Futures Week 2024

Co-Founder, Nexus Climate
Session: AI and the climate crisis: Solution or drain

Sherif is co-founder of Nexus Climate, a company working with innovators to create and nurture the best solutions on the planet for the planet. He is a passionate advocate for the potential of AI to enable decarbonization solutions. Previously, Sherif was Co-Founder and CEO of UK-based AI and climate tech company Carbon Re, the first ever joint spin-out of Cambridge University and UCL. He was also Director for AI for Climate at Canadian scale-up Element AI, Co-Founder & Director of Amnesty Tech, a Harvard Kennedy School fellow and a World Economic Forum Global Future Council Chair. Sherif has a BSc in Construction Engineering from the American University in Cairo and an MPA from Harvard University.

Assistant Professor, Obstetrics, Gynecology, University of Michigan Medical School
Session: The commercialization of biological data: DNA for sale

Prof. Kayte Spector-Bagdady is health law and bioethics faculty at the University of Michigan Medical School where she also co-leads the Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine. She is the Chair of the American Heart Association’s Committee on data collection, sharing, and use and is an Associate Editor of the American Journal of Bioethics. She is the current PI of $3M in NIH funding towards improving the governance of research and AI/ML use of health data, and her recent articles have been published in The New England Journal of Medicine, Science, and JAMA among others. Prof. Spector is a former Associate Director for President Obama’s Bioethics Commission and practicing FDA law attorney.

Executive Director, Project CONNIE
Session: Real versus fake: A sense-making crisis

Chris Beall leads Project CONNIE, a new initiative that links the activities of like-minded networks and nodes working to protect the integrity of a free, open and inclusive information environment. Prior to this new project, Chris has led senior-level collaborative projects with civil society, government, and industry stakeholder communities in the information environment. Chris was a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace where he led a multi-stakeholder crisis response network bringing together civil society, government, and industry partners working to protect the integrity of Ukraine’s information environment. Chris chaired the taxonomy working group for Canada and Latvia’s information integrity cohort at the 2023 Summit for Democracy. Chris created and led the Global Platform Governance Network at the Centre for International Governance Innovation, which brought together civil servants, regulators, and legislative staff from democracies around the world addressing aspects of digital platform governance. Chris previously held leadership positions in the Government of Canada, building citizen resilience to disinformation, aligning security, trade and immigration policy, strategic finance, and management oversight. Chris holds a doctorate from the University of Oxford.

Full professor, Polytechnique Montréal
Session: Disruptions on the horizon: Events and circumstances Canada may need to prepare for

A graduate in electrical engineering from Polytechnique Montreal and a graduate in economics from the University of Oxford (master’s and doctorate), Catherine Beaudry is currently a full professor in the Department of Mathematics and Industrial Engineering at Polytechnique Montreal. Professor Beaudry also holds a tier 1 Canada Research Chair in management and economics of innovation in addition to leading the Partnership for the Organization of Innovation and New Technologies (4POINT0). She is a member of the CIRST, a fellow and main researcher of CIRANO. She is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences of the Royal Society of Canada and has been awarded the Prix Acfas Jacques-Rousseau 2022 and the CSPC Trailblazer Award for Innovation Policy in 2023.

Professor Beaudry specialises in the economics of innovation and its impact on business performance, as well as in the evaluation of research and the science and technology system. Her main research interests are collaboration and support mechanisms for public and private organisations within knowledge and innovation ecosystems. His research aims to create multi-level (organisations-ecosystem-society) analysis models and indicators on which governance and public policies specific to innovation ecosystems can be based. Its multidisciplinary work considers the science, technology and innovation system as a whole, thereby decompartmentalising the innovation process.

Chief Executive Officer, Montréal InVivo
Session: The commercialization of biological data: DNA for sale

Holding more than 25 years of experience in the life sciences sector, Mr. Béraud has particularly acquired a solid expertise in business development. With a background in sales and marketing within multinationals in the field of clinical diagnostics, his career path has led him to assume responsibility for business development for an SME in the domain of biotechnology, in addition to working as a consultant within the industry as well as a technology transfer organization. Mr. Béraud has also worked on managing the policies and strategic development of an industrial association in the life sciences sector before joining Montréal InVivo’s team. Highly socially engaged in education, the health and homelessness, he currently chairs the board of directors of the charitable organization Computing for Humanity, which aims to provide leading researchers with the computing power of refurbished supercomputers. Mr. Béraud is also a board member of the Memphrémagog hospital Foundation.

Chief Executive Officer, Good Tech Advisory LLC
Session: Navigating the AI frontier: Uncertainties shaping societies

Kay Firth-Butterfield is the CEO of Good Tech Advisory. TIME 100 Impact Awardee 2024. She is the former Head of Artificial Intelligence and member of the Executive Committee at the World Economic Forum and is one of the foremost experts in the world on the governance of AI. She is a Barrister, former Judge and Professor, technologist and entrepreneur who has an abiding interest in how humanity can equitably benefit from new technologies, especially AI. She was the world’s first Chief AI Ethics officer. Kay is author of books on Human Rights, AI and Modern Slavery and is a board member of many renowned organizations like The IEEE Global Initiative for Ethical Considerations in AI and Autonomous Systems, the Polaris Council for the Government Accountability Office (USA), the Advisory Board for UNESCO International Research Centre on AI, the Advisory Board for international company ADI, EarthSpecies and AI4All. She has been consistently recognized as a leading woman in AI.

Doctor, Simon Fraser University
Session: Global demographic shifts: Aging populations and the global economy

Cati Coe is the Canada Research Chair in Migration and Care and Professor of Political Science at Carleton University. Dr. Coe is an internationally recognized leader in the scholarship of transnational families, aging, and care work, with a focus on West Africa and North America. Her most recent book is Changes in Care: Aging, Migration, and Social Class in West Africa (2021), which won the 2022 Toyin Falola Africa Book award. She is currently beginning a new project on how transnational migrants navigate national forms of social protection in later life.

Foresight Analyst, Policy Horizons Canada
Session: Future Lives: Transformed life courses

Chris Hagerman is a senior policy analyst with Policy Horizons. He joined the public service in 2018 after two decades as an academic specializing in ancient and modern imperialism. During his time at Policy Horizons, Chris has led the Future of sense-making project and the development of our new line of foresight briefs. In his spare time, Chris writes, restores wooden canoes, makes paddles, and cooks for his family.

Assistant Professor, Carleton University
Session: Navigating the AI frontier: Uncertainties shaping societies

Sun-ha Hong examines forms of uncertainty, doubt and (dis)belief around surveillance, smart machines & AI from critical and historical perspectives. He is Assistant Professor in Communication at Simon Fraser University, Canada, and was previously Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in the Humanities at MIT. Sun-ha is the author of Technologies of Speculation: The Limits of Knowledge in a Data-Driven Society (2020), and is working on his next book, Predictions Without Futures.

David and Ann Wilson Professor in Public Policy and Society, Victoria College and University of Toronto
Session: Global demographic shifts: Aging populations and the global economy

Sunil Johal is the David and Ann Wilson Professor in Public Policy and Society at Victoria College, University of Toronto. He has held senior executive and policy roles at all levels of government. In 2021 he led transition activities for Employment and Social Development Canada in an Assistant Deputy Minister-level role.

Previously, Sunil was Policy Director at the University of Toronto’s Mowat Centre from 2012 to 2019, where he established himself as a thought leader on issues such as the future of work. In 2019 he chaired the Expert Panel on Modern Labour Standards for the federal Minister of Labour. He is currently Vice-Chair of an expert panel advising the Ontario government on the development of a portable benefits scheme for non-standard workers.

He is a Fellow at the Public Policy Forum and serves as the Vice President of Public Policy at the CSA Group where he's leading a new think tank. He has contributed expert commentary and advice to a range of organizations and media outlets, including the G-20, World Economic Forum and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Climate Lead, Hugging Face
Session: AI and the climate crisis: Solution or drain

Dr. Sasha Luccioni is a leading scientist at the nexus of artificial intelligence, ethics, and sustainability, with a PhD in AI and a decade of research and industry expertise. She is the AI & Climate Lead at Hugging Face, a global startup in responsible open-source AI, where she spearheads research, consulting and capacity-building to elevate the sustainability of AI systems. A founding member of Climate Change AI (CCAI) and a board member of Women in Machine Learning (WiML), Sasha is passionate about catalyzing impactful change, organizing events and serving as a mentor to under-represented minorities within the AI community.

Deputy Minister, Global Affairs Canada
Session: Welcome to Day 2

On January 5, 2022, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed Christopher MacLennan as deputy minister of international development.

Prior to this role, Mr. MacLennan was the associate deputy minister of foreign affairs and the personal representative of the prime minister for the G20 Summit. He continues to be the personal representative of the prime minister for the G20 Summit.

Previously, as assistant deputy minister (ADM) for global issues and development at Global Affairs Canada, Mr. MacLennan led Canada’s international development assistance efforts through multilateral and global partners, humanitarian assistance and priority foreign policy relationships with the United Nations, the Commonwealth and La Francophonie. In addition to this role, he served concurrently as Canada’s G7 foreign affairs sous-sherpa.

Prior to these roles, Mr. MacLennan was acting assistant secretary to the Cabinet for priorities and planning and ADM of policy innovation at the Privy Council Office; and before this, Mr. MacLennan was director general for health and nutrition at Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada and led the team that organized the prime minister’s international summit, Saving Every Woman, Every Child:

Within Arm’s Reach, which addressed maternal, newborn and child health, in 2014. This work had followed his previous role in the G8 Muskoka Initiative on maternal, newborn and child health in 2010. Before these roles, Mr. MacLennan had worked in various capacities at the Canadian International Development Agency, Environment Canada and Human Resources and Skills Development Canada.

Mr. MacLennan holds a Ph.D. from Western University specializing in constitutional development and international human rights. From 2012 to 2013, he was a Fulbright Visiting Scholar at Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law. Mr. MacLennan has written numerous publications, including Toward the Charter: Canadians and the Demand for a National Bill of Rights, 1929–1960.

Chief Digital Research Officer & Chief Science Officer, National Research Council Canada
Session: AI and the climate crisis: Solution or drain

Dr. Joel Martin is the NRC's Chief Digital Research Officer and Chief Science Officer. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science, Machine Learning, from the Georgia Institute of Technology and completed post doctoral studies at the University of Pittsburgh.

Since joining the NRC in 1994, he has been a researcher and served in multiple leadership roles in the Digital Technologies Research Centre. Under his leadership, the Research Centre has created digital technologies to detect disease outbreaks, some of which are now used worldwide, and digital technologies that promote Indigenous languages in Canada. In addition, Dr. Martin has established research and development programs drawing interest and collaboration from universities and other government departments. These initiatives include the NRC's Data Analytics Centre, the Multimedia Analytic Tools for Security program, and the AI for Design Challenge program. They have increased both scientific output and impact of the NRC's Digital Technologies Research Centre.

Director – Center for Sustainable Development; Senior Fellow – Global Economy and Development, The Brookings Institution
Session: Disruptions on the horizon: Events and circumstances Canada may need to prepare for

John W. McArthur is senior fellow and director of the Center for Sustainable Development at the Brookings Institution. He co-founded and co-chairs the 17 Rooms initiative, a new approach to catalyzing action for the Sustainable Development Goals. Outside of Brookings, he is also a senior adviser to the United Nations Foundation, a member of Policy Horizons Canada’s Deputy Minister Steering Committee, and a member of the Novata ESG Advisory Council.

He was previously the chief executive officer of Millennium Promise Alliance, the international nongovernmental organization. Prior to that he served as the manager and then deputy director of the U.N. Millennium Project, Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s independent advisory body mandated to recommend an action plan for achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

McArthur grew up in Vancouver and is a Canadian citizen. He completed a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) at the University of British Columbia; a Master’s in Public Policy at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government; and then an M.Phil. and D.Phil. (Ph.D.) in economics at Oxford University, which he attended as a Rhodes Scholar.

Associate Vice President and Professor, University of Waterloo
Session: Disruptions on the horizon: Events and circumstances Canada may need to prepare for

Dr. Bessma Momani is Associate Vice-President, International and Full Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Waterloo. She is also a senior fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation and non-resident fellow at the Arab Gulf States’ Institute in Washington, DC, and a Fulbright Scholar. She is a Governor on the board of the International Development Research Centre and advisory board member of the Canadian International Council.

Assistant Professor of Educational Technology; holder of the Chair in Educational Leadership (CLE) in Innovative Pedagogical Practices in Digital Contexts – National Bank; Université Laval
Session: Real versus fake: A sense-making crisis

Dr. Nadia Naffi is an Assistant Professor of Educational Technology at the Faculty of Education and holds the National Bank Chair in Educational Leadership for Innovative Pedagogical Practices in Digital Contexts at Université Laval. She co-leads the Education and Empowerment research theme at the International Observatory on the Societal Impacts of AI and Digital Technology (OBVIA). Her doctorate in educational technology explored the dynamics of hate, fear, and prejudice spreading through social media and resulted in the development of a model to educate youth on countering social media propaganda. Supported by prestigious grants, her foundational work laid the groundwork for her subsequent research into deepfakes and digital disinformation, focusing on how education can empower youth to develop resilience and agency against such threats. Her leadership role at OBVIA underscores her commitment to addressing the pressing issues of our digital era and harnessing technology for societal good. Looking ahead, Dr. Naffi plans to broaden her research to include vulnerable groups, particularly the elderly, who are increasingly targeted by disinformation campaigns. Her efforts are a response to the global need for targeted educational interventions alongside legal and technological solutions to ensure a safer digital future, aligning with global movements and legislative actions.

Vice President of AI Engineering, Vector Institute
Session: AI and the climate crisis: Solution or drain

Dr. Deval Pandya is a recognized leader in AI and applications in energy transition and climate.He is the Vice-President and Head of AI Engineering at the Vector Institute, where he works in enabling, amplifying and applying AI breakthroughs. He holds an expert positions at the UN Economic Commission of Europe – Task Force for Digitalization in Energy, and is Technical Steering Committee Director at Moja Global, he is passionate about innovation and advises multiple startups as well as serves as Investigator in Climate and Energy Stream of Creative Destruction Lab. Previously, he was founding members of Data Science CoE and Data Science Lead for Assets and New Energies at Shell. His recognitions include Future Energy Leader by World Energy council, Peak’s emerging leader in Canada and one of the Top 100 Global AI innovators by World Summit AI.

Deval received his MS and PhD from the University of Texas at Arlington and holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Mechanical Engineering from Sardar Patel University.

Director-General, European Commission - Joint Research Centre
Session: Foresight on AI: International public sector perspectives

Stephen Quest has served as Director-General of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) since May 2020. He manages over 50 large-scale research infrastructures located in five Member States of the EU with nearly 3000 employees. He is passionate about modernising the JRC’s organisational culture, fostering innovation, and building strategic partnerships through science to enhance JRC’s impact. He has therefore piloted the roll out of a new organisational structure and the revitalisation of the JRC Strategy 2030. Stephen has also reshaped the JRC’s work programme by introducing a new way of working based on cross-cutting portfolios.

Additionally, Stephen chairs the European Strategy and Policy Analysis System (ESPAS), which facilitates collaboration in/through various EU institutions and bodies to identify and analyse long-term trends facing the EU. Prior to his role at the JRC, Stephen held Director-General positions in the European Commission focusing on taxation and customs and before that digital transformation. Throughout his 30-year career he has been committed to inclusive leadership and empowering staff.

Director, Foresight Research, Policy Horizons Canada
Session: Innovations reshaping our society: Emerging technologies

Simon Robertson is Director of foresight research at Policy Horizons Canada. He oversees a wide range of foresight work and research analysts, as they use foresight to help the federal government build stronger policies and programs in the face of an uncertain future. He previously led the organization's Social Foresight team, where he led work on topics including the Future of Sense Making, Social Connection, and the Future Lives project. Prior to joining the public service, he was a lawyer at a major Canadian law firm, and a senior political and policy advisor. A Francophone from Vancouver, Simon also holds a master’s degree in international relations from the University of Cambridge.

Director of Digital Policy, Demos
Session: Real versus fake: A sense-making crisis

Elizabeth is Director of CASM, Demos’ digital policy research hub. Previously, Elizabeth worked as a policy researcher at the Centre for the Governance of AI in Oxford where she led projects on open-source model sharing strategy, democratisation of AI, and the impacts of emerging technology on democracy. Her work is internationally recognized, helping set the stage for international debates on AI policy including with OECD working group on AI and around the UK’s AI Safety Summit and the Biden Administration’s Executive Order on Safe and Trustworthy AI. Elizabeth holds a PhD in Philosophy of Technology from the University of Cambridge.

Founder, Avancebio
Session: The commercialization of biological data: DNA for sale

Mahzad is the biotech stream advisor of District 3 Innovation Centre, Concordia University's centre for innovation and entrepreneurship. She is the founder of Avancebio, an innovation network for accelerating bioeconomy and sustainability. Mahzad holds a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine from Université de Montréal, with expertise and publications in the design and development of novel drugs for antibiotic-resistant infections. While completing her PhD, she co-founded Rubisco, a biotech company offering point-of-care pathogen diagnosis (dissolved in 2018). She has advised over 50 startups and university spinoffs. Mahzad was nationally selected by the Canadian Science Policy Centre for the Award of Excellence in 2019.

Associate Professor, Strategic Foresight and Innovation / Digital Futures; Director, Super Ordinary Lab, OCAD University
Session: Navigating the AI frontier: Uncertainties shaping societies

Stein is a Foresight Analyst, Mentor, and Educator. She is the Graduate Program Director for OCAD University’s Strategic Foresight and Innovation Master’s Program and Director of the Super Ordinary Laboratory. In 2009, she was founding faculty for both the Digital Futures programs and the Strategic Foresight and Innovation graduate programs. Previous roles include Deputy Director and Principal Research Fellow in Technology Futures at SMARTlab (United Kingdom) and lead in Nokia Corporate Strategy’s Insight and Foresight group. Earlier work included Sapient Corporation, as Discipline Lead for the Experience Modeling (XMod) group in London, and Director of the User Experience Group.

President and Executive Director, Mozilla Foundation
Session: Navigating the AI frontier: Uncertainties shaping societies

Mark is the President of The Mozilla Foundation, a global nonprofit that does everything from making Firefox to advocate for a more open, equitable internet. Mark’s current focus is Mozilla’s efforts to invest in responsible tech startups (Mozilla Ventures) and create foundational tech for more trustworthy AI (Mozilla.ai). Prior to Mozilla, Mark spent 15 years leading organizations and projects promoting the use of the internet and open source for social empowerment. Mark lives in Toronto with his sons, Tristan and Ethan.

Foresight Analyst, Policy Horizons Canada
Session: Future Lives: Transformed life courses

Nicole Fournier-Sylvester is a foresight analyst at Policy Horizons Canada. She has worked on research projects including geotechnomics and the future of basic needs as well as Futures Week. Prior to joining the public service, Nicole worked as a researcher, consultant and program manager for the Global Centre for Pluralism, UNESCO, and Project Someone. She has a PhD in education and her courses and publications focus on global citizenship, digital literacy, critical thinking, and dialogue-based pedagogies.

Second Director, Smart Nation Strategy Office, Ministry of Communications and Information, Singapore
Session: Foresight on AI: International public sector perspectives

Liana Tang is Second Director of Smart Nation Strategy Office, Ministry of Communications and Information. Having served for over 15 years in the Singapore Public Service, her experience spans policy, planning, communications, and engagement across various domains such as culture, heritage, digital, and population policies. Her current role covers Futures and Strategy in the digital domain, exploring the emerging issues and plausible futures in digital, translating insights into strategy to inform and transform Singapore’s Smart Nation ambitions. This role follows a five-year term at the Centre for Strategic Futures where she served as Deputy Head, leading various foresight programmes such as the National Scenarios exercise. A biologist by training, her academic and policy interests lie in the intersections of technology and society.

Manager, Foresight Research, Policy Horizons Canada
Session: Futures Lives: Transformed life courses

Tieja Thomas is a Manager of Foresight Research at Policy Horizons Canada. During her time with the organization, she had led the Future Lives project and supported teams’ work on several other foresight topics. Prior to joining the government, she worked as a researcher for academic and non-governmental organizations. She has a PhD in education and has taught courses in quantitative and qualitative research methods.

Deputy Minister, Employment and Social Development Canada
Session: Opening

Paul Thompson was appointed Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Development on September 18, 2023. Previously, he served as Deputy Minister of Public Services and Procurement, beginning in January 2022, and as Associate Deputy Minister at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, starting in November 2017.

Prior to these roles, Paul has held several senior executive positions at Employment and Social Development Canada, such as Senior Assistant Deputy Minister for the Skills and Employment Branch, as well as executive positions in various departments, including the Privy Council Office, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat.

Paul holds a Master of Arts degree in economics from Queen’s University and a bachelor of arts degree in economics and political science from the University of Toronto. He is a father of three and enjoys a wide range of outdoor activities.

Director General, Policy Horizons Canada
Session: Opening, Foresight from around the world: Public sector perspectives, Geotechnomics: The strategic interplay of geopolitics, technology, and economics, Closing

Kristel is the Director General at Policy Horizons Canada, Government of Canada. She is former Head of Strategic Foresight at the World Economic Forum. Kristel holds 3 Masters including an MBA from the Yale School of Management. She is a Fulbright Scholar and a Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholar.

Policy Analyst, Policy Horizons Canada
Session: Innovations reshaping our society: Emerging technologies

Sabika is a public policy professional working at the intersection of foresight, economics, and social policy. Prior to joining the government, she helped organizations operating in hostile and uncertain environments to design resilient policies and programs for youth development. Having lived, studied, and worked in nine different countries, she values a diversity of thoughts and perspectives. An idealist at heart, she believes in the power of collaboration to solve wicked problems.