Be part of the Green Citizen Symposium, a dynamic three-day online event where innovative ideas spark real-world action. Connect virtually with trailblazing innovators, AI experts, successful Seneca alumni, Indigenous leaders and renowned non-profits as they share their invaluable experiences and insights on tackling global challenges.
This year’s theme, “Thrive and Transform: A Resilient Journey,” focuses on empowering individuals and communities to adapt and flourish amidst ecological changes.
Don’t miss this opportunity to be inspired, learn, and contribute to a sustainable future. Let’s thrive and transform together!
All members of the Seneca community are welcome to register for any of the six sessions. Each session involves a keynote and a workshop; we encourage you to participate in both as the discussion will be related but it is possible to participate separately.
Attendance is free, but space is limited. Reserve your spot today!
The event will be hosted by Eric Novak, who has over 30 years of experience in marketing, public relations, media relations, broadcasting, video production and communications, Eric Novak is a seasoned professional storyteller. His passion lies in narrating the stories of clients, businesses, individuals and causes.
In addition to his work on EnviroDad and The Climate Reality Project Canada, Eric runs a YouTube channel, The Novak Report, which features hundreds of automotive, product and destination reviews, as well as interviews with key decision-makers from various fields.
Eric is also a faculty member at Seneca Polytechnic, where he teaches numerous courses on sustainability. He has been a dedicated member of the Sustainable Business Management program for over 10 years.
Presented by:
Panel - The Future of Innovative and Renewable Energy Technologies
Join our panel discussion to explore the future of renewable energy! Gain valuable insights, discover the latest innovations, and explore exciting career opportunities in this dynamic field. Hear from leading experts, including Seneca’s Energy Manager Christian Rodrigues, Jennifer Hiscock from Natural Resources Canada’s Office of Energy R&D, and Kyle Mennie from Windfall Ecology Centre. Don’t miss this chance to learn from the best and shape your future in renewable energy!
Kyle Mennie Windfall Ecology Centre Christian Rodrigues Seneca Polytechnic Jennifer Hiscock Electricity, Transportation and Buildings Innovation, Natural Resources Canada Register now!
Christian Rodrigues Seneca Polytechnic Jennifer Hiscock Electricity, Transportation and Buildings Innovation, Natural Resources Canada Register now!
Jennifer Hiscock Electricity, Transportation and Buildings Innovation, Natural Resources Canada
Register now!
Workshop - Government and Stakeholder Relations: Persuasion in Complex Policy Environments
This is a policy practitioner's crash-course on government and stakeholder relations GR/SR) and how to operate and influence in a complex policy environment. It will include a look at a diverse range of factors that go into successful GR/SR strategies, including an overview of the various levels of government, background factors, formal policy cycles/processes, negotiation basics, communication basics as well as intangibles such as the human factor (e.g. relationship building).
Nameer Rahman Ontario Energy Association Register now!
Keynote - Inclusive Conservation – Conservation Must Benefit People and Wildlife
Conservation has come a long way from its roots in colonialism, referred to as fortress conservation. Current and future conservation must include people at all stages of development and implementation in order to be ethical, effective, and sustainable. In this talk, Dr. Gráinne will discuss briefly where conservation has come from, how it has evolved and where it is going. She will introduce the work of Wilder Institute in inclusive conservation, and discuss some case studies of our current conservation portfolio that exemplify this ethos of co-benefits for people and wildlife.
Dr. Gráinne McCabe The Wilder Institute
Workshop - The Challenges of Using Emerging Technologies and AI for Flood Risk Assessment
The evaluation of flood risk is critically important to developing a resilient future across Canada. Emerging technologies, including generative AI, have significantly advanced flood risk assessment capabilities. Challenges remain, including interpretation of data, governance and ethical concerns, among others. This session will explore emerging solutions such as explainable AI and stability training, aimed at ensuing responsible use of these technologies in flood risk assessment. These approaches could help Canada proactively prepare for rising flood risks. A case study of the flood event that hit Nova Scotia in July 2023 will be conducted to highlight key challenges of employing deep learning for flood risk analytics.
Dr. Jin Xing TD Insurance
Keynote - How to Integrate Indigenous Science and Western Knowledge Systems to Collaboratively Address Climate Change
Join Dr. Myrle Ballard, first Director of the Indigenous Science Division at Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and Anishinaabe faculty member from the University of Calgary, as she explores the integration of Indigenous Science and Western scientific methodologies to address climate change. By combining centuries-old and evolving Indigenous science with modern scientific approaches, we can develop sustainable and culturally inclusive solutions.
Dr. Myrle Ballard University of Calgary
Workshop - Indigenous Leadership, Voices, and Inclusion Make Better Projects
Truth and Reconciliation (TRC) Calls to Action and United Nations Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) highlight the importance of Indigenous voices being heard and Indigenous Peoples being decision-makers to support social justice. Indigenous peoples raised concerns about climate change and the need for sustainable practices and approaches long before many were ready to listen. As caretakers of the land, they have seen the changes brought by climate change and are some of the most impacted by these changes. We will explore some key areas related to Indigenous World Views, Indigenous Knowledge, braiding of knowledge or “two row wampum” approach to knowledge, engagement considerations and socio-economic benefits. This conversation will be interactive so that we can learn together to discuss how to include Indigenous voices and perspectives in projects.
Heather Swan Indigenous & Community Engagement
Alexandra Clarke Indigenous & Community Engagement
Keynote - Climate is our Culture
With abundant climate solutions for a sustainable future on the table, action is ultimately a cultural issue. From more sustainable art making, to art as activism, to international health policy, and urban infrastructure, come see how work, and those doing the work, in arts and culture are at the core of sustainable transformation and cultural adaptation.
Ian Garret The Centre for Sustainable Practice in the Arts
Workshop - Building Your Own Approach to Digital Community Building
Join Diandra Marizet Esparza, Director of Impact at Intersectional Environmentalist, for an interactive virtual workshop on finding your digital advocacy identity. From online community building to environmental advocacy through social media, learn how to identify creative tools that best suit your goals and personal approaches to communicating about climate justice.
Diandra Marizet Esparza Intersectional Environmentalist
Keynote - Transforming Sneakers into Bags: A Sustainable Fashion Journey
Explore the entrepreneurial journey of Natalya Amres, a proud Seneca graduate, and founder of a sustainable fashion label. Gain valuable insights into her experiences and witness a live demonstration of her innovative process of deconstructing and repurposing fashion items during the keynote.
Natalya Amres Tal by Natalya Amres
Workshop - AI for Sustainable Innovation
Join us for an engaging workshop where you’ll explore the transformative potential of AI in driving sustainable innovation. Using the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as our framework, you’ll embark on an ideation journey to create concepts and advertisements for sustainable products using AI tools.
Dr. Panos Panagiotakopoulos Seneca Polytechnic
Kent Peel Seneca Polytechnic
Keynote - Empowering Sustainable Futures: An Introduction to Sustainable Finance with TD Bank
This session will explore the field of sustainable finance, the evolution and integration into parts of the banking system. Please note that there will not be a recording available for this session.
Murat Basarir TD Bank
Workshop - Financial Institutions Driving Decarbonization – Challenges and Solutions
Join us for an engaging, hands-on workshop where we explore the critical role financial institutions play in driving decarbonization across the economy. Through a case study, participants will work to identify challenges in the transition to a low-carbon economy and will design products to address these challenges. Please note that there will not be a recording available for this session.
Scott Kirby TD Insurance
Christian Rodrigues is the Manager of Energy at Seneca Polytechnic. With a background in mechanical engineering, Christian looks after Seneca's utility expenditures and works with his team to develop and reach the polytechnics energy conservation goals.
Kyle Mennie is the Director of Operations at Windfall Ecology Centre, whose passion for the environment drives his efforts to foster healthy and sustainable communities. With a professional background that includes Protected Areas Conservation, Outdoor Education, Geographic Information Systems, and Environmental Consulting, Kyle brings a holistic approach to tackling environmental issues. His role at Windfall involves developing and executing forward-thinking solutions for climate change mitigation and adaptation of the built environment.
Jen Hiscock is Director of Electricity, Transportation & Buildings Innovation for Natural Resources Canada’s Office of Energy R&D. She manages R&D and Demonstration Programs, funding innovation projects across Canada, and champions the Innovation & Electricity Regulation Initiative in Canada.
Dr. Gráinne McCabe joined the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo in May 2023 as the Chief Conservation Officer. As a member of the executive leadership, she is responsible for leading strategic development for conservation translocations and community conservation initiatives, strengthening connections with stakeholders and partners, and coordinating knowledge gathering for a wide array of international and national programs dedicated to saving species at risk of extinction. In this newly created role, Gráinne is also responsible for providing strategic leadership and oversight to the Conservation & Science Department.Gráinne’s career has been spent at the intersection of zoos and conservation, most recently as the Head of Field Conservation and Science for Bristol Zoological Society, United Kingdom, where she directed global conservation work in 10 countries and provision of six university degree programs. Previous to this, she was Director of the Wildlife Monitoring Centre for the Bioko Biodiversity Protection Program in Equatorial Guinea. She has a wealth of expertise in leading transformations, translocations and capacity building to increase conservation impact exponentially.Gráinne is a member of the IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group, IUCN Commission on Environment, Economic, and Social Policy, as well as a member of the IUCN Inter-commission Task Force on Biodiversity and Family Planning. She received her PhD in Ecological Anthropology from the University of Texas at San Antonio and her Masters in Primatology from the University of Calgary in Alberta.
Dr. Myrle Ballard is an Associate Professor at the University of Calgary, within the Faculty of Science, Department of Earth, Energy, and Environment. She is an Anishinaabe from Lake St. Martin First Nation and holds a Ph.D. in Natural Resources and Environmental Management. Dr. Ballard’s work focuses on Indigenous science and the knowledge of the environment and ecosystems that many Indigenous Peoples possess.
In addition to her role at the University of Calgary, Dr. Ballard stood up – and was first Director of the Indigenous Science Division at Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). Her research includes documenting the flooding and emergency responses of her traditional homelands at Lake St. Martin First Nation and neighbouring communities, and using Anishinaabe mowin as a baseline monitor for understanding indicators of ecosystem changes and what their original names represent.
Ian Garrett is a designer, producer, educator, and researcher in the field of sustainability in arts and culture. He is the director of the Centre for Sustainable Practice in the Art; producer for Toasterlab, a mixed reality performance collective; and Associate Professor of Ecological Design for Performance at York University. He has a research and performance design practice focused on ecology and accessible mixed reality technologies.
Natalya Amres, also known as Tal, is a Toronto-based designer and multidisciplinary artist known for her reworked designs. Her journey in sustainable design began in 2015 when she taught herself to sew to give new life to imperfect thrift store finds. Today, Natalya’s passion for experimentation and innovation drives her to collaborate with a variety of brands and individuals. She takes inspiration from existing products and transforms them into one-of-a-kind creations. Amres’s commitment to environmental responsibility and slow fashion is reflected in her one-off, custom designs and small batch collections, aimed at reducing waste and promoting sustainability.
Murat Basarir is the Associate Vice President of Enterprise Sustainable Finance at TD Bank Group. He works with teams across TD to ideate, structure and move forward ESG initiatives that support TD’s Climate Action Plan. Through his leadership, the Bank has developed the internal infrastructure and executive support for a holistic approach to sustainable finance and has achieved milestones such as developing TD's $500B Sustainable and Decarbonization Finance Target by 2030.
Before he joined TD, he was part of various international sustainable finance focused initiatives, such as launching UK’s first wireless charged electric bus and working at Canada’s first retail green bond issuer. Prior to his work in sustainable finance, he led a nationwide energy efficiency campaign that was voted by the UK public as the Best Campaign at the Climate Week Awards.
Murat holds a BSc and MSc in Mechanical Engineering from Queen’s University. He also has an MPhil in Engineering from Cambridge University and has completed the Ignite program at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Nameer Rahman is a veteran Policy and Regulatory Affairs specialist, currently serving as the Director of Policy at the Ontario Energy Association focusing on the energy transition in Ontario. He previously worked with the policy team of the Technical Standards & Safety Authority and was also a Senior Advisor in the Strategic Policy unit of the Ministry of Energy. His experiences also include roles at the Alberta Legislative Assembly, two Ontario utility corporations, as well as the labour and non-profit sectors. Nameer, in his various capacities, helped negotiate a national harmonization agreement (labour mobility) on behalf of Ontario, landed various pieces of legislative and regulatory changes, led organization-wide change management teams to support renewable uptake and shaped codes & standards work to enable greater uptake of distributed energy resources. Nameer holds a Master of Arts in Political Science, with a focus on Intellectual Property Rights, Innovation, Economic Development, and International Trade.
Dr. Jin Xing is a highly accomplished Climate Data Scientist and Analytics Expert with over a decade of experience in sustainability, catastrophe modelling, and geospatial analysis. Currently leading climate risk analytics at TD Insurance, Jin specializes in developing flood, earthquake, and wildfire risk models using deep neural networks. Jin has also served as an Assistant Professor in Geospatial Analysis at Newcastle University before joining TDI and holds multiple patents and publications. He actively contributes to urban geography research and climate risk management, blending expertise in both academic and industry settings.
Heather Swan is a settler of English, Irish and German descent, who has had the privilege of working with and for Indigenous Nations, communities, organizations and Peoples for more than 15 years. She is a highly trusted and compassionate professional with over 20 years of experience, who has dedicated the last 15+ years to being an ally and accomplice to Indigenous Peoples. Her unique dual training and experience in planning and engineering enables an appreciation of varied viewpoints and consensus building, working tactfully and effectively with multiple and diverse individuals and organizations. Heather has worked on projects across Canada from coast to coast to coast working with and for Indigenous Nations and communities, Federal and Provincial governments, regulators, municipalities, developers, mining companies, waste management companies and energy generation companies including renewable energy, hydro distribution companies and gas distribution companies. Her expertise lies in the areas of project management, engagement and consultation, facilitation, environmental assessment, land use planning, infrastructure planning, environmental protection, sustainability, climate change, reconciliation action plans and Indigenous Participation Plans.
Passionate about fostering positive change, Alexandra is dedicated to supporting Canadians and businesses on their journey toward reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. She strives to lower consultation and engagement barriers, while building capacity and resources in Indigenous communities and Nations. Her work with an isolated First Nation in Northern Ontario has had a profound effect on her views and approach to her work; combined with her professional experience navigating and working in Indigenous relations from a variety of viewpoints.
She currently works as an Environmental and Engagement Coordinator at Indigenous and Community Engagement Inc. Guiding Indigenous engagement, navigating and building relationships, developing community-specific approaches, creating diverse avenues for participation, and providing strategic advice on projects.
Based between Los Angeles and Houston, Diandra Marizet Esparza is a published writer, cultural researcher, community organizer, and poet whose globally recognized work building 'Intersectional Environmentalist' has reshaped modern environmental movements in the U.S. and amplified the works of hundreds of grassroots environmental justice efforts. Diandra’s work reaches millions monthly through an approach that blends history, art and culture with the hopes of solidifying diverse storytelling as a force for environmental advocacy. Diandra is also a contributing writer in the academically adopted book 'The Intersectional Environmentalist: How to Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People + Planet'.
As an expert in digital community organizing, Diandra is building off a career in fashion buying, trend analytics, brand storytelling, and her critical role building IE with hopes of driving support towards grassroots environmental efforts. Diandra leadership at IE has resulted in educational resources that actively outpace mainstream institutions, leading to the launch of IE's consulting arm which has empowered influential institutions like The White House, Fortune 500 companies, universities and more to adopt intersectional environmentalist.
Panos is a sustainability researcher and consultant with over 15 years of experience in guiding organizations to assess and integrate sustainable practices. In his professional roles, Panos serves as a GenAI Thought Leader at Seneca Polytechnic, where he leads AI integration and innovation initiatives. He is the Co-founder and Chief Science Officer at CarbonOne, focusing on enhancing sustainability in the Canadian food and beverage sector. As the Principal Consultant at Close the Loop, he specializes in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and sustainable strategy. Panos holds a master’s degree in environmental engineering and a Ph.D. in corporate sustainability from Heriot-Watt University in Scotland.
Kent has been a dedicated faculty member at Seneca Polytechnic and York University for over 23 years. He specializes in teaching law with a focus on integrating cutting-edge technology into legal education and practice. His work explores the intersection of law, machine learning and large language models, aiming to enhance legal analysis and accessibility. Kent is passionate about leveraging technology to make legal data and processes more accessible and understandable. Kent holds a bachelor of laws and a bachelor of applied science in chemical engineering.
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