Theme: envision 2020

This year's TEDxGuelphU conference aims to explore societal trajectory. Where are we headed with business-as-usual; what are the emerging trends that will change the status quo; and most importantly, how can we reach the year 2020 smarter by embracing better ways of getting things done?

University of Guelph
Guelph, Ontario
Canada

Dr. Ben Bradshaw

Ben's research broadly seeks to identify the economic, political and cultural determinants of environmental degradation in Western society, and the various tools of governance that might best alleviate such degradation. To date, case studies have been drawn from mining (e.g. company-community agreements, corporate social responsibility), forestry (e.g. community forestry), and agriculture (trade liberalization, climate change).

Sarah Elton

Sarah Elton is the author of Locavore: From Farmers' Fields To Rooftop Gardens, How Canadians Are Changing the Way We Eat. She is the food columnist for CBC Radio's Here&Now and writes regularly for publications such as Maclean's, The Globe and Mail, and The Atlantic's Food Channel. Check out The Locavore Sarah on twitter: @thelocavore

Dr. Evan Fraser

Evan Fraser is an adjunct professor of geography at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada and a Senior Lecturer at the School of Earth and Environment at the University of Leeds in the UK. His research is on farming, climate change and the environment. He lives in the Yorkshire Dales with his wife and three children. Dr. Fraser on twitter: @evandgfraser Dr. Fraser's latest book: Empires of Food Featured in: The Globe and Mail, CBC Quirks and Quarks

Wayne Galliher

Wayne Galliher is Project Manger of the City of Guelph’s Water Conservation Program. As Water Conservation Project Manager, Wayne lead development of the City’s 2009 Water Conservation and Efficiency Strategy and is responsible for all operational and program activities under the City’s Water Conservation Program. Wayne has worked within the Ontario municipal water sector since 2003, over which time he has held positions within water treatment operations, water infrastructure planning and water demand management.

Émanuèle Lapierre-Fortin

Émanuèle Lapierre-Fortin has been engaged in community economic development and sustainability for the past four years. She has acted as a researcher on Education for Sustainable Development best practices at the Toronto Environment Office, as an International Consultant on social entreprise development for HIV/AIDS NGOs in Burkina Faso for the United Nations’ World Food Program and as a Ride Leader for a 4000km bicycle ride, from Amsterdam to Istanbul, which raised $70,000 for a youth-managed microcredit fund. As part of her MSc studies in Rural Planning & Development, she is researching ways in which rural communities are increasing their resilience to climate change and rising energy prices through mobilizing community capital, as well as undertaking an analysis of the Green Energy Act and completing an inventory of community energy projects in Canada. She enjoys playing the fiddle, vegetarian cooking and planning events and projects of all denominations.

Jamie Miller

Jamie Miller is a member of the Biomimicry Speaker's Bureau and an Environmental Engineering PhD student at the University of Guelph. He is currently helping coordinate a biomimicry collaboration at the University of Guelph and pursuing research in the area of biomimicry and basic human needs. Named as a "New Centurion" by The David Suzuki Foundation, Jamie's work in Indonesia and Sri Lanka have helped inspire his efforts in education and curricula reform, where he continues to work on transforming our perception of nature and our relationship with technology, through a lens of global equality and sustainability.

President Alastair Summerlee

President Summerlee, whose career as a scholar, professor, researcher and administrator spans nearly 30 years, joined the University of Guelph faculty in 1988 as a professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences. He was named an associate dean of the Ontario Veterinary College in 1992, dean of graduate studies in 1995, associate vice-president (academic) in 1999, and provost and vice-president (academic) in 2000. President Summerlee on twitter: @UoG_President In 2006, Dr. Summerlee was named as the chair of the board of directors of World University Service of Canada (WUSC), one of the country's leading international development agencies. WUSC teams with students, faculty and institutions to internationalize Canada’s universities, increase knowledge of global issues and foster human development through education and training.

Abid Virani

Abid Virani is a young philanthropist with a passion for youth engagement, HIV/AIDS and writing. When Abid was fifteen years old, he began blogging about world issues. Overtime, he co-founded Student Reach International, a non-profit organization committed to engaging youth in humanitarian initiatives. This year, SRI will receive charitable status under the name of I Have Hope In The Fight Against AIDS. He is the recipient of many accolades, including the Canadian Top 20 Under 20 award. Currently, Abid is studying international development at the University of Guelph and working on a book titled, “Finding hope in a scary world.” Abid on twitter: @AbidVirani Abid Virani’s blog.