5G is a transformational technology that will have broad ranging impacts outside of the network infrastructure to be deployed. How do we make sure that roll out of 5G is mobilised to create positive impacts for people and the environment? This session will include case studies of collaborators working together to create social and environmental benefit enabled by 5G network capabilities as well as discussion about issues and impacts that the industry should focus on going forward.

 

Moderator

Ivette Vera-Perez, National Team Lead, Account Management & Cleantech Sector Strategy Lead

Ivette Vera-Perez is the Team Lead for Mitacs’s Account Management group. She directs a multidisciplinary group of account managers across Canada, with the mandate of helping industry secure top talent to advance innovation. Ivette has over 15 years of experience in the cleantech and environmental technologies sector. Her expertise spans from business development to site engineering, operations, and financing. She holds a Master of Applied Science from the University of British Columbia, and an MBA from McGill University. Before joining Mitacs, Ivette was the Manager for the Greenhouse Gas Reduction programs at the Ontario Centres of Excellence, where she managed over $275M in program funding.

 

Irene Sterian, P.Eng, Founder, President & CEO, REMAP, Director, Technology & Innovation, Celestica

Irene is a strategic technology leader and driving force in the future of manufacturing in Canada. With 30+ years in electronics manufacturing, Irene presents significant accomplishments in engineering management and pioneered environmentally safe, sustainable manufacturing technologies. Irene holds a patent in high density, high-performance memory circuit packaging and is the recipient of the Medal for Management from the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers. As a successful engineering executive, Irene has demonstrated incredible vision with the ability to forge successful large-scale, cross-sector partnerships. Her work has resulted in unprecedented investments in Canadian commercial R&D in electronics manufacturing. These investments support start-ups and small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) in the healthcare, cleantech, ICT and aerospace sectors. Irene continues to be a regular contributor to global manufacturing standards at international associations through several board appointments, including the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers (OSPE), NSERC Computing HW for Emerging Intelligent Sensory Apps (COHESA), NRCs Advisory Advanced Electronics & Photonics Council. Irene is a regular contributor to the World Manufacturing Foundation and many other industry publications. Irene is recognized as one of Canada’s top 50 Women in Tech.

 

Katie Gibson, Vice President, Strategy and Partnerships, CIO Strategy Council

Katie is an executive at the CIO Strategy Council, where she leads cross-sector partnerships to foster a trusted, secure, sustainable digital ecosystem in Canada. One of her current projects is the Sustainable IT Pledge, which seeks to reduce the carbon footprint of IT operations and purchasing. Katie served as Director of the Entrepreneurship and Start-up Services Branch at Ontario’s economic development ministry and has also led an innovative capital advisory program at MaRS Discovery District. She previously served as General Counsel at a national charity. Katie practiced and taught law and clerked at the Supreme Court of Canada and the Ontario Court of Appeal. She holds a BA from Harvard University and received her joint law degrees and MBA from McGill University.

 

Sophie Nitoslawski, Urban forestry researcher, Cities scientist, Trees, tech & towns, PhD Candidate, University of British Columbia

Sophie Nitoslawski is a PhD Candidate in urban forestry at the University of British Columbia, and is passionate about finding ways to better integrate trees and green infrastructure into the fabric of our cities. Her research centers on the intersection of smart communities and urban forest management, and she works with both private- and public-sector partners to develop digital-based monitoring and management systems to ensure more equitable and resilient urban ecosystems. In addition to her PhD work, Sophie is involved in teaching various urban studies and sustainability courses at UBC, and is currently a member of the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Science and Research Committee.

 

Hamid Alemohammad, PhD, P.Eng., COO, AOMS Technologies

Hamid Alemohammad, PhD, is the co-founder and COO of AOMS Technologies, a leader in industrial Internet of Things (IoT) for rugged and industrial applications. Hamid has over 16 years of experience in industrial sensing and IoT including the commercialization of a series of sensor technologies for applications in construction and infrastructure, oil & gas, utilities, aerospace, clean energy generation. Hamid holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Waterloo in Canada.

 

Angelin Soosaipillai, Mitacs, Vice-président, Équité, diversité et inclusion

Angelin Soosaipillai, is the Vice President of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) at Mitacs. She is responsible for leading the EDI strategy at Mitacs to support inclusive innovation in Canada. Prior to joining Mitacs, Angelin held the role of Director, Consulting at the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion where she helped a wide range of employers identify barriers and develop measurable strategies to advance EDI. Angelin previously served as Professional Development Lawyer at the Ontario Bar Association where she launched the first series of inclusive leadership programs designed to accelerate a culture shift in the legal profession and justice system. She holds an LLB from the University of Birmingham Law School and a BA from the University of Toronto.

 

Workshop Supporters