Upcoming Events:
March 22nd, 2023
World Water Day is being presented in partnership with The Manitoba Museum and consists of a daytime conference for 230 high school students with special guest speaker scientists and multiple workshops. The evening portion of the conference is open to the public and include guest speaker Dr. Markus Brinkmann, Associate Professor, School of Environment and Sustainability at The University of Saskatchewan. Full program details coming in December 2022.
Markus Brinkmann PhD
Associate Professor, School of Environment and Sustainability
Director, Toxicology Centre
Faculty Member, Global Water Futures (GWF) program
Member, Global Institute for Water Security (GIWS)
Short bio:
"
My research in exposure and risk assessment modelling focuses on uptake and effects of contaminants in aquatic organisms under realistic exposure scenarios. What is the influence of environmental and physiological factors and how can we predict these? How do findings from the lab translate to the field situation? What are the relevant parameters in the field, e.g. during flood events or as a result of global change? To answer these and other questions, I use computational models that are informed by experimental data and combine knowledge from different fields, including toxicology, environmental chemistry, and hydrology."
Website: https://researchers.usask.ca/markus-brinkmann
Past Events:
October 29th, 2022 (Calgary)
October 27th, 2022:
Inside Big Oil's Disinformation Machine
A discussion with investigative journalist Geoff Dembicki, and what he learned from hundreds of pages of confidential oil industry documents.
Featuring Guest Speakers:
Geoff Dembicki - Journalist, Author
Geoff Dembicki is an award-winning freelance journalist and author. He is the author of Are We Screwed? How a New Generation is Fighting to Survive Climate Change and has a new book coming out on September 20th titled:
The Petroleum Papers: Inside the Far-Right Conspiracy to Cover Up Climate Change
Sharon Eubanks - Lawyer, Author
Sharon Y Eubanks served as lead council in the federal tobacco litigation United States v Philip Morris USA, et al. She is the co-author of Bad Acts: The Racketeering Case Against the Tobacco Industry. Sharon will speak about current and upcoming lawsuits against fossil fuel companies over their funding and promotion of misinformation about climate change.
"Today, the fossil fuel industry finds itself in the same precarious legal position as the tobacco industry did in the late 1990s. The behaviour and goals of the tobacco and petroleum industries are pretty similar – and there are many similarities in their liabilities. Both industries lied to the public and regulators about what they knew about the harms of their products. Both lied about when they knew it. And like the tobacco industry while I was in public service, the deceptive advertising and PR of the fossil fuel industry is now under intense legal scrutiny." - Read more here.
Also including guest panelists:
Dr Mark Hudson
Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology and Coordinator, Global Political Economy Program, University of Manitoba
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June 2nd, 2022 @ 237 McDermot Ave
Featuring:
Curt Hull - Project Director - Climate Change Connection
"Hydro has published estimates of the power and energy required to heat all of our buildings and fuel all of our vehicles electrically. Roughly speaking, those estimates call for a doubling of current generation. This has been justification for some to throw up their hands and say “See, it can’t be done”. We beg to differ. Not only must it be done, we believe that the analysis in Road to Resilience: Energy Solutions shows that it can be done. And it can be done without experimental technologies, new dams, or nuclear."
Department of Political Studies, Master of Science
Research affiliate of the University of Manitoba's Geopolitical Economy Research Group (GERG) (www.geopoliticaleconomy.org). Former Principal Economist with the Greater London Authority, England. Researches the Creative economy, the theory of value, Development Economics, Econometrics and Labor Economics. With Radhika Desai edits the 'New Cold War' website (www.newcoldwar.org) and co-directs GERG His academia website is at www.geopoliticaleconomy.academia.edu/AlanFreeman.
Venue: Winnipeg Free Press Cafe - 237 McDermot Ave
Time: 7pm - 9pm
Cost: Free to members, $10 to the public
Food: Free delicious appetizers provided for all attendees
Register: [email protected]
More info:
www.climatechangeconnection.org
March 22nd, 12pm - 1pm
Featuring:
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba
Gordon Goldsborough is a member of the Department of Biological Sciences
at the University of Manitoba. He is a water quality specialist
concerned with the impacts of humans on lakes and wetlands. President of
the Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium, he has consulted on several
documentaries relating to water quality, including the "Save My Lake"
episode of The Nature of Things (CBC). Besides his scientific interests,
Goldsborough is involved in the Manitoba heritage community, being the
Webmaster and President of the Manitoba Historical Society, and an
Editor of Prairie History magazine.
November 24th, 7pm - 8pm CST
November 24th, 7pm - 8pm CST: Science & Evidence for Medical Psilocybin
Details:
A discussion and Q&A of the medical use of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy to treat end-of-life distress.
Featuring:
Spencer Hawkswell
CEO - TheraPsil
Dave Phillips
Registered Clinical Counsellor
TheraPsil Training Advisor and Trainer
Sabrina Akhtar, MD MHSc CCFP
Family Physician
Date: November 24th
Time: 7pm - 8pm (Winnipeg time)
Online event via Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87460076005
Meeting ID: 874 6007 6005
No registration required
Cost: Free
More info:
www.sciencefirst.ca
www.therapsil.ca
_ _ _
Science Literacy Week Sept 20 - 26, 2021
Topic: Polar bears, non-invasive methods & climate change
Time: Sep 24, 2021 7:00PM
September 23rd: 12pm - 1pm
Topic: Virtual, augmented, and mixed reality: An exploration of interior environments
Featuring: Jason Shields – Assistant Professor – Department of Interior Design
This presentation will review the application of VR in a pedagogical/communicative/instructing role with interior design. We will review some of the benefits and exciting aspects of this recent capacity including HoloLens and some focus on accessibility and sustainability, followed by a question period. An example of some questions to be raised will include looking at how remote technology such as this can reduce environmental impacts on project design and allow more efficiencies in the entire process among other things. This presentation will be followed by an audience Q&A for a total of 60min.
Time: Sep 23, 2021 12:00 PM Winnipeg
Join us for UM Homecoming and Science Literacy Week
(FREE) Virtual Science Talks and Q&A via Zoom
Join the UM Faculty of Science and Science First for an exciting lineup of FREE Virtual Public Talks in celebration of Science Literacy Week, Sept. 20 – 26, 2021.
Our Events:
- Ariel Gordon, University of Manitoba Press, Writer, Author of Tree Talk – Urban Forests, Ecology, Biodiversity, Climate Change
- Tom Nagy, Mycologist – Mushrooms, Ecology, Biodiversity
- Jim Duncan, [PhD/92], Director of Discover Owls – Wildlife Research and Conservation.
Moderated by Dr. Brian Mark, Dean, Faculty of Science.
Dr. Richard Sparling, Professor, Department of Microbiology – Making Money from Trash
- Dale Overton, [BSc. (Maj)/05] CEO Overton Environmental Enterprises Inc. – Organics Waste Management, Sustainable Agri-Systems, Soil Ecology and Revegetation.
- Dr. Olivia Wilkins, Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences – Plant Genomics & Systems, Climate Resilient Plants
- Dr. Christian Kuss, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry – Material Science, Batteries/Electric Vehicles
- Dr. Jane Waterman & Dr. Jim Roth, Professors, Department of Biological Sciences – Arctic Led Climate Research, Predator-Prey Relationships, Endangered Species/Polar Bears and Arctic Foxes.
-May 20th, 2021:
Greenpac Townhall on the Environment
Event info:
-Come join UMSU, UMSU Green Team, Science First & Green Pack for a Zoom Webinar with Q & A.
-The event is open to the public/members of each constituency and are focused on the environment.
-UMSU Green Team’s aim is to promote and educate people on and around the campus of the University of Manitoba about the sustainable use of resources.
-GreenPAC is a non-partisan, non-profit that aims to promote environmentally conscious elected officials.
-Science First is a Winnipeg based non-profit that organizes events and media campaigns that promote science literacy, publicly funded science, ecological conservation and evidence based policies. Science First is a non-partisan advocacy group that aims to reduce and counter disinformation & misinformation to better strengthen our democracy.
-This specific Town Hall will have a sustainability theme and we’ll be taking questions from attendees related to the MP’s plans to promote environmental responsibility in the commons. As well, there will be questions on their plans for specific environmental concerns in their constituencies.
Date: May 20, 2021
Time: 7:00pm
Host: TBA
Discussion with:
-Terry Duguid
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April 10th, 2021 (1pm - 2:15pm):
Effective Communication of Vaccine Safety
Featuring special guest speakers:
Dr. Heidi Tworek - Associate Professor of History and Public Policy at University of British Columbia
https://www.heiditworek.com/bio
Division of Palliative Care - The Ottawa Hospital
Assistant Professor - University of Ottawa
Critical Care Medicine-Montfort Hospital/The Ottawa Hospital
Associate Scientist OHRI
Department of Medicine Director of Innovation & Health Services Research.
Founder of The Resource Optimization Network
https://drkwadwo.ca
Event details:
Date: April 10th, 2021
Event time: 1pm - 2:15pm
Cost: FREE
March 20th, 2021:
World Water Day - Experimental Lakes Area Review
Saturday March 20th:
Time: 1pm - 2pm
Join us for a current review of the science & research taking place at the Experimental Lakes Area. 15 minute presentation followed by a 45min audience Q & A.
Zoom event link will be posted here on March 19th 24 hours before the event.
Cost: Free!
Event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/331222097994805
January 16th, 2021:
Canada's Green Recovery - Register here: [email protected]
We’ll be examining the economics, science, politics & psychology of a green & just recovery. Is the green recovery (or Green New Deal in the USA) a smart policy? How big should governments go with massive publicly supported programs? How can we best communicate these bold programs to the public at large? What are the fiscal and political hurdles to consider?
Featuring guest speakers:Geoff Dembicki - Author/Journalist
https://thetyee.ca/Bios/Geoff_Dembicki/
Recent articles & interviews:
The Tyee:
https://thetyee.ca/News/2020/07/06/Go-Time-Canada-Green-Recovery/
https://thetyee.ca/News/2019/07/31/Alberta-Strong-Economy-Transition/
CBC Frontburner Podcast:
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/the-push-for-canada-s-green-recovery-1.5644259
Fletcher Baragar -University of Manitoba - Economics
PhD (University of Utah) Associate Professor (Economics and Society Stream)
https://umanitoba.ca/.../faculty/fletcher_baragar.html
Event details:
Date: January 16th, 2021
Event time: 2pm - 3:15pm
Cost: $10 general public, free to Science First members
Register here: [email protected]
Online event: Zoom (link tba)
Facebook Event Page
November 14th, 2020
One of the goals of this event is to discuss how people can identify trusted sources of information and to help those around them avoid being duped by misinformation and disinformation. Additionally, we'll speak about new fact checking features on social media and the various problems advanced technologies are creating with misinformation in general. We'll also cover some different angles including predatory journals, fake news, political interference, AI bots etc.. This will be the first in a series of events over the next year promoting digital literacy, science based policies and ecological conservation.
Featuring:Ramona Pringle
As a keynote speaker, Ramona addresses international audiences on issues related to media, creativity, technology and social shifts. To date, she has advised diverse industries including various sectors in media, journalism, gaming, manufacturing, agriculture, insurance, social media and technology on understanding the new power structures of a data-driven economy, and surviving and thriving in an age of automation.
Ramona has spoken at events including Social Media Week, SXSW, NXNE, TEDx, Ignite, the World Future Society, the Toronto International Film Festival, Idea City, and Tribeca Interactive. Her work has been featured at i-docs in Bristol, UK, Power to the Pixel in London, UK, Sheffield Doc Fest, Hot Docs, and at TFI Interactive, part of the Tribeca Film Festival in New York.
Ramona is a technology columnist for CBC News and CBC Radio, with a weekly syndicated column on the social side of tech, examining the ways in which digital culture is changing every aspect of our lives, cities, and work.
Also featuring guest speakers:
Geoff Dembicki (New York)
Investigative climate reporter. Stories in @VICE @TheTyee and others. Author of 'Are We Screwed'?
Andrew Park (Winnipeg)
Associate Professor of Biology at the University of Winnipeg
https://www.uwinnipeg.ca/biology/people/faculty-staff/andrew-park.html
Event details: Online Zoom Event
We will host the event online as a video seminar featuring a presentation and a Q & A. Zoom link will be emailed out before the event to registrants.
Date: November 14th, 2020
Event time: 2pm - 4pm
Cost: $15 general public, $10 students, free to Science First members
Register here: [email protected]
Online event: Zoom (link tba)
Facebook Event Page
March 3rd, 2020
March 3rd, 2020
Take 3 for Climate Justice - Student Conference & film festival
Information & registration here:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/community/take-3-for-climate-justice-1.5339802
September 17th @ Fort Garry Hotel
Featuring:
Dianne Saxe, Ph.D in Law
www.saxefacts.com
Dianne Saxe is president of Saxe Facts, a business providing strategic advice and presentations on climate, energy and environment. She has given hundreds of well-received presentations across Ontario and beyond. Follow her on Twitter (@envirolaw1) and LinkedIn.
From 2015 to 2019 Dr. Dianne Saxe was the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario (ECO), an office that has since been abolished. She was appointed unanimously by all MPPs to report to the Legislature on Ontario’s environmental, energy and climate performance, and to be the guardian of the Environmental Bill of Rights (EBR). During her term, she improved the effectiveness of the Environmental Bill of Rights, increased public understanding of the urgency of climate change, and issued highly praised reports on a wide range of environmental, energy and climate topics.
Prior to her appointment, Dr. Saxe was one of Canada’s most respected environmental lawyers, with 40 years’ unparalleled experience writing, interpreting, and litigating Ontario’s energy and environmental laws. Dr. Saxe's career began with the Ontario Public Service and two major Bay Street law firms. She then established one of Canada’s top environmental law firms.
A Certified Environmental Law Specialist, Commissioner Saxe was recognized by all major legal rating services, including acknowledgement as one of the world’s top 25 environmental lawyers by Best of the Best, 2008 and as Best Lawyers’ first Environmental Lawyer of the Year for Toronto. Her numerous honours include the Award for Distinguished Service, the highest honour granted by the Ontario Bar Association; and the Gold Key Award for exceptional lifetime professional achievement, granted by Osgoode Hall Law School Alumni. Diane will speak about her experiences inside & outside of government and comment on current trends in climate policy & politics as we head towards a federal election this October.
Dr Mark Hudson
www.umanitoba.ca
"My research focuses on the relationships between human societies and nature. I have primarily been interested in the ways in which capitalism, as a globalizing, dominant mode of production, structures human relationships with the natural world. This includes research on issues normally characterized as ‘environmental,’ such as oil sands extraction, climate change, and forest management, but my research also pushes into the broader question of how the organization of production and distribution through the primary mechanism of markets affects the sustainability of human relationships with the non-human."
Marianne Cerilli
www.mariannecerilli.ca
Marianne’s
is a health educator who started in recreation, sport, and fitness leadership but
now champions community development. A focus on the social and ecological
determinants of health is a common thread through her diverse roles.
Marianne has been a high school guidance counselor, a government youth
consultant, a Member Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, including Opposition
Environment Critic. As a community advocate/mentor,
she created a women’s empowerment program that was recognized as a top women’s leadership
program in Canada. She has been a community animator/organizer, policy analyst,as
well as a university contract faculty and college instructor in CD and CED. At
UWinnipeg she organized contract faculty to form a union and negotiated their first
contract. Marianne envisions green labour and green jobs as a solution to the
climate crisis.
The
recently announced “Marianne Cerilli Trail” recognizes her work to shift
investment from vehicle infrastructure to active transportation infrastructure through
the Transcona Trail Association which she initiated as MLA. Marianne’s current freelance
consulting in community development emphasizes process design,using outside the
box thinking,methods and engagement tools to create healthy organizations and
healthy communities. She is passionate about linking personal empowerment with
social innovation to transform systems for social change to a more equitable,
sustainable, and peaceful world. Marianne is also a mother, poet, outdoor
adventurer, and is currently the Chair of the Wolseley Resident
Association in Winnipeg.
Time: 7pm - 9pm
Venue: Fort Garry Hotel
Register: [email protected]
Cost: $10 (free for members)
Facebook event page:
https://www.facebook.com/events/442364973250969
May 9th, 2019
A presentation and Q & A on Winnipeg's sewage & water-related infrastructure problem.
Guest Speakers:
ALEXIS KANU
Executive Director
Lake Winnipeg Foundation
NAZIM CICEK
PhD, PEng. Professor
University of Manitoba, Biosystems Engineering
VICKI BURNS
Director
Save Lake Winnipeg
Candi Bezte
Biology Instructor
University of Winnipeg
Past Manager @ Water Program (Manitoba Eco-Network)
Date: May 9th, 2019
Time: 7pm - 9pm
Venue: Fort Garry Hotel (Club room)
Download the interim solution proposal here: CLICK FOR DOWNLOAD (PDF)
December 5th 2018 @ The Fort Garry Hotel (Club Room)
Carbon Dividends: A New National Climate Consensus?
Guest Speakers:
GEOFF DEMBICKI - Author of "Are We Screwed?"
Geoff Dembicki is an award-winning independent journalist and author. He is a regular contributor to VICE and The Tyee. His work also appears in outlets like the New York Times, Foreign Policy and the Guardian. Dembicki's first book, Are We Screwed? How a New Generation is Fighting to Survive Climate Change, was published internationally by Bloomsbury in 2017. It's won several awards, including the 2018 Green Prize for Sustainable Literature.
https://www.vice.com/en_ca/contributor/geoff-dembicki
David McLaughlin - Director of Climate Change – Canada
https://www.iisd.org/about/people/david-mclaughlin/all
David McLaughlin is IISD’s Director of Climate Change – Canada. With over 30 years of public policy experience in national and provincial government and the private sector, David is a Canadian policy expert on energy, economy, environmental and intergovernmental policy issues.
In his capacity as a public official, David has served as Chief of Staff to the federal Minister of Finance, the Premier of New Brunswick and former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. He has served as New Brunswick’s Deputy Minister of the Commission on Legislative Democracy, Policy and Planning, and Intergovernmental Affairs. Most recently, after running the PC Party of Manitoba’s election campaign in 2015–16, David served as Senior Advisor, Climate Change in the Premier’s Office for the Province of Manitoba.
In his sustainable development work, David has served as Strategic Advisor on Sustainability, Faculty of Environment, University of Waterloo from 2013 to 2015 and President and CEO of the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy (2007–12).
Globe & Mail Article: October 9th 2018
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/commentary/article-carbon-dividends-could-save-carbon-prici...
Local Expert:
CURT HULL
Project Manager at Climate Change Connection
Venue: Fort Garry Hotel
Time: 7pm -9pm
Cost: Free for Science First members, $10 for general public
Register: Please register by emailing: [email protected]
October 3rd, 2018 - MANITOBA'S CARBON TAX - Investing in Our Future?
Venue: The Fairmont Hotel - Harrow Room
Time: 7pm - 9pm
Cost: Free for Science First members, $10 for general public
Register: Please register by emailing: [email protected]
Facebook Event Page
Promote: Invite your friends! Guest speakers confirmed: Nazim Cicek PhD, PEng
Biosystems Engineering
University of Manitoba Colin Fast
Director of Policy
Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce Terry Shaw
Executive Director
Manitoba Trucking Association Curt Hull
Project Manager
Climate Change Connection Rob Altemeyer
MLA – Wolseley
Official Critic for the Environment & Green Jobs
Robert Elms
President
Manitoba Electric Vehicle Association
Please remember to register to attend by emailing us at [email protected]
This evening will be a critical review of the current "Made-in-Manitoba" plan for the carbon tax to be put solely towards tax breaks and/or PST reduction: |
July 11th, 2018: Lake Winnipeg Watershed - Science & Policy Update
On July 11th politicians and scientists will be presenting current updates on the Lake Winnipeg Watershed. Topics will include micro-plastics, invasive species, hog barns and where federal funding is headed for lake cleanup & water research. Presentations will be followed by an audience Q & A. This is a great chance to talk directly to a MP who is managing the Lake Winnipeg Basin Initiative alongside talented local scientists researching our watershed.
Guest speakers & panelists:
Terry Duguid
MP - Winnipeg South
Lake Winnipeg Basin Program
Rob Altemeyer
MLA – Wolseley
Official Critic for the Environment & Green Jobs
Sarah Warrack
Master's Student - University of Manitoba
Microplastics in Lake Winnipeg
David Lobb
Professor of Landscape Ecology
Deptartment of Soil Science, University of Manitoba
Vicki Burns
Director - Save Lake Winnipeg
H2O: Ideas & Action for Canada's Water
*Registration Required*
$10 to attend for the general public.
Free for Science First members.
Register by sending us an email: [email protected]
Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/223591435090886/
May 16th, 2018: Investing Our Future - Electric Vehicles & Divesting From Fossil Fuels
This evening will feature three guest speakers discussing various facets of the electric vehicle industry. Presentations will cover the consumer market, technology trends and where Manitoba is headed with adopting electric vehicles.
Cars, buses, trucks and vehicles of all kinds are being electrified. Come learn about the infrastructure needed to support this move away from fossil fuels.
***REGISTRATION REQUIRED***
FREE for Science First members, $10 for the general public.
Venue: Winnipeg Free Press Cafe - 237 McDermot Ave
Time: 7pm - 9pm
Guest Speakers:
Paul Edmond - President
Edmond Financial Group
Robert Elms - President
Manitoba Electric Vehicle Association (MEVA)
Nazim Cicek - PhD, PEng, Professor
University of Manitoba, Faculty of Engineering
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April 14th 2018: March For Science - Manitoba Legislature
Event time: 1pm - 2pm
Featured speaker: Prof. Samar Safi-Harb, Canada Research Chair in Supernova (Remnants) Astrophysics, in the department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg,
Additional Speakers:
Candi Bezte - Manitoba Eco Network
Manager @ Water Caucus Manitoba
Curt Hull - Manitoba Eco Network
Project Manager @ Climate Change Connection
Harvey Zahn - U of M Faculty Advisor and Humanist
Teacher, Outdoor Recreational Advocate
Nathan Zahn - Science First
Professional Campaigner / Organizer
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April 22nd, 2017: March For Science (Rally & guest speakers)
Location: Manitoba Legislature
Time: 1pm - 2pm
*Sponsored by University of Manitoba - The Faculty of Science
Thursday, November 24th 2016
Guest Speaker:
Dr. Michael Rennie
Canada Research Chair in Freshwater Ecology and Fisheries
Research Fellow, IISD-Experimental Lakes Area
Assistant Professor
Dr. Rennie’s research interests focus on understanding the role of ecosystem change (e.g., climate change, commercial and recreational fishing, species invasions) on the aquatic community structure and energetics, and understanding how behavioural and life history variation in of aquatic organisms drives population and ecosystem-level processes. His research articles have been published in a variety of scientific journals, and he has been a lecturer and adjunct professor at several Canadian universities.
Location: The Fort Garry Hotel - Club room
Time: 7pm - 9pm
https://www.iisd.org/about/people/michael-rennie/a...
https://www.lakeheadu.ca/users/R/mrennie
Make sure to check out our Facebook group for campaign updates and up-to-date news alerts: www.facebook.com/ScienceFirstCanada
March 22nd, 2016:
Past guest speakers:
(With Boreal Forest Network)
Maude Barlow - Council of Canadians
