovative bridging program for international students, that focuses on language, academic literacies and acculturation, and contains and embedded mentorship component. She is the associate director and co-founder of a new research centre, ARiEAL (Advanced Research in Experimental and Applied Linguistics), where she is overseeing a large project, using experimental methods, on reading efficiency in adult second language learners.
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Ralph Nilson
President and vice‐chancellor, Vancouver Island University
Ralph Nilson
President and vice‐chancellor, Vancouver Island University
Dr. Ralph Nilson has been the president and vice‐chancellor of Vancouver Island University (VIU) since 2007. Under Dr. Nilson’s leadership, VIU is evolving as a values‐based institution that supports faculty and staff to create an exceptional learning environment for students.
VIU has become recognized as a national leader in advancing reconciliation through partnership with First Nation communities, advocating for and investing in transformational change. As the leader of a regionally engaged university, Dr. Nilson works closely with Indigenous communities and local/regional governments, businesses and non‐profit organizations to ensure relevant, responsive and innovative educational programs built on relationships of trust, mutual respect and inclusiveness. His continued engagement on issues of population health supports the developmental focus of his work on the social determinants of health and in particular his emphasis on education as key to addressing issues of inequity.
Dr. Nilson also emphasizes the importance of the university in international outreach and in particular building a global connection to the local region. VIU attracts well over 2,000 international students from over 90 countries annually which ensures VIU is a portal for, and regional leader in, international contributions to awareness, dialogue and nation building.
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Andrea Ross
Senior lead of engineering, Shopify
Andrea Ross
Senior lead of engineering, Shopify
Ms. Andrea Ross is a senior lead within Shopify’s engineering team.
Ms. Ross’s career spans more than 20 years as an award-winning software architect, software developer, and technology leader. She has developed innovative industry solutions based on open technologies including for geospatial, telecom, healthcare, IT, government, not-for-profits, and more. She has been an active educator for much of her career, teaching at multiple universities, and teaching/mentoring as part of many industry apprenticeship programs.
Ms. Ross is currently responsible for the computing education and user experience (UX) programs at Shopify. Her responsibilities include programs for: outreach, educational partnerships, work integrated learning, (such as the bachelor of computer science partnership with Carleton University), and software developer courses offered at Shopify.
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Paul Salvini
CEO, Waterloo Accelerator Centre
Paul Salvini
CEO, Waterloo Accelerator Centre
Paul Salvini is chief executive officer of the Waterloo Accelerator Centre and associate vice president of research commercialization at the University of Waterloo. Prior to this appointment, he held chief technology officer positions at Christie Digital and at Side Effects Software for more than 18 years.
Paul is president of the University of Waterloo Alumni Council and serves as chair of the Network Centre of Excellence for Graphics and New Media (NCE-GRAND). He is an advisor and board member for a number of digital media initiatives including the UW Stratford Campus. Paul’s research expertise is in the simulation and visualization of complex adaptive systems.
He holds a BMath in computer science from the University of Waterloo, MASc and PhD degrees in engineering from the University of Toronto, and an MBA from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto.
In 2007, Dr. Salvini was named one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40, a national award that honours individuals for outstanding achievements in innovation, leadership, vision, and community involvement.
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Alan Shepard
President, Concordia University
Alan Shepard
President, Concordia University
Dr. Alan Shepard is president of Concordia University in Montreal. Concordia is one of Canada’s largest and most innovative urban universities, now home to 46,000 students.
Dr. Shepard joined Concordia in 2012 from Toronto, where he had served as provost of Ryerson University. There he led teams developing entrepreneur-based experiential learning, including the Digital Media Zone (DMZ) and the Centre for Urban Energy. Dr. Shepard has also held leadership roles in Virginia and Texas and at the University of Guelph.
He studied at St Olaf College and the University of Virginia (PhD 1990), and was a visiting student at Cambridge. He has held senior fellowships at University of Toronto.
His past and present public service includes Canadian Research Knowledge Network, Montreal Board of Trade, Stratford Festival of Canada, Montreal’s Quartier d’innovation, Fondation Montréal Inc., Montreal Science Centre Foundation, and Aéro Montréal.
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Vianne Timmons
President and vice-chancellor, University of Regina
Vianne Timmons
President and vice-chancellor, University of Regina
Since becoming the seventh president and vice-chancellor of the University of Regina on September 1, 2008, Dr. Vianne Timmons has taken a leading role in establishing the strategic direction of the university. In large part due to a strong focus on internationalization and Indigenization, enrolment at the university now stands at nearly 15,000 students – an increase of more than 27 per cent since the beginning of her first term.
As president and vice-chancellor, Dr. Timmons maintains a wide-ranging research program, with particular emphasis on family literacy and inclusive education. She is active in the academic community regionally, nationally and internationally, currently serving as past president of the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, chair of Universities Canada’s International Committee, and a member of the Canada Foundation for Innovation.
During the course of her career, Dr. Timmons has authored or edited nine books, written more than a dozen book chapters, and authored more than 40 peer-reviewed articles in leading academic journals. She has been either the principal investigator or a co-investigator on more than 30 funded research projects, and has also presented more than 200 invited lectures about her work.
Dr. Timmons has a bachelor of arts degree from Mount Allison University, a bachelor of education from Acadia University, a master of education from Gonzaga University, and a PhD in education psychology from the University of Calgary. She served as chair of the education department at St. Francis Xavier University before joining the Faculty of Education at the University of Prince Edward Island in 1996. She became UPEI’s vice-president, academic development in 2001, and held that position until coming to the University of Regina.
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Wendy Therrien
Director, research and policy, Universities Canada
Wendy Therrien
Director, research and policy, Universities Canada
Wendy Therrien is director, research and policy at Universities Canada, leading the evidence driven public policy work of the association. She is responsible for overseeing the design, delivery and analysis of the association’s member based research as well as the development and execution of public policy engagement activities to promote the role of higher education, research and innovation in Canada’s future. Ms. Therrien joined Universities Canada in January, 2017.
Prior to joining Universities Canada, Ms. Therrien held senior positions at the Canadian Network for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, Colleges and Institutes Canada and World Vision Canada. She was responsible for overseeing a team of professionals involved in diverse activities including public policy engagement and government relations.
She holds a bachelor of arts degree in political science from McMaster University, a master’s in political science from York University and a bachelor of social work from McGill University.
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Valerie Walker
Vice-president, talent and skills, Business Council of Canada
Valerie Walker
Vice-president, talent and skills, Business Council of Canada
As vice-president, talent and skills, Val Walker leads the Business/Higher Education Roundtable (BHER). Made up of the heads of Canadian companies, universities and colleges, BHER works to support young Canadians as they transition from education to the workplace, strengthen research collaboration between industry and institutions, and help Canadian employers as they adapt to the economy of the future.
Beyond this work, Ms. Walker consults and advises government officials, academics and private sector leaders on changing trends in training and skill development and speaks regularly on innovation and talent. Prior to joining the Council, she was the director of policy at Mitacs. She holds a PhD from McGill University and is an alumna of the Government of Canada’s Recruitment of Policy Leaders Program.
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Lisa Watson
Co-founder and CEO, Openly
Lisa Watson
Co-founder and CEO, Openly
Lisa Watson is the co-founder and CEO of Openly, a strategy and analytics company committed to amplifying social good. Ms. Watson is a highly skilled leadership and social impact strategist with 20 years of experience designing, implementing and evaluating large-scale, multi-stakeholder strategies. For 15 years, she held senior positions leading strategic planning, partnerships and policy development in the Ontario provincial government and United Way Toronto & York Region. Her core areas of contribution include systems thinking, strategy design, organizational development and adaptive leadership. Ms. Watson is known for bringing a human-centered perspective to all areas of social change, illuminating strengths, listening deeply and bringing strategies to life.
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Maayan Ziv
Founder and CEO, AccessNow and ambassador, Muscular Dystrophy Canada
Maayan Ziv
Founder and CEO, AccessNow and ambassador, Muscular Dystrophy Canada
A visionary young leader, Maayan Ziv is an activist, photographer and entrepreneur. From a young age, Ms. Ziv has challenged norms and worked within her community to increase awareness of disability issues and improve accessibility.
Living with muscular dystrophy, Ms. Ziv is a passionate and relentless advocate for creating a more accessible world. In 2015, she founded AccessNow, a crowd-sourced app to map the accessibility status of locations worldwide. She has since been a regular media commentator on topics such as disability and inclusion.
In 2016, Ms. Ziv received the City of Toronto Access Award and the David C. Onley Leadership in Accessibility Award in recognition of her innovative solutions and commitment to improving the lives of people of all abilities.
As a photographer, she has worked with celebrities, fashion models and other influential individuals. Her photography has been featured in galleries, magazines and on television.
Ms. Ziv sits on the boards of the Centre for Independent Living in Toronto and the Toronto Arts Council.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in radio and television arts and a master’s degree in digital media at Ryerson University.
Program
Monday, February 5, 2018
11:30 am – 12:00 pm: Registration
Outside the O’Born Room (2nd floor)
12:00 – 2:00 pm: Luncheon and keynote address
O’Born Room
Universities of the future
How can universities innovate to prepare students for a disrupted future? Sethuraman “Panch” Panchanathan will explore the economic and social challenges created by global competition, changing demographics and technological disruption.
Keynote speaker:
Dr. Sethuraman “Panch” Panchanathan, executive vice president, knowledge enterprise development, and chief research and innovation officer, Arizona State University
Keynote introduction by Elizabeth Cannon, president, University of Calgary
Q&A moderated by Wendy Therrien, director, research and policy, Universities Canada
2:15 – 3:30 pm: Session 1 – Innovations in teaching and learning
O’Born Room
How can innovative approaches, risks and experimentation in teaching be part of the university of the future? This armchair discussion will explore what innovations in teaching and learning are needed to equip graduates for success in a changing, disrupted global knowledge economy.
- Mark Beckles, senior director, Youth Strategy & Innovation, RBC
- Paulina Cameron, Director, BC & Yukon, Futurpreneur Canada
- Sheldon Levy, CEO, Next Canada
- Kevin Kee, dean of the faculty of arts, University of Ottawa
Q&A moderated by Jennifer Ditchburn, editor in chief, Policy Options
3:45 – 5:00 pm: Session 2: Innovations to improve student access and success
O’Born Room
This session will explore innovative solutions making university education more accessible to all – particularly traditionally underrepresented groups – building pathways to success and opportunities to scaling initiatives.
- Jennifer Flanagan, CEO of Actua
- Ralph Nilson, president, Vancouver Island University
- Maayan Ziv, founder and CEO, AccessNow
Q&A moderated by Deborah MacLatchy, president, Wilfrid Laurier University
Wrap-up by Philip Landon, vice-president, governance and programs, Universities Canada
6:30 – 9:00 pm: Evening reception, dinner and keynote
TwentyTwo at the Westin Ottawa, 11 Colonel By Drive
So you want to be future-proof?
Nearly 42 percent of the Canadian labour force is at a high risk of being affected by automation in the next decade or two. How can we prepare ourselves and the next generation? What are tomorrow’s must-have job skills?
Keynote speaker:
Sean Mullin, executive director, Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship
Tuesday, February 6
8:00 – 8:45 am: Networking breakfast
O’Born Room
8:45 – 8:55 am: Welcome remarks by Kevin Lynch, vice-chair, BMO Financial Group and board member, Rideau Hall Foundation
8:55 – 10:15 am: Session 3 – Innovations in experiential learning
O’Born Room
How can universities, industry and civil society partners innovate to ensure today’s youth are “getting their hands dirty” and integrating more seamlessly into the job market? This TED-talk style session will explore innovations taking place in experiential learning across disciplines.
Introduction by Alan Shepard, president, Concordia University
- Margaret Biggs, Matthews Fellow on Global Public Policy, Queen’s University
- Anna Moro, Associate dean of humanities, McMaster University
- Andrea Ross, senior lead of computing education, Shopify
- Paul Salvini, CEO of Accelerator Centre and associate vice-president, research commercialization, University of Waterloo
Q&A to follow using Slido
Wrap-up by Valerie Walker, vice-president, talent and skills, Business Council of Canada
10:35 – 12:00 pm: Session 4 – Innovations in entrepreneurial education
O’Born Room
This “world-café” session will explore how universities are transforming education to equip a new generation of entrepreneurs with skills for the 21st century. Participants will have the opportunity to hear and share ideas on innovative entrepreneurial education and discuss opportunities for scaling.
Introduction by John Baker, president and CEO, D2L
- Dr. Julia Christensen Hughes, dean of the College of business and economics, University of Guelph
- Dr. David Coleman, professor of technology management and entrepreneurship, University of New Brunswick
- Dr. Mary Kilfoil, acting director, academic lead for the Starting Lean Initiative, Dalhousie University
- Dr. Sarah Lubik, director of entrepreneurship, Simon Fraser University
- Dr. Brent Mainprize, program director of the Aboriginal Canadian Entrepreneur (ACE), at the University of Victoria
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm: Luncheon discussion: Innovating the student experience
Lantern Room
Informal, small-table dialogues on innovating the student experience.
Introductory remarks by Vianne Timmons, president, University of Regina
1:30 – 3:00 pm: Session 5 – Unleashing innovations: a shared agenda
O’Born Room
This interactive session will focus on cross-sector collaboration to equip Canadians with skills for the future. Participants will have an opportunity to build on earlier discussions and work together to develop ideas for scaling promising innovations.
Facilitated by Jesse Darling, program manager of the Policy Innovation Platform at the Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship
3:00 – 3:30 pm: Session 6 – The next chapter
O’Born Room
Students will provide their perspectives on how universities, employers and civil society can help prepare our leaders and innovators.
Introduction by Patrick Deane, president, McMaster University
Wrap-up by Pari Johnston, vice-president, policy and public affairs, Universities Canada