Past Speakers

Sustainability Lecture Series

Launched in 2019-20, this lecture series brings together local expertise and global innovation across all fields of sustainability. Meet scholars from the University of Alberta and beyond in fields ranging from engineering to ecology, public health to poetry, native studies to nanotechnology.

2021–22 Speakers Talk Titles
Ashlee Cunsolo
Mourning Nature: Hope at the Heart of Ecological Grief and Loss
Jude Kong
Estimating and predicting greenhouse gas emissions from tailing ponds
Sherilee Harper
Climate Change and Public Health
Stephanie Chute - Ibsen
Dishing the Dirt on Soil Invertebrates and Sustainability
Theresa May (not former UK PM) -------
Stephanie Kelton
How can we afford the future we must build together?
Val Napoleon
Indigenous Law and Public Legal Education
Kate Raworth
Doughnut Economics for Thriving Communities with Ben Geselbrecht
Climate Change Theatre Action Climate Change Theatre Action - UAlberta
Peter Victor
Managing without Growth: Slower by Design, not Disaster
Aditi Mayer
Decolonial Approaches to Land, Labor, & Fashion with Aditi Mayer
Steven Hoffman, Sherilee Harper
Intersections of COVID-19 and the climate emergency
Jessica Vandenberghe , Ginger Gibson
Engineering community benefits: local engagement in practice
Edmonton Mayoral Candidate Climate Debate -------
Catherine Potvin
Visit an ancient tropical forest
2020–21 Speakers Talk Titles
Carrie Armstrong Indigenous Healing Plants
Fahrook Hamzeh Hidden Waste: Lean construction for sustainability
Kira Hunt Biomimicry: Design inspired by nature
Tanya Kalmanovitch Tar Sands Songbook
Michael Robidoux Land-based Food Security in Northern Indigenous Communities
Geeta Belas Bridging the Gender Gap with Design
Kari Marie Norgaard Salmon and Acorns Feed Our People
PearlAnn Reichwein The Banff School of Fine Arts and the Public University
Ashley Dawson Green Capitalist Realism, CO2lonialism, and the Urban Climate Insurgency
Kristof Van Assche The Route to Reinvention
Joëlle Saey-Volckrick and Nick von Andrian Degrowth in the Time of COVID-19
Corey Trepanier Into the Arctic
Soorayan Mookerjea and Malaika Collette COP Hack: Student Engagement
Tang Lee Synergy and Creativity in a Pandemic World
Chelsea Miya, Oliver Rossier and Geoffrey Rockwell (moderators) Right Research book launch
Aneri Garg and Justine Karst Ecosystem restoration in coral reefs and boreal forests
2019–20 Speakers Talk Titles
Mél Hogan Genomic Media / Sustainable DNA
Sheikh Abdul Aziz The Green Sheikh
Patrick Mahon Perilous Voyages: Art, environment and the search for a global commons
Debra Marquart Beautiful Trouble: Imagining sustainable energy futures
Selena Couture & Stefano Muneroni Climate Change Theatre Action
Lars Hallstrom No Canary, No Coal Mine: Understanding sustainability for rural communities in Alberta
Tiffany Higgins Infrastructure, Fish and Indigenous & Traditional Peoples in Brazil's Amazon
Victor Lieffers Forest Sustainability: Policy, social values and climate change
Dwayne Donald Homo Economics and Forgetful Curriculum
Mary Beckie Moving Beyond Organic? Ecological farming and local food trends in Alberta
Diana Leong Anchoring the Climate Commons - Slave Ship Earth
Brent Swallow, Juanita Gnanapragasam, Aaron Paquette Green Drinks: Food and Climate Change
Sourayan Mookerjea, Kerry Constabile, Angele Alook, Carrie Karsgaard, Mike Bonanno COP 101: Understanding the UN Climate Talks
Sheena Wilson,
Natalie Loveless, Kirby Calvert
Energy In/Out of Place

Sustainability Speaker Series

"An innovative speaker can revolutionize how we see the world." The University of Alberta's Sustainability Speaker Series brings renowned leaders from all over the world to speak on sustainability issues such as climate change, just development, clean tech and pollution. Lectures are free and open to the public, including alumni and community members.

Year Speakers
2021–22 Stephanie Kelton
2020–21 Lizzie O'Shea
2019–20 Ian Mauro Vien Truong
2018–19 Bea Johnson Tom Murphy Amy Luers James Balog
2017–18 Shalini Kantayya George Kourounis
2016–17 Laurence C. Smith Manulani Aluli-Meyer
2015–16 Majora Carter Sheila Watt-Cloutier
2014–15 Tzeporah Berman Edward Burtynsky
2013–14 Paul Hawken Severn Cullis-Suzuki
2012–13 Thomas Homer Dixon Raj Patel Adria Vasil
2011–12 Bill McKibben Annie Leonard

Julian Agyeman

Winona LaDuke Maude Barlow