Labour Day is coming up fast, along with the early registration deadline for the 69th Canadian Chemical Engineering Conference on September 9th. The event will take place October 20-23 at the newly opened Halifax Convention Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where participants will have an opportunity to hear from some of the leading people in all parts of the profession, to celebrate those who are being honoured for their contributions, and to explore some compelling topics that are shaping the profession for one and all.
Among the plenary speakers will be Shaffiq Jaffer, MCIC, TOTAL’s Vice-President of Corporate Science and Technology Projects in North America, who will explain how a global systems approach can help meet energy and climate challenges. And this year’s R.S. Jane Memorial Award winner Levente Diosady, FCIC, a professor in the University of Toronto’s Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, will recount his adventures in using some of the world’s simplest foods to improve the health of people living in the developing world.
There is a dedicated program targeted to student interests and needs, but students are also encouraged to take part in all aspects of the conference. After attending a workshop to hone your network skills, for example, you might want to apply what you learned at the awards ceremony and reception.
The conference will also offer another installment in the emerging leaders series, where early career researchers deliver short presentations outlining their particular strategies for success, how they see the opportunities and opportunities and challenges in their respective fields, and where they see those fields heading over the next decade. This year’s speakers include Benoît Lessard, who holds the Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Advanced Polymer Materials and Organic Electronics at the University of Ottawa, Daria Boffit, who holds the CRC in Intensified Mechano-Chemical Processes for Sustainable Biomass Conversion at Polytechnique Montréal, Jinfeng Liu, an associate professor in the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Engineering, and Joule Bergerson, who holds the CRC in Energy Technology Assessment at the University of Calgary.
The conference will feature other discussions, including a look at the changes in curricula, technology, and pedagogy that are shaping the way chemical engineers are educated. At the same time, entrepreneurs will weigh the promise of emerging industries in Canada and abroad, while industry representatives assess the fortunes of established sectors.
This year’s theme, “Synergy and Innovation through Community Engagement” will be reflected in conference tracks that capture current work in advanced materials, process development, industrial research, and natural resources. In addition to looking at innovations taking place in technology or methodology, presenters will be considering how these changes are enabling communities to become more economically and environmentally sustainable, as well as better able to safeguard the health and well-being of their populations.