Ed joined Waterloo in 1976 after completing his Bachelor of Science, Master of Science and Ph.D., from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The former chair of the Department of Systems Design Engineering, Dr. Jernigan is a dedicated teacher who has been recognized with both the University of Waterloo’s Distinguished Teacher Award and the Teaching Excellence Award by the Faculty of Engineering. Dr. Jernigan has been interested in biomedical applications in Systems Design Engineering throughout his career, primarily in the application of vision and image...

In 2003, Chris Bentley was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as the Member of Provincial Parliament for London-West. First assigned to the Labour portfolio, subsequent cabinet reshuffling has given Chris insight and seen him placed at the helm of the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, and most recently, the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs. He is also Ontario’s Attorney General. Prior to advocating on the behalf of Ontarians at Queen’s Park, Bentley graduated with a law degree from the University of Toronto and received a master’s degree...

Being born into a musical family inspired Clark Bryan to choose a path of music as a profession. He began formal studies at age four and wrote his first compositions at age six. He formally trained at The University of Western Ontario, where he studied solo piano with John Paul Bracey and Sonja Behrens as well as chamber music with Ronald Turini and Peter Smith. In 1992, he graduated with both a Bachelor and a Masters Degrees in piano performance. Mr. Bryan has worked with many world-renowned pianists including Eugene List, Shura Cherkasky, Ronald Turini, and Cécile...

Bobby doesn’t know what he wants to be when he grows up. He thought his passion was math and physics, so he became an aerospace engineer. Then, it seemed like brand marketing was the way the go. Owning the spotlight in musical theatre and sketch comedy held great appeal. But today, human teddy bear and walking diary are the leading contenders. Bobby’s varied career has included serving as Program Manager for McMaster University’s Shad Valley summer program for gifted high school youth. He has also worked in brand management for Tier-1 companies such as Kraft and...

Denis Shackel has been called a Renaissance man on more than one occasion, and for good reason–the award-winning Richard Ivey School of Business professor has made a point of filling each day with an opportunity to learn and live fully following a near death experience on a mountain-climbing expedition in New Zealand, in which he lost his brother-in-law. A Kiwi by birth, Mr. Shackel attributes his childhood in New Zealand as the source for the breadth of his interests. Denis taught elementary grades in New Zealand while earning a B.A., and M.A., in Education, with...

Ian Keteku is a poet, musician and freelance journalist. Born as Ian Nana Yaw Adu Budu Keteku, his birth name is as unique as his diverse talents and interests. His poetry and music are refreshing, and speak to a universal audience. Also known as "Emcee E", Keteku refuses to be typical. He defines his poetry as 'critical oratory', feeling compelled to speak on the issues he feels are not thought about regularly. He loves to use his words to inspire messages of peace, action and critical thought. Keteku feels that using his voice to speak for the voiceless is an...

Noted as one of Canada's most impressive musical innovators, Craig Cardiff has released eleven albums in the past ten years, democratizing the very process of music-making each step of the way. Hailed as both the Che and Kerouac of indie music, Craig is a pioneer in alternate venue touring, often appearing in churches, basements, festivals, kitchens and even the street. His outstanding 11th CD release “Goodnight (GoHome)” reminds us that often the very best in art and culture can be found well outside the glass walls of the highly corporatized entertainment...

Recruited to The University of Western Ontario in 2010 as the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Cognitive Neuroscience and Imaging, Dr. Adrian Owen is addressing one of the most challenging topics in clinical medicine– residual brain function in patients who are non-responsive after suffering a severe brain injury. He has spent the last 20 years pioneering breakthroughs in cognitive neuroscience, with some of his research interests including brain mapping in the human frontostriatal system and cognitive deficits in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Building on...

Lou is the founder of we(e)press, a publisher of globally-themed children’s books that can be found in libraries and homes across Canada and around the world. What sets we(e)press apart from other publishers, however, is the fact that their books are published royalty free, with all proceeds funding education and literacy projects in sub-Saharan Africa. Lou’s first book Around the World in the Blink of an Eye: A Truly Global Picture Book features artwork from over 24 artists from 24 different time zones, as the reader literally moves around the world in the blink of an...

On 1 November 2006, former pack-a-day smoker Ray Zahab set out on an epic expedition to cross the Sahara Desert by foot with two other runners. 111 days and 7,500 KM after leaving the coast of Senegal, they completed their journey, stepping into the Red Sea. The trek–which the National Geographic tracked by web–had the trio running an average of 70 KM a day, without a single day’s rest; actor Matt Damon and Academy Award-winning director James Moll captured the journey in an effort to raise awareness for the drinking water crisis in Northern Africa, a crisis so...

Although the former Coordinator of one of the largest university leadership development programs in the country, Drew Dudley nonetheless embraces the idea that “leadership cannot really be taught. It can only be learned.” “I’ve never thought of what I do as ‘teaching’ leadership,” says Drew. “For me, it’s always been about trying to find a way to help others explore the concept – what it means to them, and to their communities.” A professional speaker, educator and entrepreneur, Drew has helped raise over $3 million through his involvement...

The CEO of United Way of London and Middlesex, Mr. Lockie is a strong advocate for collaboration and believes that to be effective, organizations must prioritize partnerships and work together strategically. To that end, he has led numerous successful community collaborations at the YMCA and United Way, which have led to an increased community capacity to support those most vulnerable in our communities. During Mr. Lockie’s term as CEO, United Way has changed from focusing on “funding priorities” to the “Impact Areas” of Poverty, Mental Health, and Beginnings...

Dr. Ted Hewitt has served as Vice-President (Research & International Relations) at The University of Western Ontario since February 2005. First appointed Western’s Associate Vice-President (Research) in May 2001, Hewitt spearheaded efforts to develop the University’s Strategic Research Plan and its Strategic Plan for Internationalization, both of which were approved by the Senate and Board of Governors in 2003. He is Chair of the Shared Hierarchical Academic Research Computing Network and the Ontario High Performance Computing Council, and was elected to serve as...

Anthropologist Wade Davis is perhaps the most influential western advocate for the world's indigenous cultures. His stunning photographs and evocative stories have captured the imaginations of millions. As a speaker, he parlays that sense of wonder into concern over the rate at which cultures and languages are disappearing–50% of the world's 6,000 languages, he says, are no longer taught to children. The way Davis sees it, language isn't just a collection of vocabulary and grammatical rules. Rather, "Every language is an old-growth forest of the mind." He has been...

Kyra started out on the slam scene as an angry poet whose voice was the manifestation of her survival. After competing nationally at the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word in 2009, touring in a two-woman spoken word show (The Queens of Inappropriate), writing and presenting academic theory about the politics of representation in slam and co-directing the London Poetry Slam, Kyra has emerged a stronger, more hopeful young poet. Her awkward and endearing stage presence is always undercut by an honesty that speaks of the strife that has inspired her to find light in spite of...

Blake is a rare mix of leader, comedian, romantic, musician and TEDxUWO host. He spends most of his time looking for the moments that are worth experiencing and after quickly jotting these in his notebook, insists that he gets a reserved seat. Conversations with students are an opportunity to learn from others. Drawing from his experiences in secondary school and a record number of years living and working in university residence, Blake presents real truths and practical insights, which will excite, motivate and inspire your students to reach their potential. Life with...