Dr.Valerie Miller

Sam's Bio

Sam Effah | Canada Games Gold Medalist, Right to Play Ambassador, Amazing Race Canada Finalist
Keynote Speaker

As a native Albertan, Sam has speed. He represented Canada at 3 World Championships, 3 World University Games, 2 Commonwealth Games and was inducted into the 2021 Canada West Hall of Fame. Most recently, Sam was named co-Chef de Mission for the 2022.

As a volunteer, he’s an athlete ambassador with Right To Play and a past Classroom Champions mentor, where he focuses on using his platform to inspire the next generation of youth around the world.

In 2019 he was cast on The Amazing Race Canada Season 7 and placed second overall. 

Outside of athletics and in-office work, Sam loves to speak. He leads a strong stage presence, developed over the course of a ten-year career as a seminar speaker, workshop facilitator, and motivational presenter.

Learn More About Sam Effah

Jasveen Brar's Bio

Jasveen Brar | Executive Director, Youth Climate Lab
Energy Roundtables: March 17, 3:00-4:15pm

Jasveen (she/her) is a climate educator from the prairies. Her work centres around environmental justice, intersectional environmentalism and ensuring that youth are involved in decision-making. She holds a B.Sc. from Dalhousie University in Biology and Sustainability and has experience working in ocean conservation, polar policy and education.

Jasveen is also the Executive Director at Youth Climate Lab, a Canada-based, global non-profit organization of youth mobilizing youth to create just, climate-resilient futures.

Youth Climate Lab

Fei's Bio

Fei Cheng | MSc student, Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta
Innovation Gallery (Saturday 11:15-12:15)

Fei completed her BSc in environmental engineering at the University of Alberta. Her research is related to the reuse of an industrial waste material (called bauxite residue produced from the alumina refinery industry) for wastewater treatment application (mainly oil sands process-affected water). Through her research, she wants to share the idea that all wastes are valuable products. 

Department of Environmental Engineering - University of Alberta

Ron's Bio

Ron Zieber | Lead Electrical Engineer, Hydro Operations, TransAlta
Offsite Tours (Saturday afternoon)

Ron started his career with TransAlta, and has worked in many different areas of the business over the years, including substation design, sustainable development, coal-fired and gas-fired generation, and most recently hydro. He is a subject matter expert on electrical safety.

TransAlta