2023 ASTech Award Finalists

Meet the Finalists of the 2023 Annual ASTech Awards!

Aerospace Innovation • Agriculture/Agrifood • AI/ML Advancement and Application • Digital (General) • Construction/Smart Cities/Transportation • Energy/Cleantech • Environmental Applications in Energy • Environment/Water • Hydrogen and Alternative Energies: Technologies and Initiatives • Medical/Healthcare/Pharmaceuticals • Social Innovation/Educational Technologies • Sustainability Solutions/Approaches • Change Maker • Early Adopter of Innovation • Indigenous-led Entrepreneurship and Contribution to Knowledge • Innovation of the Year Award • Regional Innovation Champion • Researcher of the Year • Women in Innovation • Alberta-wide Community Champion of Innovation • Community Initiatives • Excellence in Furthering Inclusive Communities

Categories: Best In Sector • Leadership/Equity, Diversity & Inclusion • Regional Champion

2023 ASTech Award Finalist – Best In Sector

Finalist: Papaschase First Nation (PFN) (Chief Calvin Bruneau)

Initiative: Enhancing the Nation’s ability to apply land stewardship initiatives through advanced technical products and services

PFN is a First Nation Urban Reserve whose members live within the Edmonton Region. PFN has created the governance and structure to provide products and services related to the safety and well-being of its members and all manner of life living in the Edmonton Region.

Papaschase Security Services are presently providing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), commonly referred to as Drones, services to a diverse client base seeking technical enhancements in the areas of emergency management, security operations, sustainable monitoring of environment/water/air, mosquito abatement, inspections, education, recreation and competitive sports to name a few.

Finalist: Yang Gao, Professor, Dept. of Geomatics Engineering; Positioning & Mobile Information Systems Group , University of Calgary

Initiative: Innovation Brings High Precision Satellite Navigation to People and Applications

Prior to joining the University of Calgary in 1998, Dr. Yang Gao’s career comprised of work in government and industry sectors, including Natural Resources Canada, where he was an NSERC post-doc fellow and Pulsearch Navigation Systems Inc/Position Inc., where he held positions of Research Scientist, Manager of GPS R&D and Manager of Asia-Pacific.

Dr. Gao’s geomatics research focuses on precise satellite-based positioning, navigation, and timing with applications to aviation, marine, farming, construction, mining, weather forecasting, earthquake monitoring, and surveying. His latest work makes high precision possible at a low cost to mass-market products, including self-driving cars, drones and smartphones. Dr. Gao founded two successful startup companies, serving as CEO for one until its acquisition and CTO presently for the other, which has led the development of advanced precise navigation technologies and products.

Finalist: Air Trail (Brandon Kwong, COO)

Initiative: Air Trail’s Compliance Automation in the Canadian Aviation Industry

Air Trail’s software digitizes and automates flight operations, maintenance, and fatigue management for regional air operators and is the only solution approved by Transport Canada to completely replace paper logbooks in the cockpit. The free air ambulance, aerial firefighting, charter and cargo operators across Canada from the headaches of paperwork so they can focus on getting the job done safely.

Finalist: Henry Leung, Professor, Dept. of Electrical and Software Engineering, University of Calgary

Initiative: Advanced Machine Learning and Information Fusion Techniques for Intelligent Sensing

Dr. Henry Leung is a Professor in Electrical and Software Engineering at the University of Calgary. His work on complex backpropagation helped establish a foundational research area on complex neural networks in the field of machine learning. His research on intelligent sensing based on nonlinear theory comprises 9 out of the top 20 most cited papers on radar and chaos in IEEE Xplore. He ranks in the first quarter of Stanford World’s Top 2% Scientists.

Dr. Leung leads the Autonomous Systems and Intelligent Sensing Laboratory and collaborates closely with industrial partners in multiple sectors. Most notably, his contributions to sensing, information fusion and ideas in machine learning have been the backbone of the integrated decision support system used in DND and adopted by industries in water and oil and gas firms internationally as well as in Alberta. His work on the award-winning intelligent noise monitoring solution for the City of Calgary has been important in reaching smart city goals. He holds a successful record of leading several DND, NSERC, Alberta Innovates, and internationally funded projects. He currently leads the pan-Canadian DND IDEaS Micronet, a network of 10+ industry and researchers in support of Canadian defence.

Finalist: Emma Spanswick, Assistant Professor; NSERC Chair in Geospace Dynamics and Space Plasma Physics, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, University of Calgary

Initiative: Driving Innovation in Alberta: New Earth Space Technologies

Dr. Emma Spanswick is an award-winning physicist and a leader in space science and space physics instrumentation at the University of Calgary. Her international research has advanced the field by enabling a better understanding of space weather phenomena, leading to the improvement of space-dependent technologies like communication and security infrastructure and GPS. She is an Assistant Professor and holds a Tier II Canada Research Chair.

Finalist: Rafiq Ahmad, Associate Professor, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, University of Alberta

Initiative: Smart and Sustainable Systems Empowering Industries and Society

Dr. Rafiq Ahmad is an accomplished Associate Professor at the University of Alberta’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. He is the founder and director of the cutting-edge “Smart & Sustainable Manufacturing Systems Laboratory (SMART Lab),” specializing in innovative systems design and engineering. Dr. Ahmad’s research spans a wide array of technologies, including digitization, lean manufacturing, robotics, and green technologies. Dr. Ahmad is also the founder and director of the groundbreaking “Aquaponics 4.0 Learning Factory (AllFactory),” an innovative hub dedicated to pioneering research in indoor, vertical, symbiotic ecosystem soil-less environments.

Dr. Ahmad earned his Ph.D. in advanced manufacturing from Ecole Centrale de Nantes, France, and holds a Master’s in design and manufacturing from ENSAM-Paris, France. His academic journey includes a BSc. Degree in Mechanical Engineering from UET-Peshawar, Pakistan, and a two-year Post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Luxembourg. Dr. Ahmad received Edmonton’s 2022 Top 40 under 40 Award by Edify Magazine, lauding his dedication to “serial innovation and streamlined technology development to impact our society.” Moreover, he is the driving force behind the Canadian not-for-profit ProBEEs Digital Education Society, making a lasting impact on digital education initiatives.

Finalist: Marleny Aranda Saldaña, Professor, Depts. of Life and Environmental Science; Ag, Food and Nutrition Science, University of Alberta

Initiative: Valorization of Agri-food Waste with Novel Green Processes

Dr. Saldaña is a professor in Food/Bio-Engineering Processing in the Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science at the University of Alberta. She has a Ph.D. degree in Chemical Engineering with a specialization in Process Engineering from State University of Campinas, Brazil. Before joining the University of Alberta, she did research at Hamburg University of Technology in Germany, Delf University of Technology in the Netherlands, and Tohoku University in Japan.

Dr. Saldaña is internationally recognized for her work on novel emerging green processing technologies. She has received various international awards from academia and industry, including the 2022-2023 ALES International Engagement Award, and the 2017-2018 McCalla Professorship Award, among others. She has served on the NSERC RTI committee and is currently Editor of the Journal of Food Engineering Reviews and Guest Editor of the Journal of Supercritical Fluids.

Finalist: Susie Li, Senior Researcher, Innotech Alberta

Initiative: Real-Time Biosensor for Crop Disease Forecasting

Dr. Li develops real-time, in-field crop disease surveillant technology, a biosensor technology, for crop protection. This technology involves automation and cellular and IT technology for daily transmission of crop disease pathogen spore level to end users for timely disease control to reduce yield loss for crop producers. This technology eliminates the unnecessary use of fungicides and, therefore, reduces the environmental footprint. Dr. Li received a US patent on this technology.

Finalist: Livestock Gentec (Graham Plastow, CEO; John Basarab,Head of Beef Operations)

Initiative: Developing and Driving Adoption of Transformative Genomic Technologies for Cattle

Livestock Gentec is a Centre for Applied Research; Commercialization established in 2010 and based at the University of Alberta. Livestock Gentec operates as an integrated research, development and technology pipeline that, while collaborating globally, has the mandate of delivering technology to the beef industry within Canada. With a focus on genomics, Livestock Gentec is working to increase the beef sector’s competitiveness, profitability and sustainability through genetic solutions. This includes better management tools for the sector to increase livestock production efficiency (reduce cost of production while also reducing the environmental footprint), enhance meat quality (add value to a commodity product) and support continual improvement of animal health (increased resiliency to disease and temperature extremes) and food safety (healthy animals produce healthy food for healthy communities). Livestock Gentec collaborates widely across industry and academia to build teams that develop applied genomic solutions and transfer knowledge directly to producers.

Finalist: AGvisorPRO (Patrick Walther, COO)

Initiative: AGvisorPRO advances agtech through its product ecosystem

AGvisorPRO offers a suite of innovative digital products designed to support the agricultural sector. AGvisorPRO’s Mission is to make farmers more profitable, make agriculture more sustainable, and increase global food security, and to do this, we are building products that provide Answers Now to customers in agriculture. The Company’s first product, AGvisorPRO, connects farmers with experts in various agricultural disciplines, providing instant access to essential knowledge and expertise. AGvisorPRO’s platform provides a better way to answer on-farm questions, increasing the confidence of producers. The Company’s latest product, visorPRO, powered by Large Language Models (LLMs), utilizes cutting-edge machine learning technology to offer efficient, effective support for equipment dealerships. It provides accurate summaries from reference materials, allowing technicians and service workers to find answers to their queries instantly.

Finalist: Hatem Abou-Zeid, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Electrical and Software Engineering, University of Calgary

Initiative: Enabling Virtual Reality Experiences with Ultra Low-Latency Networking and Artificial Intelligence

Dr. Hatem Abou-Zeid is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Software Engineering at the University of Calgary. He develops advanced AI/ML methods that enable ultra-low-latency connectivity in wireless networks. Through his research, new services such as 5G-enabled virtual reality and industrial automation can become possible and economically viable.

Dr. Abou-Zeid’s research team focuses on applied research, building on his seven years of industrial experience at Ericsson and Cisco Systems. His R&D contributions have resulted in 19 patent filings and several advanced wireless communication methods he designed are deployed in 5G networks worldwide. His research is funded by multiple industrial partners and NSERC Alliance, NSERC Discovery Grants, MITACS, and Alberta Innovates. The awards he received for his research include Best Paper Award at IEEE International Conference on Communications 2022 and the Schulich Research Excellence Award 2023.

Finalist: Robogarden Inc. (Mohamed Elhabiby, President)

Initiative: Democratization of Digital Skills Training through AI-Powered Learning Platform

Robogarden Inc. stands as an avant-garde entity in the educational domain, harnessing the prowess of artificial intelligence to bring about transformative changes. Their cutting-edge cloud-based platform breathes digital life into STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) content and delivers it innovatively through the prism of computational thinking and coding principles. An impressive roster of over 600,000 learners and 12,000 educators across the globe vouch for RoboGarden’s reliability and efficacy.

RoboGarden has garnered the trust of renowned educational institutions within its home province, including the University of Calgary, Concordia University of Edmonton, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT), Bow Valley College, Junior Achievement Northern Alberta, and Junior Achievement Southern Alberta. It has been consecutively recognized as the official platform for Canada Coding (CanCode) for five years, underlining its commitment to excellence in partnership with Mindfuel, a prominent organization in the educational realm.

Finalist: QinetiQ Target Systems (Sarunas Ilgevicius, Electronics Engineer; Kurtis Peters, UVS Systems Engineer; Derek Faichuk, Control Station Technician; Blair Gordon, Technical Illustrator)

Initiative: Unmanned Target Systems – Hammer Head Forward Facing Camera

With the threat landscape constantly evolving, QinetiQ Target Systems specializes in producing a variety of unmanned vehicle systems for training purposes. The Alberta branch, located in Medicine Hat, has a variety of aerial targets, both fixed-wing and supersonic, as well as surface targets. Their top seller is their Hammerhead Unmanned Surface Vehicle Target (USV-T). The Hammerhead USV-T was specifically Designed to simulate a Fast Inshore Attack Craft (FIAC) in a multi-vehicle swarm of up to 40 vehicles. It replicates high-speed naval tactics and a variety of operational guidance plans, including straight-on highspeed attacks, crossing patterns, Zig Zag patterns, and other evasive maneuvers.

The Hammerhead Forward Facing Camera Team set out to create a Camera payload for a customer so that they could effectively train their new operators. It can be hard to stare at a control screen and drive a boat. Now, with real visual feedback visible on the screen, this makes the operator training a lot easier to grasp. With the visual feedback, this also opens new training scenarios that in the past have not been allowed as operators couldn’t see how close they were to other vessels.

Finalist: Hadis Karimipour, Associate Professor, Dept. of Electrical and Software Engineering, University of Calgary

Initiative: Secure and Resilient Cyber-Physical Systems

A Canada Research Chair (Tire II) in Secure and Resilient Cyber-physical System and an Associate Professor in the Electrical and Software Engineering Department at the Schulich School of Engineering, Dr. Hadis Karimipour is Canada’s foremost researcher in cyber-security of Critical Infrastructure. Critical Infrastructure (CI) includes power plants, utilities, communications networks, hospitals, and transportation systems—every large system on which Canadians depend for their well-being and prosperity.

Dr. Karimipour has taken the novel approach of using artificial intelligence to look at cyber threats to the operational technology in CI—the tech that gathers and transmits data about the physical world. She was among the first researchers in the world to use physical characteristics (voltage, frequency) rather than elements of information technology (IP address, network protocols) to identify cyberattacks. This departure from conventional approaches has changed the global landscape of cybersecurity research, garnering Dr. Karimipour worldwide recognition, including the first and only Canada Research Chair in Secure and Resilient Cyber-Physical Systems in Canada.

Finalist: Willowglen Systems (Wayne Karpoff, President); Suncor(Gordon Meyer, Manager (Automation)); NTwist (Chowdary Meenavilli, CEO)

Initiative: SentientQ: Empowering Pipeline Optimization through AI-Driven Decision Support

For over half a century, Willowglen Systems has serviced the global automation industry with pioneering technology. As a software development company, Willowglen’s solutions are built upon the pillars of innovation, reliability, and corporate social responsibility. Through long-standing relationships with our customers, partners, and industry experts, we have implemented solutions for some of the world’s most challenging and complex automation projects. Willowglen’s groundbreaking new product, SentientQ, is a next-generation SCADA system. Designed to meet the evolving needs of modern infrastructure management, SentientQ empowers users to efficiently control and monitor even the most intricate systems, such as the energy supply of an entire country, all from a single, simplified control room. This innovative solution harnesses the power of advanced technologies to streamline operations, enhance decision-making, and optimize performance.

Suncor Energy is a trusted provider of energy that enriches lives, prioritizing the well-being of people and the planet. Committed to growth, sustainability, safety, and capital excellence, Suncor invests in enhancing pipeline efficiencies through emerging technologies, ensuring responsible energy transportation and environmental stewardship.

NTWIST: We are a team of diverse process and data engineers who are passionate about boosting industrial sustainability, efficiency and excellence by using cutting-edge AI/ML technologies. Environmental stewardship is a priority for NTWIST. We help our customers to minimize their sustainability impact on the planet. Emissions or environmental targets are used alongside productivity targets to define success for our customers. With the increasing relevance of carbon accounting and emissions tracking, NTWIST offers a suite of tools to increase visibility into environmental performance and help processing plants track, manage, optimize, and report key metrics.

Finalist: Rafiq Ahmad, Associate Professor, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, University of Alberta

Initiative: Smart and Sustainable Systems Empowering Industries and Society

Finalist: EnviroApps Inc. (Amit Bhargava, CEO)

Initiative: Digital Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) Shipping Documents

EnviroApps is a pioneer in helping the industry save lives and make lives easier through paperless shipping documents. Regulations require shipping documents to accompany dangerous goods and hazardous waste during their transport, however, when an emergency event occurs, Emergency Responders cannot access those paper documents from the Truck. Any delays in retrieving this critical information results in worse consequences from a public safety and environmental perspective. EnviroApps provides a proven digital solution that can provide the information to First Responders in less than 3 minutes. Also, TDG Shipping documents are the biggest reason for TDG non-compliance, as much as 10%. This can be easily avoided using our platform.

Amit Bhargava, CEO of EnviroApps, has more than 24 years of widely varied experience managing Environmental and Regulatory Compliance for the Industry. His passion to solve the pain he had to endure dealing with certain archaic processes led him to form EnviroApps. Upon realizing the importance of EnviroApps’ digital solution from a public and Emergency Responder’s safety perspective, he has made it a mission to raise awareness and persuade the industry to do their part and provide reliable, complete, accurate and timely information to our heroes – Emergency Responders, who put their lives at risk to deal with an emergency.

Finalist: Robogarden Inc. (Mohamed Elhabiby, President)

Initiative: Democratization of Digital Skills Training through AI-Powered Learning Platform

Finalist: Air Trail (Brandon Kwong, COO)

Initiative: Air Trail’s Compliance Automation in the Canadian Aviation Industry

Finalist: Susie Li, Senior Researcher, Innotech Alberta

Initiative: Real-Time Biosensor for Crop Disease Forecasting

Finalist: ZS2 Technologies (Doug Brown, CTO; Pary Roshan, Research Associate; Danny Wong, Research Associate)

Initiative: Project Prairie Seawater: A greener future for cement

Combining construction and material science, our team is developing a vertically integrated solution to sequester CO2 into a range of value-added MBC materials. ZS2 Technologies research and development team, comprised of Dr. Doug Brown – Chief Technical Officer, Dr. Danny Wong – Engineering Lead, and Pary Roshan – Research Associate, have carved the pathway to net zero cement production.

• The ZS2 R & D Team, led by Dr. Doug Brown, Chief – Technical Officer and Co-Founder of ZS2, oversees a team of chemists, engineers and other professionals who have significant experience and material science know-how in carbon capture and related fields. Dr. Brown has a Ph.D. in Chemistry and is a founding team member of Carbon Engineering. He holds multiple patents relating to MBC.

• Dr. Danny Wong holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and brings previous experience in carbon capture with two patents and 19 peer-reviewed publications.

• Pary Roshan holds a Master’s Degree in Physical Chemistry, along with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Chemistry and a Bachelor of Applied Technology, furthermore she is the co-inventor of a carbon neutral MBC patent.

Finalist: Emily Grisé, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta

Initiative: Charting a path towards safe, equitable, efficient, and clean public transit

Dr. Emily Grisé is an Assistant Professor in the School of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Alberta. She is a forward-thinking transport researcher with specializations in the areas of transport & land use planning, customer satisfaction & loyalty with public transit, and public transit planning & operations. Her work has been in collaboration with several local and regional transport agencies, including to directly address issues of concern to key stakeholders, while she has also provided transport expertise in the private sector. The underlying goal of her research is to develop effective policies that contribute to a more livable and sustainable society.

Finalist: Levven Electronics Ltd. (James Keirstead, President)

Initiative: Whole home automation system that saves time and materials for builders

Levven Electronics Ltd. is a disruptive in-home building technology provider delivering IoT solutions to advantage new residential construction. Our promise is mobile device access and control of the building infrastructure that lowers costs, speeds construction, conserves materials, and improves consistency and quality across the trades. This results in giving homeowners/tenants the ability to continually minimize their energy consumption while providing them the flexibility to customize their living spaces as their requirements change, all from their smartphone or tablet, using our IoT cloud infrastructure, at no additional cost. After installation, additional product functionality can be purchased, unlocked and delivered by way of firmware update downloads through the Levven Platform, requiring no manual intervention or electrical knowledge. Levven products are compatible with and connect through API’s to Google Home and Alexa digital assistants.

Finalist: Exro Technologies Inc. (Sue Ozdemir, CEO)

Initiative: Power Electronics Experts: Exro’s innovations in transportation and energy sectors

Exro Technologies Inc. is a pioneer in the field of power electronics, bringing two groundbreaking clean technologies to market: the Coil Driver™ for the transportation sector and the Cell Driver™ for the energy sector. The Coil Driver™ is an innovative adaptive traction inverter that revolutionizes motor control by enabling two operating modes within a single motor. This results in a substantial boost in performance and efficiency, offering unprecedented flexibility in design.

The Cell Driver™, on the other hand, represents a leap forward in stationary energy storage for cThe Cell Driver™, on the other hand, represents a leap forward in stationary energy storage for commercial and industrial applications. Utilizing Exro’s patented BCS, this technology offers exceptional management of each cell in the system, resulting in unparalleled safety, capacity, and uptime. Together, these pioneering technologies form a powerful ecosystem that stands at the forefront of the transition to electrification.

Finalist: T5M Connect (Ryan Young, Co-Owner; David Campbell, Co-Owner)

Initiative: North Glenora Infill – T5M Connect

T5M Connect is working on the first multi-family Passive House certified building in Alberta. The project (in addition to Passive House Certification) has aligned its strategy with the Edmonton Declaration, the SSRIA Green Buildings Technology Network innovation standards and climate goals of the City of Edmonton to develop a replicable design for multi-family infill housing.

The T5M Connect Project, located in North Glenora, Edmonton, aims to build and monitor an affordable and replicable multi-unit residential infill building (MURB) that will help increase community density at Passive House standards. The goal is to demonstrate the minimization of greenhouse gas consumption through higher efficiency and integrated design techniques. Some of these techniques include maximizing shared walls, utilization of air-source heat pumps, upgraded ventilation and duct system, as well as the integration of a home automation system.

Finalist: Green Impact Partners (Jesse Douglas, CEO)

Initiative: Future Energy Park: North America’s Largest Carbon Negative Facility

Green Impact Partners Inc. (GIP), headquartered in Calgary, is a trailblazing organization committed to creating a sustainable future. With a strong focus on renewable natural gas (RNG) projects in North America, GIP is driving the clean energy revolution by developing the world’s cleanest energy sources. Their latest venture is doing just that right here in Alberta with Future Energy Park.

As North America’s largest carbon-negative RNG and ethanol project, Future Energy Park will convert low-grade wheat into renewable biofuels, bringing Alberta’s agriculture and energy sectors together. Working with a team of architects, engineers, planners, environmental specialists and landscape architects, the plant will be a landmark facility in the production of renewable fuels. This innovative clean energy project showcases GIP’s technological ingenuity, environmental stewardship and dedication to sustainable solutions. Future Energy Park will be located in Calgary, and the benefits to our province are significant: it will create 800 jobs during construction and 50 jobs during operations, generate over $150 million in annual revenue for rural wheat producers, and transform Alberta’s low-grade wheat – unsuitable for human consumption – into renewable biofuels.

Finalist: Willowglen Systems(Wayne Karpoff, President); Suncor(Gordon Meyer, Manager (Automation)); NTwist(Chowdary Meenavilli, CEO)

Initiative: SentientQ: Empowering Pipeline Optimization through AI-Driven Decision Support

“For over half a century, Willowglen Systems has serviced the global automation industry with pioneering technology. As a software development company, Willowglen’s solutions are built upon the pillars of innovation, reliability, and corporate social responsibility. Through long-standing relationships with our customers, partners, and industry experts, we have implemented solutions for some of the world’s most challenging and complex automation projects.

Willowglen’s groundbreaking new product, SentientQ, is a next-generation SCADA system. Designed to meet the evolving needs of modern infrastructure management, SentientQ empowers users to efficiently control and monitor even the most intricate systems, such as the energy supply of an entire country, all from a single, simplified control room. This innovative solution harnesses the power of advanced technologies to streamline operations, enhance decision-making, and optimize performance.

NTWIST: We are a team of diverse process and data engineers who are passionate about boosting industrial sustainability, efficiency, and excellence by using cutting-edge AI/ML technologies. Environmental stewardship is a priority for NTWIST. We help our customers minimize their sustainability impact on the planet. Emissions or environmental targets are used alongside productivity targets to define success for our customers. With the increasing relevance of carbon accounting and emissions tracking, NTWIST offers a suite of tools to increase visibility into environmental performance and help processing plants track, manage, optimize, and report key metrics.”

Finalist: Venkataraman Thangadurai, Professor, Dept. of Chemistry, University of Calgary

Initiative: Advancing Alberta’s energy storage and conversion technologies

Dr. Thangadurai is an internationally acclaimed chemist who has made pivotal advances in solid-state electrochemistry, revolutionizing solid-state energy storage and conversion technologies that can be integrated into zero-carbon renewable energy systems. His research interests include designing, synthesizing, and characterizing novel solid-state electrolytes and electrodes for next-generation solid-state batteries and solid oxide fuel cells.

Dr Thangadurai has more than 220 peer-reviewed papers in journals. His work was cited over 15,700 times with an overall H-Index of 58 and was amongst the top 1% of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) journals in terms of citations in 2020. Dr. Thangadurai was appointed as a Scientist and Mentor at the Creative Destruction Lab-Rockies, a non-profit organization that offers programming to enhance the success of scalable, seed-stage science and technology-based companies. He has received a University of Calgary Peak Scholars Award, which is given to academics whose work in knowledge engagement, entrepreneurship, technology transfer, innovation, or collaborative research has resulted in a positive social or economic impact in the community.

Finalist: Applied Quantum Materials Inc. (Jonathan Veinot, Chief Technical Officer)

Initiative: Silicon Nanomaterials: Small particles making a big impact!

Applied Quantum Materials Inc. (AQM) began operation in 2016 to commercialize disruptive nanotechnology developed at the University of Alberta. AQM is a world leader in the research, development and synthesis of metal-free, biocompatible silicon nanomaterials for a broad range of applications, including displays, printable electronics, photovoltaics and fluorophores for biological imaging.

Dr. Jonathan Veinot is the CTO and Co-founder of Applied Quantum Materials Inc. as well he is Associate Dean Research (Grants and Innovation) at the University of Alberta Faculty of Science and a professor in the Department of Chemistry. Jonathan is one of the world’s leaders in silicon nanomaterials, focusing on developing non-toxic Group 14 nanomaterials while establishing a fundamental understanding of their unique optical and chemical properties. Dr. Veinot has co-authored over 180 peer-reviewed papers and been awarded 19 patents. He received the 2016 Burghausen Chemistry Award, as well as the prestigious 2017 Award for Excellence in Materials Chemistry from the Canadian Chemical Society as one of “Canada’s shining scientific lights” in the field of silicon nanocrystals.

Finalist: Gregory Welch, Professor, Dept. of Chemistry, University of Calgary

Initiative: Innovation in Alberta: Converting Indoor Light into Electricity

Dr. Gregory Welch obtained his BSc in Chemistry from the University of Calgary in 2003 and worked in the laboratories of Dr. Chivers and Dr. Piers. He earned his PhD at the University of Windsor in 2008 under the supervision of Dr. Stephan, where he helped develop Frustrated Lewis Pair chemistry. He then moved to UC-Santa Barbara, where he studied organic solar cells as an NSERC postdoctoral fellow with Dr. Bazan. He began a faculty position in 2012 as a Canadian Research Chair at Dalhousie University in Halifax, NS. In 2015, he relocated to the University of Calgary as a Canadian Research Chair. His research interests are focused on the design, synthesis, and characterization of organic/organometallic materials and use in printed electronics, coatings, and catalysis. He was promoted to full professor in 2021.

Finalist:

Maricor Arlos, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering , University of Alberta

Paulina Johnson, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta

Initiative: Land2Lab Research and Outreach Project

Dr. Maricor Arlos positions herself as a Filipino settler and a Western-trained environmental engineer whose new personal mandate has been to integrate Indigenous worldviews and methodologies in environmental water quality management where they typically have not been before. Her close collaboration with Johnson started in Fall 2022. Johnson is Nêhiyaw (she/her, Four-Spirit/Plains Cree) and a citizen of Samson Cree Nation (SCN) from Mâskwacis. Both equally contribute to knowledge co-creation and co-development of strategies within an Indigenous-based framework. Arlos and Johnson are currently co-supervising a Ph.D. student in Environmental Engineering (Emily Quecke, she/they) who started in the Fall of 2022 and is undertaking the very first Interdisciplinary Ph.D. project in Sociology and Engineering. This newly established partnership positions Arlos to pursue the changes needed to move water insecurity research forward.

Dr. Maricor Arlos is an early career researcher with a strong focus on the emerging issues and challenges associated with trace organic contaminants. Since her appointment at the UofA (April 2020), Arlos’ research has been focused on the fate/transport of contaminants stemming from municipal wastewater, industrial activities (oil sands industry), and agriculture. Arlos was appointed as a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Pest Control Products (2022 – 2025). This committee provides the Pest Management Regulatory Agency PMRA (under Health Canada mandate) with independent scientific expertise to support evidence-based decision-making on pesticides. As a female educator and a person of colour, Arlos takes her responsibilities as a water mentor seriously. She has created a water-focused scholarship program in the Philippines and served as a mentor with UofA’s Female in Engineering, DiscoverE, and I-STEAM Pathways, a program that enables Indigenous undergraduate students to gain research experience in environmental fields.

Dr. Paulina Johnson, Sîpihkokîsikowiskwew, Blue Sky Woman, is Nêhiyaw, Four-Spirit, and a citizen of Samson Cree Nation in Maskwacis, AB. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Sociology and an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Environment and Civil Engineering at the University of Alberta. Johnson is an Indigenous scholar with over a decade of experience in developing insights and tools grounded in traditional law that help communities with consultation, community engagement, and Indigenous-settler relations. Her areas of expertise are in traditional law and governance, Indigenous legal traditions, Indigenous-Settler relations, Consultation, and Community Engagement. Much of her research is directed toward Indigenous research methods, including how Indigenous research should be conducted, how relationships with community and Nations should be maintained, and how to build up the voices of Indigenous Elders and knowledge holders. In August, Johnson became the Co-Research Director of the Canadian Mountain Network.

Finalist: Papaschase First Nation ( Chief Calvin Bruneau)

Initiative: Enhancing the Nation’s ability to apply land stewardship initiatives through advanced technical products and services

Finalist: Alain Pietroniro, Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, University of Calgary

Initiative: Flowing Forward: Navigating Canada’s Water Resources in an Era of Change

Dr. Alain Pietroniro is a hydrology and sustainable water systems expert with almost three decades of experience in water resources engineering. He currently holds the position of Professor and Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Water Systems at the University of Calgary’s Schulich School of Engineering. His research focuses on improving, developing, and evaluating hydrologic models; understanding the sensitivity of water resources to climate variability and change; and developing the next generation of hydrological modelling systems. His work combines his expertise in operational, policy, and water resource areas to address urgent sustainability issues.

Finalist: Excir (Hiwa Salimi,CTO; Loghman Moradi, CIO; Pat Derkacz,Eng Manager, Aaron Logan, COO)

Initiative: Critical Minerals Recovered from Waste with Ultra Low Environmental Impact

Founded in 2017 by active co-founders Dr. Hiwa Salimi and Dr. Loghman Moradi. Excir enables the ethical and sustainable extraction and recovery of precious metals from secondary sources. Our pioneering and proprietary technology allows for efficient precious metal extraction from secondary sources, including waste streams such as: electronic waste, spent catalysts, and scrap jewelry. This results in a reduction of environmental impact of over 98% compared to current incumbents. The Excir lixiviant is an extremely mild and eco-friendly solution that can be recycled with negligible environmental impact. The chemistry has the potential to help close the loop on the Circular Economy and Supply Chain all while reducing our global reliance on new material mining. Excir has 23 full-time staff and an annual R&D spend of $3.5m+. It operates out of Calgary and has two facilities totaling 25,000+ sqft. Excir is a proud licensee to The Royal Mint of England for their 3,750 tonne/year E-waste recycling plant, a first of its kind in the world. Excir is a R2v3, ISO14001, and ISO45001 company.

Mr. Moradi has 10 years+ experience in the field of Hydrometallurgy and Applied Chemistry with the focus on designing and applying new sulphur based extractants for solvent extraction of gold and other precious metals. He earned his PhD in Organic Chemistry from Tarbiat Modares University and is one of the three original founders of Excir.

Mr. Salimi is an expert in the hydrometallurgy and organometallic chemistry. He earned his PhD in Organometallic Chemistry and has over 10 years of experience in precious metals extraction and metal-ligand interactions. Hiwa also holds several patents in the field of purification and recovery of precious metals.

Mr. Logan has over 15+ years of experience in industry commercializing new technology, and presently holds 660 patents. He was a co-founder of Evolution Engineering where he served many roles, most recently Vice President Engineering, where he helped grow annual revenues to $30m+. He has completed multiple equity raises, licenced out core technologies in several multi-million-dollar licensing agreements, and successfully divested three companies. Aaron holds degrees from Oxford (Masters in Global Business, with Distinction), Queen’s University (BSc with Honors), and holds the P.Eng designation.

Mr. Derkacz is an innovator with 11+ years of experience commercializing and sustaining numerous new technologies, and presently holds 252 patents. He has managed teams of diverse engineering disciplines at both Excir and his past role at Evolution Engineering. Pat earned his BSc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Calgary and holds a P.Eng designation with APEGA.

Finalist: Livestock Water Recycling (Karen Schuett, Co-Founder, CEO)

Initiative: Data driven, value-additive, and eco-conscious water treatment for global food systems

LWR provides data-driven, value-additive, and eco-conscious water treatment solutions to improve costs and overall operations at livestock farms, food waste facilities, and renewable natural gas operations.

Their patented, climate-smart technology platform converts manure into high-value products that can be sold into the circular economy. These include fertilizers, biogas feedstock, and recycled clean water. Not only does this result in increased crop yields of between 30-50%, but in an 82% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions while also dramatically impacting herd health. Processing manure immediately on the farm results in increased animal health, increased milk production.

With skyrocketing fertilizer prices, a booming renewable natural gas sector, and consumer trends towards transparency and authenticity, the current value opportunity for manure is unprecedented. As the market-leading resource recovery system, LWR is in the process of scaling up to meet the global demand. With a focus on product development and continued innovation, LWR is completing their Series A fundraise while continuing to drive the global transformation of protein production towards data-driven, climate-smart manure management.

Finalist: VL Energy LTD(Ling Bai, CEO)

Initiative: Successful development of Predictive Emissions Monitoring System utilizing AI and Machine Learning to reduce/monitor multi-gas emissions

Ling Bai is a highly accomplished environmental engineer and entrepreneur who has made significant contributions to the field of predictive emissions monitoring. With an MBA and a Master of Engineering in Geomatics with a specialization in Environmental Engineering, Ling has leveraged her expertise to develop and implement a successful emissions monitoring system that utilizes AI and machine learning technologies.

Ling’s visionary approach has not only helped companies reduce their environmental impact but also predict emissions patterns, allowing for proactive measures and improved long-term sustainability whilst reducing companies operating costs and safety hazards. Driven by her passion for environmental stewardship, Ling founded her own company, VL Energy, where she continues to make a positive impact in the industry. VL Energy not only provides comprehensive environmental consulting services but also implements cutting-edge technologies and data-driven strategies to help businesses optimize their emissions reduction efforts. Ling Bai’s body of work serves as a testament to her commitment to advancing environmental sustainability, and innovation.

Finalist: Kathairos Solutions (Dick Brown, CEO)

Initiative: Eliminating Methane Venting from Oil and Gas Sites Using Liquid Nitrogen

As Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Kathairos, Dick has been instrumental in helping mitigate more than 21.69 million standard cubic ft (SCF) of methane emissions and 20,132.55 metric tons (MT) of CO2 equivalent emissions from oil and gas sites across North America. This has been achieved in in the span of less than 15 months of commercial operations.

Dick has led Kathairos’ unprecedented continent-wide adoption and supported the energy industry’s collective movement toward lower emission practices and ambitious decarbonization goals.

Finalist: Nashaat Nassar, Professor, Dept. of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Calgary

Initiative: Nanoparticle Technology: A Game-Changer for Enhanced Energy and Environmental Efficiency

Dr. Nassar is a professor in the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering in the Schulich School of Engineering at the University of Calgary. He is an internationally recognized leader in the fields of nanotechnology and its application in energy and the environment. His work develops methods of mimicking nature for synthesizing naturally derived nanoparticles at ambient conditions for energy and environment applications.

Discoveries made in his laboratory have a wide range of practical applications of nanoparticles to provide viable, clean alternative technologies. Nanoparticle technologies developed by Dr. Nassar provide substantial benefits to industry and society in terms of process simplification, reduced cost, energy efficiency, and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. His work shows that naturally derived nanoparticles are equally effective for both enhancing bitumen recovery from oil sands and treating oil sand process-affected water by improving tailings settling and consolidation and can provide a better alternative to the existing oil recovery and produced water treatment.

Finalist: Ian Gates, Director, Global Research Initiative, University of Calgary; Jess Tink, Manager, Energy Research Strategy, University of Calgary

Initiative: The Global Research Initiative for Sustainable Low-Carbon Unconventional Resources

The Global Research Initiative (GRI) for Sustainable Low-Carbon Unconventional Resources is a 7 year $75M Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF) program that is hosted at the University of Calgary. The GRI is focused on research on methods to improve the environmental impacts of heavy oil/bitumen recovery, hydraulic fracturing, and low-carbon energy solutions. The program has catalyzed energy research at UCalgary, generating 401 Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP; research associates, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows), $24.5 million in international funding, over 150 inventions and 23 start-up companies, 613 proceedings and publications, 182 awards received by GRI researchers.

The GRI is led by Professor Ian Gates and managed by Jessica Tink and an incredible administration team (Srijani Deb, Joyce Simoes, Alejandra Bermudez, Farah Ahmed, Rose Liedke, Katherine Parker, TJ Babey, and Natasha Shevchenko) who have developed highly efficient methods for program and project administration, performance management, and reporting.

Finalist: Milana Trifkovic, Professor, Dept. of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Calgary

Initiative: Unlocking the Potential of Asphaltenes: Asphadots for Energy and Biomedical Advancements

Milana Trifkovic is a Professor in the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering at the University of Calgary, where she holds the prestigious UCalgary Research Excellence Chair. She obtained her BSc and Ph.D. in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering from the University of Western Ontario. Before joining UCalgary in 2013, Milana served as an NSERC Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Minnesota.

Milana’s research has led to the development of advanced functional materials and technologies that are now being commercialized. She is widely recognized for her expertise and leadership in the field, serving as an Associate Editor for the renowned journal Physics of Fluids and as a Co-Chair for the Materials and Chemical Engineering Evaluation Group responsible for evaluating the NSERC Discovery Grants competition. Milana is also an entrepreneur, having registered seven patents and co-founding the start-up EnviCore, which is led by highly qualified personnel from her research group.

In addition to her research accomplishments, Milana has a strong commitment to mentorship, innovation in teaching, and outreach. Notably, she received the Killam Undergraduate Mentorship Award, the GEDC Airbus Diversity Award, and the ASTech Foundation Award for Excellence in Science and Technology Public Awareness.

Finalist: Douglas Ivey, Professor, Dept. of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta

Initiative: Development and Characterization of Materials for Energy Applications

Douglas Ivey is a professor of Materials Engineering in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering at the University of Alberta (since 1987). Ivey’s research in the past 20 years has targeted materials for the energy sector. This includes microalloyed steels for oil and gas transport and, more recently, hydrogen transport, as well as materials for electrochemical energy storage. As an authority in materials characterization, Ivey has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, with more than 300 refereed journal publications. He has supervised 77 graduate students to completion and 67 postdoctoral fellows, research associates, and other researchers. He is currently an editor for the journal Batteries and Supercaps, an editor for the journal Advanced Powder Materials and serves on the Board of Examiners for the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) and on the advisory board for the journal Batteries.

Finalist: Exro Technologies Inc. (Sue Ozdemir, CEO)

Initiative: Power Electronics Experts: Exro’s innovations in transportation and energy sectors.

The Cell Driver™, on the other hand, represents a leap forward in stationary energy storage for commercial and industrial applications. Utilizing Exro’s patented BCS, this technology offers exceptional management of each cell in the system, resulting in unparalleled safety, capacity, and uptime. Together, these pioneering technologies form a powerful ecosystem that stands at the forefront of the transition to electrification.

Finalist: Nimble Science (Sabina Bruehlmann, CEO; Joseph Wang, CTO)

Initiative: Unprecedented Access to Actionable Data from the GI Tract

Sabina delivers the knowledge and expertise to bring products to their full market potential. As co-founder, she is focused on the execution of Nimble’s market access plan. Dr. Bruehlmann previously co-founded a successful medical device company and is motivated to use those learnings to launch Nimble Science forward.

Passionate and driven to share his technology with this emerging new field, co-founder and inventor Joseph Wang is leading Nimble Science to partner with teams worldwide. Dr. Wang has deep expertise in wearables and ingestibles with a track record of commercial success.

Finalist: Elise Fear, Professor, Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Calgary; Co-Founder, Wave View Imaging

Initiative: Imaging Technologies to Improve Breast Cancer Detection

Dr. Fear is a Professor and Associate Head, Research in the Department of Electrical and Software Engineering in the Schulich School of Engineering at the University of Calgary. She is the former Alberta Innovates iCORE Strategic Chair in Multimodality Imaging and Sensing. Her team has developed new approaches to breast imaging using low-power microwaves implemented with participant and patient groups. Dr. Fear co-founded Wave View Imaging in 2020 with the aim of bringing this technology to market to improve women’s health.

Finalist: Sumantra “Monty” Ghosh, Doctor of Internal Medicine and Addiction Medicine, Alberta Health Services; Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Alberta / University of Calgary

Initiative: Using technological innovations to prevent drug overdoses for people using substances alone during the opioid epidemic

Dr. Ghosh’s work is around bringing harm reduction to individuals who use drugs alone. With over 70% of opioid overdoses happening when people use substances alone, Dr. Ghosh works with various community partners and academics to create innovative ways for people to stay safe as they use drugs. His largest contributions so far have been to help co-create the National Overdose Response Service with Grenfell Ministries, in which individuals who use drugs call a phone number and work with peers who will monitor them as they use substances. If they overdose, the peers dispatch EMS services to their home. He has also worked with the Alberta Government to co-create the Digital Overdose Response Service, a similar service using a smartphone app with an automatic timer. Collectively, these two services have prevented over 98 potential overdoses across the country.

Finalist: Ian Lewis, Associate Professor and Director, Alberta Centre for Advanced Diagnostics, University of Calgary

Initiative: Rapid diagnostics in Alberta’s health innovation ecosystem: saving lives through new technology

Infectious diseases account for the majority of deaths in developing countries and are among the ten leading causes of mortality in Alberta. The emergence of diverse drug-resistant pathogens has made finding new antimicrobial therapies both a Canadian and global health priority. Dr. Lewis’ laboratory investigates the connection between metabolic adaptation and virulence of human pathogens. The ultimate goal of this research is to develop new diagnostic methods to identify high-risk patients and novel antimicrobial therapies to control infections. One of the key challenges his laboratory faces is unravelling the complex host-pathogen metabolic dynamics that occur during infections. To address this challenge, he uses state-of-the-art mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology to comprehensively quantify the flow of molecules between pathogens and their hosts. This metabolomics approach is a powerful strategy for connecting metabolic phenomena with specific genes and is essential for understanding the metabolic determinants of virulence.

Finalist: Applied Quantum Materials Inc. (Jonathan Veinot, CTO)

Initiative: Silicon Nanomaterials: Small particles making a big impact!

Finalist:

Maricor Arlos, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering , University of Alberta

Paulina Johnson, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta

Initiative: Land2Lab Research and Outreach Project

Finalist: Robogarden Inc. (Mohamed Elhabiby, President)

Initiative: Democratization of Digital Skills Training through AI-Powered Learning Platform

Finalist: Diwakar Krishnamurthy, Professor, Dept. of Electrical and Software Engineering, University of Calgary

Initiative: Nonspeaking is Not Non-Thinking: Breaking Communication Barriers in Autism with AR and AI

Dr. Diwakar Krishnamurthy is a full professor in the Department of Electrical and Software Engineering at the University of Calgary. He has more than two decades of experience in conducting high-impact software systems research. He has led many successful collaborations with multiple industry partners and community organizations spanning areas such as big data, machine learning, cloud computing, digital health, multimedia systems, XR-based educational technology, and assistive technologies. His research has been published in top software journals and conferences, such as the IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering and the ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing.

Dr. Krishnamurthy has given invited talks in premier research labs, including Hewlett Packard Labs (USA) and the IBM T.J. Watson Research Center (USA). He has also co-led the digital transformation initiative of the Schulich School of Engineering at the University of Calgary (UCalgary). In this role, he was instrumental in launching a one-of-a-kind digital minor program that allows undergraduate students to augment their domain knowledge with advanced programming and AI skills.

Finalist: Areto Labs (Kasey Machin, COO)

Initiative: Areto Labs: Countering Online Abuse and Transforming Social Media Communities

Kasey Machin and the Areto Labs team are trailblazers in the fight against online abuse and harassment. With a deep commitment to empathy, inclusivity, and social responsibility, they have created a groundbreaking Alberta-grown software solution that counteracts the effects of abusive comments on social media. Their technology not only benefits mental health but also has real business implications, from increased customer engagement to decreased reputational risk.

Areto Labs has harnessed the power of machine learning to track, moderate, and counteract online abuse on one convenient and highly customizable dashboard. Kasey has forged partnerships, garnered global media attention, and expanded Areto’s reach to support women in politics, professional sports, and non-profits. With Areto Labs, Kasey has not only built a successful business but also a movement. Areto Labs is not just transforming social media strategy; it is transforming lives and creating a future where everyone can thrive in a digital world free from abuse and harassment.

Finalist: Andre McDonald, Associate VP, Strategic Research Initiatives and Performance, University of Alberta; Director, ELITE Program for Black Youth

Initiative: ELITE Program for Black Youth

The Experiential Learning in Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship (ELITE) Program for Black Youth provides experiential learning opportunities in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) for Black youth aged 15-22. Along with paid work-integrated internship experiences, interns participate in entrepreneurship training and wellness coaching. The program endeavours to help Black youth develop marketable technical skills, transition into post-secondary studies and build a professional network.

Dr. André McDonald is currently the Director of the ELITE Program, Associate Vice President (Strategic Research Initiatives and Performance), and a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Alberta. His current research involves the development of multi-functional coatings that provide wear and erosion resistance, heating, and structural health monitoring to a variety of structures. Dr. McDonald has trained nearly 100 students, fellows, and research associates in the areas of thermal spraying and heat transfer and has received multiple awards including the Mentorship Award from the Faculty of Engineering (University of Alberta), and the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta’s Early Accomplishment Award.

Finalist: Marleny Aranda Saldaña, Professor, Depts. of Life and Environmental Science; Ag, Food and Nutrition Science, University of Alberta

Initiative: Valorization of Agri-food Waste with Novel Green Processes

Finalist: EnviroApps Inc. (Amit Bhargava, CEO)

Initiative: Digital Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) Shipping Documents

Finalist: Reimagine Architects (Vivian Manasc, Executive Principal)

Initiative: Reimagining the Built Environment

Vivian Manasc leads Reimagine, a global Architectural and Engineering Studio, with studios in Edmonton, Calgary and the EU. She is a Fellow and Past President of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada and has served on the Executive of many professional organizations across Canada for over 30 years. Vivian is known as a pioneer in advancing regenerative and sustainable design in Alberta. Her strong belief in creating sustainable design processes in urban and rural Alberta has led to the design of many notable projects.

Vivian’s vision and skill in facilitating the design process that enables successful projects such as the LEED Gold Water Centre in Calgary, Calgary’s EOC, the new Cultural Gathering Centre at Métis Crossing and urban revitalization projects such as the reimagined WSP Place in Edmonton and Allard Hall at MacEwan University. Vivian earned her degree in architecture at McGill University in 1977 and a Master’s in Business Administration at the University of Alberta. After she started her architecture practice in Edmonton, Vivian was resolved to co-create design of structures with community. As such, she has designed with First Nations, Metis, and Inuit communities since 1985. In 2017, Vivian was inducted to the Alberta Order of Excellence, which is the highest honour of the Province of Alberta

Finalist: Livestock Gentec (Graham Plastow, CEO; John Basarab, Head of Beef Operations)

Initiative: Developing and Driving Adoption of Transformative Genomic Technologies for Cattle

Livestock Gentec is a Centre for Applied Research. Commercialization established in 2010 and based at the University of Alberta. Livestock Gentec operates as an integrated research, development and technology pipeline that, while collaborating globally, has the mandate of delivering technology to the beef industry within Canada. With a focus on genomics, Livestock Gentec is working to increase the beef sector’s competitiveness, profitability and sustainability through genetic solutions. This includes better management tools for the sector to increase livestock production efficiency (reduce cost of production while also reducing the environmental footprint), enhance meat quality (add value to a commodity product) and support continual improvement of animal health (increased resiliency to disease and temperature extremes) and food safety (healthy animals produce healthy food for healthy communities). Livestock Gentec collaborates widely across industry and academia to build teams that develop applied genomic solutions and transfer knowledge directly to producers.

Finalist: Livestock Water Recycling (Karen Schuett, Co-Founder, CEO)

Initiative: Data driven, value-additive, and eco-conscious water treatment for global food systems

2023 ASTech Award Finalists

Leadership/Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

Finalist: RUNWITHIT Synthetics (Myrna Bittner, CEO; Dean Bittner, CTO); Edmonton Global (Malcolm Bruce, CEO); Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board (Karen Wichuk, CEO)

Initiative: SEEITAL – The Synthetic Edmonton Environment Intelligent Advanced Laboratory a Digital Twin

Malcolm Bruce is a visionary executive with a progressive career in leadership and the first CEO of Edmonton Global. By drawing on his proven ability as a strategic planner and team builder, Malcolm is promoting the Edmonton region as the business location of choice for global investment. Malcolm brings a 30-year military career with an extensive background in strategic planning, organizational change, financial management, issues management, and stakeholder engagement.

With over a decade of experience in executive leadership positions in the public and post-secondary sectors, Karen Wichuk has led and championed complex initiatives, guided organizations through transition and change, and built long-lasting local, national and international relationships rooted in authentic multi-stakeholder engagement. As the CEO of EMRB, Karen works with a diverse, committed and regionally-focused Board and dedicated team of professionals to implement a vision and strategy that recognizes the Edmonton Metropolitan Region’s collective strengths, capitalizes on regional opportunities, tackles joint challenges and enables the EMRB’s thirteen member municipalities to plan together for shared growth.

Myrna and Dean Bittner started their first tech company together in 1992, developing commercial internet groupware produced and used by NASA and US West for real-time remote communications, followed by co-founding a 3D neural net visualization research company, NeuralVR. In 2019, RUNWITHIT Co-founders, Myrna, Dean and their team created their first Synthetic City for utility earthquake response in Silicon Valley. Today, RUNWITHIT’s Synthetic City platform connects 28 global cities and their communities with the insight they need to design improved futures for people and their planet. RUNWITHIT’s platform continues to win international awards, including the 2021 United Nations Global Call Award for Decarbonization. As a women-led, Certified Indigenous Business, Myrna and Dean passionately live and promote the imperative for inclusion, diversity and representation to lead the future of people, the planet and our galaxy.

Finalist: Sumantra “Monty” Ghosh, Doctor of Internal Medicine and Addiction Medicine, Alberta Health Services; Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Alberta / University of Calgary

Initiative: Using technological innovations to preventing drug overdoses for people using substances alone during the opioid epidemic

Finalist: QinetiQ Target Systems (Sarunas Ilgevicius, Electronics Engineer; Kurtis Peters, UVS Systems Engineer; Derek Faichuk, Control Station Technician; Blair Gordon, Technical Illustrator)

Initiative: Unmanned Target Systems – Hammer Head Forward Facing Camera

The Hammerhead Forward Facing Camera Team set out to create a Camera payload for a customer so that they could effectively train their new operators. It can be hard to stare at a control screen and drive a boat. Now, with real visual feedback visible on the screen, this makes the operator training a lot easier to grasp. The Forward-Facing Camera can be used in operations to allow the controller of the Hammerhead to safely get closer to the ship that is engaging with the Hammer head. With the visual feedback, this also opens new training scenarios that in the past have not been allowed as operators couldn’t see how close they were to other vessels.

Finalist: Livestock Gentec (John Graham, CEO; Basarab Plastow, CEO)

Initiative: Developing and Driving Adoption of Transformative Genomic Technologies for Cattle

Finalist: NeurAlbertaTech Neurotechnologies Ltd. (Keerat Sandhu, Director, Business Development)

Initiative: NeurAlbertaTech presents natHACKS: A Hackathon Like No Other

NeurAlbertaTech’s central mission is standing up a local but globally-recognized neurotechnology ecosystem right here in Alberta; we are approaching this from the ground up by focusing on a talent-first approach, creating the necessary capacity and environment for neurotechnology innovation to flourish. To that end, we offer hands-on experiential learning focused on creating neurotechnology solutions to real-world problems. This approach is best exemplified in our annual neurotechnology hackathon natHACKS, now running for its third year.

natHACKS is Canada’s largest neurotechnology hackathon, and as of this year, Alberta’s biggest hackathon across the board. In order to expand the breadth of problems that hackathon participants can work on, over the last year we have made a concerted company-wide shift towards broadening our scope from the narrow Brain Computer Interfaces (BCIs) to “neurotechnology”, which includes any projects that directly interfaces with the nervous system. We remain a hardware-first hackathon, meaning we prioritize participants utilizing hardware themself and creating programs around their own (or their peers’) live biosignals and/or those of the target populations for which they are creating a solution for.

Finalist: Semitechnic Corp. (Reza Enaloui, Founder)

Initiative: Designs, develops, manufactures, tests, and distributes innovative semiconductor devices and utility-applicable systems

Reza is a highly experienced and innovative leader with a passion for driving progress in the power systems and renewable energy sectors. As a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.), Certified Product Manager (CPM) and PMP-trained professional, Reza is a strategic thinker who develops high-quality business strategies and plans. He has founded and served as the CEO of a successful renewable energy startup, where he leveraged his business acumen to secure funding, establish strategic partnerships, and drive exponential growth.

Finalist: Emily Grise, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta

Initiative: Charting a path towards safe, equitable, efficient, and clean public transit

Finalist: Level 7 and Wound3 (Connor Povoledo, President)

Initiative: A Young Change Maker in Action

Connor Povoledo is training as an engineer and an entrepreneur. He has diverse, hands-on experience in the significant majority of engineering fields, including: electrical, mechanical, materials, software, structural, and biomedical engineering. Through his numerous consulting and leadership involvements with developing and established enterprises, Connor has developed a strong appreciation for the practical nuance of excellent engineering solutions – specifically with an emphasis on scalable implementations (manufacturing line optimizations, software compatibility improvements, etc.). From an operations perspective, as the co-founder of Level 7 Plastics (a University of Alberta-based plastics recycling and up-scaling facility), Connor effectively manages team members, coordinates business-to-business partnerships, and oversees strategic planning for future expansion. Connor is also the co-founder, President and lead back-end developer for Wound³, overseeing AI and analytics developments, while also responsible for creating collaboration opportunities with clinics and other businesses in the chronic wound space.

Finalist: Dr. Phone Fix (Piyush Sawhney, Founder, CEO )

Initiative: Pioneer ‘Fixer’ of scientific marvel – the cell phone

Piyush Sawhney is a 34-year-old multiple award-winning, eco-committed pioneer of Canada’s multi-million dollar cell phone repair and pre-owned phone business, which is essential to every Albertan for work, school or play and which every ASTech organizer, judge, nominee or sponsor rely upon by the minute.

He’s built Canada’s largest privately owned company in the category in just over three years and repairs thousands of cell phones for Albertans with 20 locations in the province, and diverts thousands from landfills as e-waste. He and the company he founded, Dr. Phone Fix, are setting industry standards and have become a model. He has brought world attention to Alberta as a centre of innovation, discovery and entrepreneurship and shared the stage in London, England, with Telus, Bell and IBM – winning top awards for telecommunications.

Finalist: Medi-Scribe Solutions Inc. (Lawrence Woo, CEO/Co-founder; Nathan Nguyen, CTO/Co-founder; Jonathan Chan, Research Director)

Initiative: Novel drug information and documentation platform to advance patient care

Dr. Lawrence Woo, CEO, Co-founder: Lawrence is a prescribing pharmacist and a PharmD graduate from the University of Alberta. With experience working on the front lines and serving as a pharmacy manager, multi-store director, and consultant, Lawrence faced challenges related to documentation burden, often dedicating an additional 5-6 hours per week to ensure quality assurance and improve the quality of life for his staff. Motivated to find a comprehensive solution, Lawrence co-founded Medi-scribe alongside Nathan to return time to busy Pharmacists to serve patients better.

Nathan Nguyen, CTO, Co-founder: Nathan received his Bachelor of Science, majoring in Computer Science and Mathematics, from the University of Alberta. With his technical prowess, Nathan co-founded Medi-scribe with Lawrence in 2021. Nathan has led the development of Medi-scribe, which is currently used in 20 pharmacies across Alberta and British Columbia.

Jonathan Chan, Research Director: Jonathan is the Research Director at Medi-scribe, PharmD student and a Research Assistant (Epidemiology Coordinating and Research (EPICORE) Centre) at the University of Alberta. With four years of research experience, he is leading the team in evaluating the utility of Medi-scribe in patient care in community pharmacies across Alberta.

Finalist:

Maricor Arlos, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering , University of Alberta

Paulina Johnson, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta

Initiative: Land2Lab Research and Outreach Project

Dr. Maricor Arlos positions herself as a Filipino settler and a Western-trained environmental engineer whose new personal mandate has been to integrate Indigenous worldviews and methodologies in environmental water quality management where they typically have not been before. Her close collaboration with Johnson started in Fall 2022. Johnson is Nêhiyaw (she/her, Four-Spirit/Plains Cree) and a citizen of Samson Cree Nation (SCN) from Mâskwacis. Both equally contribute to knowledge co-creation and co-development of strategies within an Indigenous-based framework. Arlos and Johnson are currently co-supervising a Ph.D. student in Environmental Engineering (Emily Quecke, she/they) who started in the Fall of 2022 and is undertaking the very first Interdisciplinary Ph.D. project in Sociology and Engineering. This newly established partnership positions Arlos to pursue the changes needed to move water insecurity research forward.

Finalist: RUNWITHIT Synthetics (Myrna Bittner, CEO; Dean Bittner, CTO); Edmonton Global (Malcolm Bruce, CEO); Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board (Karen Wichuk, CEO)

Initiative: SEEITAL – The Synthetic Edmonton Environment Intelligent Advanced Laboratory a Digital Twin

Finalist: Chief Calvin Bruneau – Papaschase First Nation (PFN)

Initiative: Enhancing the Nation’s ability to apply land stewardship initiatives through advanced technical products and services

Finalist: Agile Industries (Harlee Courtepatte, Founder)

Initiative: Advancing Indigenous Led Cloud Infrastructure Solutions

Agile Industries is reshaping the IT service landscape for non-profits and SMBs, emphasizing adaptability and relevance in the digital era. With a commitment to cost-effective and sustainable IT solutions, Agile has introduced the Hybrid-cloud Methodology anchored in their MITE (Managed IT Environment) framework. This distinct approach encompasses five core areas of IT service: streamlining workforce productivity, optimizing facility-based operations, enhancing team collaboration, supporting roaming & mobility, and offering robust cloud-based server & data systems. Beyond its IT expertise, Agile Industries holds a deep commitment to uplifting Aboriginal communities through technological solutions, ensuring a balance between modern innovation and cultural heritage.

Finalist: RUNWITHIT Synthetics (Myrna Bittner, CEO; Dean Bittner, CTO); Edmonton Global (Malcolm Bruce, CEO); Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board (Karen Wichuk, CEO)

Initiative: SEEITAL – The Synthetic Edmonton Environment Intelligent Advanced Laboratory a Digital Twin

Finalist: Nimble Science (Sabina Bruehlmann, CEP; Joseph Wang CTO)

Initiative: Unprecedented Access to Actionable Data from the GI Tract

Finalist: University of Alberta (Ying Tsui, Professor, Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta; Tarek El-Bialy, Professor, Dept. of Dentistry, University of Alberta; Jie Chen, Professor, Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta), SmileSonica Inc (Cristian Scurtescu, CEO)

Initiative: Invention and Commercialization of Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound Dental Therapy Device

Dr. Ying Yin Tsui is a Professor in the Faculty of Engineering, University of Alberta. He is a leader in applying electromagnetic, computational and machine-learning techniques for biomedical, environmental and energy applications. He served in many leadership roles in the Faculty of Engineering, including Vice Dean and Associate Dean of Research & Internationalization, and led many successful research, innovation, commercialization and training initiatives. He was the Principal Investigator for an NSERC I2I project, which provided the initial funding to start the development of a low-intensity pulse ultrasound technology for biomedical and health applications.

His graduate student, Cristian Scurtescu, founded SmileSonica Inc. in 2008 based on the patented ultrasonic dental technology. Cristian has over 20 years of experience developing medical devices and microelectronic products and is the inventor of 47 medical technology patents. Under Cristian’s leadership, SmileSonica’s team developed its first commercial product, the Aevo System (www.aevosystem.com), a class 2 prescription medical device for accelerating orthodontic treatment using the novel ultrasonic dental technology licensed from the University of Alberta. The Aevo System is the most advanced therapeutic ultrasound medical device in the world, is manufactured by SmileSonica in Edmonton, is commercially available in over 200 orthodontic and dental clinics across Canada and is expanding into international markets.

Dr. Tarek El-Bialy is a tenured, full-time professor of orthodontics and biomedical engineering at the University of Alberta. He is a leader in the repair/regeneration of orthodontically-induced root resorption, dentofacial regeneration, and biomechanics. He holds many honours, including a fellowship from Pierre Fauchard Academy, fellowship of the Royal College of Dentists of Canada (RCDC), a Diplomat position with the American Board of Orthodontics, and a place as a research fellowship with von Humboldt Foundation, Germany, and the American Association of Orthodontists award for the Institute for Teaching and Learning (ITL).

Dr. Jie Chen, Faculty of Engineering, University of Alberta: A leader in artificial intelligence, integrated circuits and microfluidic biosensors. He is one of the pioneers in designing and implementing low-intensity pulse ultrasound for biomedical research in dentistry, mental health and renewable energy. His honours/awards include, an IEEE Fellow, Fellow of Canadian Academy of Engineering, Fellow of American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, Distinguished ECE alumni award from University of Maryland, Killam Professorship of Canada, and a MaCalla Professorship of University of Alberta.

Finalist: Nanoprecise Sci Corp (Sunil Vedula, CEO & Founder)

Initiative: Improve equipment efficiency and reduce Carbon Footprint using Predictive Maintenance

Nanoprecise Sci Corp specializes in implementing Artificial Intelligence and IoT technology devices for predictive asset maintenance and condition monitoring. Timely and accurate diagnosis of machine faults allow operators to save time and resources, reduce incidents and emissions and improve equipment performance. Our automated AI-based analytics platform processes the raw data for customers across Automotive, Chemicals, Cement, Coal, Consumer Electronics, Forestry, HVAC, Metals, and Mining, among other sectors, by maintaining the highest standards for data protection. Our advanced AI sends notifications to customers, empowering them with the right data at the right time.

Our team comprises experienced technical talent with excellent domain expertise in Customer Success, Condition Monitoring, Data Science, Software Engineering and UI/UX design, among others. This has allowed us to deliver products and services of utmost quality to our customers; We are not just a sensor company; We are a solution company that understands the various aspects of making these technologies work. Our dedication and continued commitment have further increased our operational performance in the course of the last 4 years.

Finalist: Medi-Scribe Solutions Inc. (Lawrence Woo, CEO/Co-founder; Nathan Nguyen, CTO/Co-founder; Jonathan Chan, Research Director)

Initiative: Novel drug information and documentation platform to advance patient care

Finalist: Marleny Aranda Saldaña – Professor, Depts. of Life and Environmental Science; Ag, Food and Nutrition Science, University of Alberta

Initiative: Valorization of Agri-food Waste with Novel Green Processes

Finalist: Yang Gao – Professor, Dept. of Geomatics Engineering; Positioning & Mobile Information Systems Group , University of Calgary

Initiative: Innovation Brings High Precision Satellite Navigation to People and Applications

Finalist: Ian Lewis – Associate Professor and Director, Alberta Centre for Advanced Diagnostics, University of Calgary

Initiative: Rapid diagnostics in Alberta’s health innovation ecosystem: saving lives through new technology

Initiative: Invention and Commercialization of Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound Dental Therapy Device

Finalist: Greg Welch – Professor, Dept. of Chemistry, University of Calgary

Initiative: Innovation in Alberta: Converting Indoor Light into Electricity

Dr. Gregory Welch obtained his BSc in Chemistry from the University of Calgary in 2003 and worked in the laboratories of Dr. Chivers and Dr. Piers. He earned his PhD at the University of Windsor in 2008 under the supervision of Dr. Stephan, where he helped develop Frustrated Lewis Pair chemistry. He then moved to UC-Santa Barbara, where he studied organic solar cells as an NSERC postdoctoral fellow with Dr. Bazan. He began a faculty position in 2012 as a Canadian Research Chair at Dalhousie University in Halifax, NS. In 2015, he relocated to the University of Calgary as a Canadian Research Chair. His research interests are focused on the design, synthesis and characterization of organic/organometallic materials and use in printed electronics, coatings and catalysis. He was promoted to full professor in 2021.

Finalist: Kathryn Birnie, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, University of Calgary

Initiative: The new Pediatric Pain Management national health standard

Dr. Kathryn (Katie) Birnie is a Clinical Psychologist and Assistant Professor in the Departments of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine, and Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary, where she leads the Partnering For Pain program. She is the Associate Scientific Director of Solutions for Kids in Pain (SKIP), a national knowledge mobilization network working to improve evidence-based children’s pain management through coordination and collaboration. Dr. Birnie completed a BA(Hons) in Psychology at the University of Calgary (2007) and a PhD in Clinical Psychology at Dalhousie University (2016). She has trained and worked at work at hospitals across Canada in Halifax, Toronto, and Calgary.

Dr. Birnie joined Alberta Children’s Hospital as a medical psychologist in 2018, where she continues to provide clinical care through the Vi Riddell Children’s Pain and Rehabilitation Program. Dr. Birnie is a recognized leader in pain research and patient partnership. She is the recipient of early career awards from the International Association for the Study of Pain’s (IASP) Pain in Childhood Special Interest Group (2023) and the Canadian Pain Society (2022). She was also the recipient of the 2020 Pain Awareness Award from the Canadian Pain Society and was selected as a 2020-2021 MAYDAY Fellow, a prestigious fellowship focused on communications and advocacy for improved pain care.

Finalist: Jennifer Dornstauder, Manufacturing Design Engineer, Centre for Innovation in Manufacturing (CIM-TAC), Red Deer Polytechnic

Initiative: Using advanced manufacturing technologies in the biomedical field

Jennifer Dornstauder has a Bachelor of Mining Engineering from the University of Alberta and received her Professional Engineering designation in 2021. Prior to joining the CIM-TAC as a Manufacturing Design Engineer, Jennifer worked for companies across Canada developing and manufacturing mining and industrial equipment. She conducts engineering and design on industrial applied research projects at the CIM-TAC, where she enjoys helping clients to solve problems and fine-tune designs.

Finalist: Summit Nanotech (Amanda Hall, CEO)

Initiative: Taking On the Lithium Supply Chain Challenge – Sustainably and Ethically

Amanda Hall is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Summit Nanotech. As a professional geophysicist and laboratory scientist with more than 20 years of experience in the oil and gas, and mining industries, Amanda brings her technical and industry experience to her leadership role in clean energy, shaping the future of the clean technology sector and the energy transition. Her passion for the environment and finding innovative solutions to make operations more sustainable and efficient inspired her transition to extracting lithium, a key metal for the global energy transition and the EV industry. Amanda has been named the $1M winner of the MaRS National Women in Cleantech Challenge in 2022 and a Top 25 Women of Influence in 2022.

Finalist: TruMe Whole Health (Melissa Hozack, CEO/President/Founder)

Initiative: Empowering transformative actions that build a whole health lifestyle.

Founder Melissa Hozack has been a leading, award-winning pharmacist in the area of Health Promotion, specifically weight loss and therapeutic nutrition. She founded TruMe Whole Health with partner Wendi Eeet, and together, they have decades of experience in the industry. TruMe was developed to create innovative products free of sugar, no artificial colors or flavors, and intends on making healthy options not found elsewhere. Melissa’s experience with patients and the trust of them and her colleagues over the past 22 years has helped grow the company among pharmacies, chiropractors, health and nutrition stores, and weight loss centers, among others!

Finalist: Bing Cao, Ceo of Nanode Battery

Initiative: Advanced Anode Materials Development for Rechargeable Batteries

Rechargeable batteries play an ever more important role in the sustainable energy landscape， while being used on applications ranging from portable electronic devices to grid-level energy storage. Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) represent the dominant commercial battery technology. Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have recently emerged as a promising alternative to LIBs.To meet the demand of emerging energy storage scenarios, such as electric vehicles, advanced rechargeable batteries with higher energy density and lower cost are highly required.

Nanode has developed the best anodes for sodium ion batteries in the world, and complementary anode for lithium ion batteries. If adopted in the market, 2M tonnes of CO2 emission will be saved. The success of Nanode will create cleantech job in Alberta, and contributes to Canada’s value chain in batteries, electric vehicles, and battery storage.

Finalist: Marlene Huerta, Senior Business Advisor – Alberta Innovates

Initiative: Decades of Stewarding Innovation, Inventorship and Entrepreneurship in Alberta

Marlene has an eclectic experience acquired for about 40 years of work in STEM. She has a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of California. 18 years of her career have been at Alberta Innovates-Technology Futures (AITF) and Alberta Research Council. Previously, Marlene worked as an Assistant Professor in a Venezuelan university and also in R&D and Strategic Planning at PDVSA Intevep (Venezuelan Oi & Gas corporation).

Since 2005, she has contributed to the success of Alberta through the Alberta Research Council’s consortium (AACI) as one of the AACI researchers and also as a strategic leader. She has represented the Heavy Oil and Oil Sands Department at several GOA Ministries, including the Department of Energy, Environment and Finance. Within AITF, she has managed the nanotechnology programs and developed and managed the Alberta Ontario program. Since 2018, Marlene has been contributing to the AI Investment line success. She is currently working within the Post Secondary Investment and Emerging Technology (PSIET) Research, Talent and Emerging Technology ecosystems areas. In her capacity as Principal Business Advisor, she works across the entire organization with more than 100 principal investigators, providing technical and business guidance.

Finalist: Cybera (Barb Carra, President and CEO; Byron Chu, Data Science Program Manager)

Initiative: The Applied Data Science Lab for Economic Development

For over 30 years, Cybera — Alberta’s not-for-profit technology enabler — has kept the province’s research, education, and innovation ecosystem at the forefront of technological change. In addition to operating Alberta’s research and education network, Cybera offers a variety of cybersecurity, cloud computing, shared IT procurement, and data science training and consultation services. These offerings ensure that Albertans stay connected, protected from online threats, have access to the newest and best technologies, and possess the skills needed to succeed in the modern digital landscape.

Vigilant for emerging technologies with the potential to benefit Alberta’s educators, non-profits, and entrepreneurs, Cybera promptly recognized data science as a domain poised to drive innovation in the twenty-first century. This insight led to the creation of the Applied Data Science Lab, an internship program designed to assist Alberta organizations in effectively leveraging their data.

Finalist: Robogarden Inc. (Mohamed Elhabiby, President)

Initiative: Democratization of Digital Skills Training through AI-Powered Learning Platform

Finalist: Dr. Belinda Heyne, Professor, Dept. of Chemistry, University of Calgary

Initiative: Lighting the Way: Methylene Blue, Light, and Sustainable Mask Decontamination

Dr. Belinda Heyne completed her doctoral studies in Science at the University of Liège (Belgium) in 2004, focusing on the field of singlet oxygen photosensitization in artificial membranes. Afterward, she moved to Canada and served as a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Ottawa, where she collaborated with the widely acclaimed Prof. J.C. Scaiano, a renowned figure in the field of modern photochemistry. In 2007, Dr. Heyne embarked on her independent career at the University of Calgary, where she now holds the position of a full Professor in the Department of Chemistry. Throughout her professional journey, Dr. Heyne has actively advocated for the inclusion of women in science, spearheading initiatives such as the Woman Global breakfast in Calgary to foster connections and eliminate barriers in women’s careers in chemistry.

Dr. Heyne is an expert in using nanotechnology to address the issue of antimicrobial resistance by studying the effects of singlet oxygen photosensitization at the nanoscale. In 2020, recognized as a global authority in light-activated antimicrobials, Dr. Heyne was chosen to steer an international, interdisciplinary study backed by the World Health Organization. This pivotal research devised innovative methods to decontaminate face masks in response to the global shortage amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Finalist: Standard Field Systems Inc. (Samuel Jenkins, CEO; Estyn Edwards, Founder; Mark Zacharias, Founder)

Initiative: Embracing digital technology to drive safer communities

Standard Field Systems Inc. is an organization focused on empowering law enforcement officers with data-capturing solutions that facilitate safety at roadside and accurate decision-making at on an organizational level.

The Company’s flagship solution is the Pocket SFST, a software application that has revolutionized the SFST protocol at roadside with efficient and accurate capture of evidence, which lays the foundation for automated reporting and deep dive data analysis to enable effective decision-making and reporting.

While the Company’s solution offering is geared to support law enforcement, the end result is safer communities through the swift dealing of DUI’s, increased funding for agencies because of better reporting and overall increase in transparency between law enforcement and the communities they serve. A key objective for all the company solutions is fairness, and it’s through achieving this objective that public trust is established.

Finalist: Applied Pharmaceutical Innovation (Andrew MacIsaac, CEO)

Initiative: Applied Pharmaceutical Innovation secures game-changing support for life sciences.

Applied Pharmaceutical Innovation (API) brings life-saving research to the real world by helping life science innovators bridge the gap between academic research and commercial product development. Alberta is on the cusp of becoming a leader in the life sciences sector, and API is championing this effort by responding to industry needs and closing the gaps that could hinder progress. In 2023, this culminated in several game-changing projects that add needed infrastructure and programs to support innovators looking to commercialize their ideas.

Finalist: Shaimaa Abbas – Women Techmakers Ambassador

Initiative: Women Techmaker Ambassador and community builder

A seasoned web/mobile developer with extensive experience in system analysis. Shaimaa has a deep passion for technology and is constantly looking to learn new things every day. As a Women Techmakers (WTM) ambassador, Google Developer Group (GDG) organizer, and website lead for Women in AI, she is committed to empowering women in technology and promoting diversity within the industry. Shaimaa loves attending tech events and socializing with tech communities, as they inspire her to never give up on learning new things, no matter how challenging it may seem.

Finalist: Agile Industries (Harlee Courtepatte, Founder)

Initiative: Advancing Indigenous Led Cloud Infrastructure Solutions

Finalist: WISEST (Fervone Goings, Team Lead)

Initiative: WISEST: Championing diversity in STEM for over forty years

WISEST (Women in Scholarship, Engineering, Science & Technology) began in 1982, when Dr. Gordin Kaplan, then University of Alberta Vice-President (Research), noted that of the 150 attendees at a seminar on microprocessors, only one of the participants was a woman. With the help of fellow engineers, educators and academics, Dr. Kaplan formed what is now known as WISEST. For more than 40 years, WISEST continued its commitment to empowering women who are interested or want to seek out opportunities in underrepresented fields, specifically in science, engineering, and technology (STEM).

WISEST is dedicated to:
– Attracting young people to science, engineering and technology by developing and implementing engaging programs such as the Choices Conference, SET Conference, and the Summer Research Program.
– Retaining women in science, engineering and technology by nurturing and encouraging their interests through programs such as the Summer Research Program and the UA-WiSE and WISER networks.
– Advancing women in science, engineering, and technology through initiatives, professional development, and networking opportunities.

Finalist: Technology North Corporation (Ling Huang, CEO)

Initiative: Innovation in Inclusion by TN Digital Services

In 2014, Ling Huang, the CEO of Technology North (TN) and a parent of an autistic child found himself pondering his son’s future beyond high school. His quest for a more fulfilling life for youth and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) began there, stretching over eight years, and aimed not only at his son but also at others in similar situations.

Concurrently, the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector in Canada was dealing with a scarcity of skilled labour. To confront this, TN took the lead in developing RoboCoach, an innovative assistive technology aiming to eliminate workplace barriers for youth and adults alike and formulating a comprehensive inclusion framework. Venturing into uncharted territories, TN has been discovering and nurturing the untapped talent within this often-overlooked population, offering training, mentorship, and additional social supports for disadvantaged workers and youth. TN’s mission thus remains anchored in improving the lives of those on the autism spectrum, ensuring they have access to meaningful work opportunities.

Ever since TN Digital Service initiated its autism employment program in 2019, the workforce has expanded to 16 employees with autism, supported by two job coaches. They provide document digitization and data management services to a diverse clientele, including the City of Edmonton, Alberta Innovates, the Alberta Government, and various local public and private sector entities.

Finalist: The Governors of University of Alberta( Andre McDonald – Associate VP, Strategic Research Initiatives and Performance, University of Alberta; Director, ELITE Program for Black Youth)

Initiative: ELITE Program for Black Youth

Finalist: Laleh Behjat, Professor, Department of Electrical and Software Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering, and NSERC Chair for Women in Science and Engineering (Prairie Region) & WISE Planet Program Founder; Jennifer van Zelm, WISE Planet Program Manager; Stacia Thompson McCoy, WISE Planet Program Developer; Lorena Solis, WISE Planet EDI Expert and Researcher; Erika Lieu, WISE Planet EDI Expert & Researcher; Brian Murray, WISE Planet Liaison and Events Coordinator; Anne Ndegwa, WISE Planet Program Administrator

Initiative: Women in Science and Engineering for a Diverse and Sustainable Planet

The WISE Planet program at the University of Calgary is an innovative and unique initiative dedicated to promoting diversity, inclusivity, and sustainability in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Dr. Laleh Behjat, a Schulich School of Engineering professor in the Department of Electrical and Software Engineering, founded the program in February 2021. She is also the NSERC Chair for Women in Science and Engineering (Prairie Region). The WISE Planet program aims to empower individuals from historically underrepresented groups in STEM, enabling them to be catalysts for change and contribute to the transformation of organizational and societal culture toward greater inclusivity. The program’s unique approach combines personal leadership development, experiential learning, creative collaborations, supportive networks, and project work that advance equity and inclusivity in STEM. The unique one-year training program offers participants the opportunity to gain practical skills, tools, and access to a supportive network of peers, role models, and mentors, empowering them to become catalysts for positive change in their respective STEM fields. By bridging the gender and diversity gap in STEM, WISE Planet is dedicated to driving real-world change that benefits program participants, their STEM workplaces, and society as a whole.

Finalist: Cybera (Barb Carra, President and CEO; Byron Chu, Data Science Program Manager)

Initiative: The Callysto Learning and Skills Development Platform

Finalist: NeurAlbertaTech Neurotechnologies Ltd. (Keerat Sandhu, Director, Business Development)

Initiative: NeurAlbertaTech presents natHACKS: A Hackathon Like No Other

Finalist: Inside Education Society of Alberta (Kathryn Wagner, Program Director)

Initiative: Cultivate Youth Agriculture Leadership Summit – Agriculture Innovation for the Next Generation

Kathryn Wagner leads the program team at Inside Education, Alberta’s longest-lived energy, environmental and natural resources education not-for-profit organization. Since its inception in 1985, generations of Alberta students and teachers have experienced firsthand the science, technology and innovations related to environmental sustainability alongside sustainable natural resources development.

Working with Alberta scientists, technologists and leaders in energy, climate, water, forests, wildlife, agriculture – and the intersection of each of those – Inside Education’s programs enhance school science classrooms by providing teachers with real-world insights into research and on-the-ground implementation of technology and innovations aimed at a sustainable future.

Inside Education fully supports Alberta educators by providing learning resources for classroom use, teacher professional development programs (aimed at enhancing teacher knowledge), direct program delivery to students in classrooms, labs and outdoor learning sites and enables youth leadership through its comprehensive environmental youth summit programs (for which this nomination is focused).

2023 ASTech Award Finalists

Regional Champion

Finalist: Alberta Additive Manufacturing Network – Red Deer

Initiative: The hub that supports Alberta’s advancement in additive manufacturing

The AAMN is the hub that supports Alberta companies to design, procure and sell products with enhanced performance. The network is a mechanism to share best practices and experiences to advance additive manufacturing provincially, with a global impact. The network would help companies explore AM as a design tool for their business and train their staff to grow competency in the AM field. Once a product is ready to be manufactured, the primary objective established within the network is that there will be a local manufacturing base ready to meet the needs for this type of advanced manufacturing. The network identifies the needs required by Alberta companies in the field of additive manufacturing and if they were being met within Alberta or externally. The network also supports development of strong business cases such that industry in Alberta could deploy additive manufacturing technologies.

Finalist: Jennifer Dornstauder, Manufacturing Design Engineer – Centre for Innovation in Manufacturing (CIM-TAC), Red Deer Polytechnic – Red Deer

Initiative: Using advanced manufacturing technologies in the biomedical field

Jennifer Dornstauder has a Bachelor of Mining Engineering from the University of Alberta and received her Professional Engineering designation in 2021.

Prior to joining the CIM-TAC as a Manufacturing Design Engineer, Jennifer worked for companies across Canada developing and manufacturing mining and industrial equipment. She conducts engineering and design on industrial applied research projects at the CIM-TAC, where she enjoys helping clients to solve problems and fine-tune designs.

Finalist: Melissa Hozack, CEO/President/Founder – TruMe Whole Health – Medicine Hat

Initiative: Empowering transformative actions that build a whole health lifestyle.

TruMe was developed to create innovative products free of sugar, no artificial colors or flavors, and intends on making healthy options not found elsewhere. Melissa’s experience with patients and the trust of them and her colleagues over the past 22 years has helped grow the company among pharmacies, chiropractors, health and nutrition stores, and weight loss centers, among others!

Finalist: QinetiQ Target Systems (Sarunas Ilgevicius, Electronics Engineer; Kurtis Peters, UVS Systems Engineer; Derek Faichuk, Control Station Technician; Blair Gordon, Technical Illustrator) – Medicine Hat

Initiative: Unmanned Target Systems – Hammer Head Forward Facing Camera

Finalist: Virtunurse (Matthew Jubelius, Founder) – Medicine Hat

Initiative: Increasing Healthcare Access for Albertans: Nurse-Driven Online Walk-in and Family Clinic

Virtunurse was created to address the shortage of family physician clinics across Alberta and increase access to healthcare services for Albertans. The nurse-led and nurse-driven online clinic is the first of its kind to offer online walk-in, clinical and mental health support and services as a traditional family clinic. Virtunurse elevates the standard of health care in two unique ways; (1) The patient selects the practitioner that will best suit their health-related concerns on that particular day, and (2) The patient selects the appointment time that works best for them. Through Virtunurse’s innovative approach to supporting patients and model, we are able to reduce the daily strain on family clinics, over-subscribed walk-in clinics, and emergency departments. The results include: increased access to healthcare services, efficient and effective treatment and referral, leading to improved health outcomes for Albertans.

Finalist: AuraWave Technologies Inc (Arlan Schultz – President and CEO). – Lethbridge

Initiative: Advanced Gestural Control Devices for Immersive Audio and AR/VR Applications

Dr. Arlan N. Schultz is the Founder, President, and CEO of AuraWave. His work in digital audio is primarily focused on advanced gestural control devices for use in immersive sound, AR/VR and gaming applications, but also extends to computer-assisted composition, live 3D spatial audio systems, and novel audio synthesis algorithms. He is an internationally recognized composer and music educator, and his music has received several international awards, including the BMI Award, the Godfrey Ridout Award, and the Robert Fleming Prize. He was the recipient of 2nd Prize in the International Mozart Competition, Salzburg, and his String Quartet No. 2 was recently nominated for the Grawemeyer Prize for achievement by a living composer.

AuraWave is an innovative digital audio technology company headquartered in Lethbridge, Alberta. Our ground-breaking device, the AuraWand, revolutionizes the world of immersive/spatial audio content creation in both live and studio settings. We have redefined the way audio professionals interact with spatial mixing and multi-channel/immersive performance environments by seamlessly merging the control of sound trajectories and projection characteristics with intuitive physical gestures. Our technology bridges the gap between artists and their audio creations, allowing them to focus solely on the art of listening rather than software manipulation. AuraWave is helping to shape the future of spatial audio innovation in Alberta and around the world.

Finalist: Chinook Applied Research Association (Yamily Zavala, Soil Health Lab Manager and Crop Management Specialist)

Initiative: Connecting Science and Producers: Enhancing Soil Health One Field at a Time

The CARA Soil Health Lab Initiative is a unique “producer’s lab” led by Dr. Yamily Zavala. Dr. Zavala joined the Chinook Applied Research Association ten years ago and has since shared her passion for improving the understanding of soil health, monitoring soil parameters, evaluating soil amendments and enhancing the impact of management practices. The CARA Soil Health Lab is the first of its kind in Western Canada and has grown because of the support from farmers, farm groups, local municipalities and other players in the agricultural industry. The Lab has evaluated over four thousand submissions of soil, compost and other soil amendments from points across Western Canada.

Dr. Zavala led the Alberta Soil Health Benchmark and Management Verification Projects, in which 11 producer group partners have collected hundreds of soil samples from across the province. The sites are monitored for the impact of various management practices. These projects will help producers in understanding their soils and how to improve soil health and, ultimately, the nutritional quality of what they produce. In addition, the soil assessments (soil health indictors) from all samples processed in the lab are being used to develop Alberta soil health scoring functions. The soil health scores will help to create management alternative for soil health (MASH)