When: Monday, October 22, 2012 7:00-8:30 p.m.
Where: MaRS Centre South Tower Auditorium, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON
Reservations: The event is free, but places are limited. Online Reservations
Speakers:
Welcome to MaRS
Ilse Treurnicht, CEO, MaRS DD
Panel: Mars @ MaRS: From "Curiosity" to Innovation
Moderated by: Jay Ingram, Author and Broadcaster
The world watched in wonder as the rover Curiosity touched down on Mars this summer, its complex instruments ready to sample, image, and analyze the Red Planet.
The challenges of space exploration demand creativity that can help drive innovation back home. Jay Ingram, veteran Canadian science journalist, hosts a panel discussion with leading Canadian space scientists as they describe technologies and discoveries made for space, and some that found their Earthly applications in surprising areas.
Panelists:
John Spray, Director, Planetary and Space Science Centre, University of New Brunswick
Gordon Osinski, NSERC/MDA/CSA Industrial Research Chair in Planetary Geology, UWO
Mathieu Caron, Canadian Space Agency
Speaker Bios:
llse Treurnicht is the CEO of MaRS Discovery District, a leading innovation centre located in Toronto. She oversees both the development and operations of the Mars Centre and its broad suite of entrepreneurship and innovation programs. Ilse joined MaRS in early 2005 from her role as President and CEO of Primaxis Technology Ventures, a startup stage venture capital fund focused on the advanced technologies sector. Prior to Primaxis, Ilse was an entrepreneur with senior management roles in a number of emerging technology companies. She is an active member of Canada’s innovation community and has served on the boards of private companies, industry associations and research organizations. She has also been a member of several government advisory panels. Ilse holds a DPhil in chemistry from Oxford University, which she attended as a Rhodes scholar.
Jay Ingram was the host of Discovery Channel Canada’s Daily Planet (formerly @discovery.ca) from 1995 to 2011. Prior to joining Discovery, he hosted CBC Radio’s national science show, Quirks and Quarks, from 1979 to 1992. During that time he won two ACTRA awards, one for best host, and several Canadian Science Writers’ awards.He also wrote and hosted two CBC Radio documentary series. He was a contributing editor to Owl magazine for 10 years and wrote a weekly science column in the Toronto Star for 12 years. Ingram has also written 12 books, has received five honorary degrees and is a member of the Order of Canada.
John Spray is Director of the Planetary and Space Science Centre at the University of New Brunswick and currently manages a research team of 16 people which includes research scientists, engineers, graduate and undergraduate students and staff. The team’s research activities focus on investigating planetary materials, frictional melting, impact cratering mechanics, the geology of the Moon and Mars, and processes associated with hypervelocity impact and shock effects.
John Spray received his BSc in Geology from Cardiff University (Wales) and his PhD in Earth Sciences from Cambridge University (England). He joined the faculty of the University of New Brunswick in 1986 where he now holds the Canada Research Chair in Planetary Materials and is a co- investigator on science teams for NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory and the European Space Agency’s ExoMars rover missions.