Biography
Dr. Claudio Cañizares
Claudio Cañizares is a University Professor and Hydro One Endowed Chair in the electrical and computer engineering (ECE) department at the University of Waterloo, where he has held various academic and administrative positions since 1993. In 2021, he was appointed the Executive Director of the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Energy (WISE). He received an electrical engineering degree from the Escuela Politécnica Nacional (EPN) in Quito, Ecuador in 1984, where he held different academic and administrative positions between 1983 and 1993, and his MSc (1988) and PhD (1991) degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, in the USA.
Dr. Cañizares is the recipient of the 2017 IEEE Power & Energy Society (PES) Outstanding Power Engineering Educator Award, the 2016 IEEE Canada Electric Power Medal, and multiple IEEE PES Technical Council and Committee awards and recognitions, holding leadership positions in several IEEE-PES Committees, Working Groups, and Task Forces. In 2021 and 2022, he received the Award for Excellence in Graduate Supervision from the University of Waterloo.
Dr. Dipanjan Basu
Dr. Dipanjan Basu is a Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Waterloo (UW). He was an Assistant Professor at the University of Connecticut before joining UW. He is a Professional Engineer in the province of Ontario in Canada, and a Chartered Engineer and Professional Engineer in India. Professor Basu is a member of several learned societies in the U.S.A., Canada, and India. He has served in the editorial boards of multiple journals and in multiple committees of the learned societies. Professor Basu is a geotechnical engineer with diverse interest in mechanics, mathematics, numerical methods, renewable energy, and sustainability. He teaches courses on Geotechnical Engineering and Numerical Analysis. He has taught several professional and university short courses in the U.S.A., South Africa, India, and Ethiopia. Professor Basu’s current research focus is on Geothermal Energy, Soil Structure Interaction, Life Cycle Assessment, and Pile Foundations. “From fundamentals to applications”, he likes developing theories based on the principles of physics and mechanics, and finally produces results that are useful in practice. He has over 150 publications with more than 60 refereed articles in reputed journals.
Dr. Grant Wach
Grant Wach (DPhil, FGS, PGeo) began his career advising worldwide for multinational companies. He still works with the energy sector but now as Professor of Geoscience at Dalhousie University, he serves as a mentor, helping students become successful geoscientists. Wach’s research goal is to understand the reservoir component of CCUS and Geothermal systems. He has advised the Nova Scotia government on Carbon Storage and Sequestration and completed the first evaluation of basins in the Maritimes for Carbon Storage. He was co-principal Investigator of the Gas Seepage Project evaluating methane emissions from coal, oil and gas extraction sites in Atlantic Canada. He is an Expert Advisor to the UNECE Energy Sustainability Committee and working groups. Wach is a member of Geothermal Canada and has recently presented short courses on Geothermal and CCS for the EAGE. Professor Wach completed his BA (Hons) at Western University, MSc Geology at South Carolina, and doctorate in Geology at the University of Oxford (DPhil Geology). He is a registered professional geologist with Geoscientists Nova Scotia (APGNS).
Dr. Ernst Kiefer
Ernst Kiefer worked more than 25 years as exploration geologist in the international oil & gas business before he joined the Federal Institute for Geothermal Research at KIT in Karlsruhe, Germany. Alongside research and public relation activities he gives lectures in seismic exploration and deep drilling operations at KIT and the Univerity of Tuebingen.
Mr. Peter Massie
Peter Massie leads the Cascade Institute’s Geothermal Energy Office. He has over a decade of experience in a variety of roles within the Canadian federal government. Most recently he managed Techno-Economic Analysis in the Department of Natural Resources Canada, where his team used quantitative tools to assess the contributions of energy technologies to Canada’s net-zero transition. Peter holds an MA in Sustainable Energy Policy from Carleton University, where he focused on both geothermal and wind energy.
Noureddine Mahmoud Issa Alawawdeh
I am a Ph.D. candidate in Earth Sciences at INRS, Canada, with a background in environmental and renewable energy engineering, as well as civil and infrastructure engineering. My research focuses on sustainable energy technologies, particularly ground source heat pumps, and I have a growing interest in integrating GCHP with solar and biomass energy systems. I’ve published my work in journals such as Results in Engineering and the International Journal of Thermofluids, and I had the opportunity to present my Ph.D. project at an international conference (IGSHPA 2024, Polytechnique Montréal, Montréal, Canada). I’ve also contributed to several funded research projects focused on renewable energy and sustainable development in both Canada and Jordan. My technical toolkit includes MATLAB, Python, TRNSYS, FEFLOW, and various numerical modeling methods that are central to my work. I approach energy and environmental challenges from a multidisciplinary and global perspective, shaped by the diverse nature of my academic and professional experience.
Dr. Dietmar Kuhn and Dr. Kirsten Drüppel
Dr.-Ing. Dietmar Kuhn, born in 1968, holds a diploma in Physics (1991) and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering (2001) from the University of Karlsruhe. He has led the "Combustion Laser Laboratory" and since 2006 heads the Department of Energy and Process Engineering at the Institute of Thermal Energy and Safety, where he became deputy head in 2023. His research focuses on geothermal energy, power plant technology, industrial waste heat, and laser-optical measurement techniques. Dr. Kuhn is also involved in international academic programs and leads numerous energy-related research projects.
Emily Smejkal
Emily Smejkal is a professional geologist who dedicated the first decade of her career to the oil and gas industry. During this time, she focused on heavy oil deposits, water floods, well integrity, and geochemistry. Over the last four years, she has shifted her subsurface expertise towards the development of geothermal energy. She played a vital role in projects focused on subsurface characterizations for geothermal exploration and development, conducted reservoir analysis for carbon sequestration, and provided regulatory evaluations and recommendations. Currently, Emily is a research fellow and policy lead at the Cascade Institute, where she utilizes geologic data to inform Canadian geothermal regulations and policies. Additionally, she is currently serving as vice president at Geothermal Canada.
Dr. Birgit Müller
Dr. Muller, a geophysicist with a diploma (1988) and PhD (1993) from the University of Karlsruhe, has extensive experience in stress field analysis and geomechanics. She has contributed significantly to international initiatives like the World Stress Map Project and coordinated major research programs on tectonic stress, microseismicity, and subsurface resource utilization. From 1995 to 2008, she led projects under SFB 461, DGMK, INTAS, and ARC. Since 2010, she has served as Managing Director of the Landesforschungszentrum Geothermie at KIT, leading projects such as DAMAST, SpannEnD, and SAMUH2. Her current work focuses on sustainable subsurface use, hydrogen storage, and 3D geomechanical modeling. In 1992, she received the Edward A. Flinn Award for outstanding contributions to lithosphere research.
Ms. Isabelle Kosteniuk
Isabelle Kosteniuk is a research engineer with CanmetENERGY-Ottawa. Her research focuses on renewable heating systems and applications, including technologies like solar thermal, geothermal, thermal energy storage, and heat pumps.
Andrew Wigston
Andrew Wigston is a geoscientist with CanmetENERGY-Ottawa. His research focuses on the geological storage of CO2, the integrity of oil and gas wells, and geothermal energy.
Olivia Moores
Olivia Moores (she/her), MCP, BA, is a Project Coordinator on the Geothermal Team at Barkley. She supports community-driven renewable energy projects through engagement, capacity-building, and intergovernmental collaboration. Olivia’s work focuses on advancing Indigenous-led geothermal development, including project coordination, stakeholder engagement, and integrating local knowledge into energy planning. She holds a Master’s in Community Planning from Vancouver Island University and a BA from Memorial University.
Dr. Yaqub Adepoju
Yaqub Adepoju, P.Geo, currently serves as a Senior Energy Geologist with the Northwest Territories Geological Survey (NTGS). He holds a B.Sc. in Geology (1991) and an M.Sc. in Geophysics (1995) from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. In 2014, he earned a Ph.D. in Applied Geophysics from the University of Port Harcourt, followed by a second master’s degree—an M.Sc. in Sustainable Energy Development—from the University of Calgary in 2020. With over 30 years of experience in geoscience, Yaqub has developed broad expertise across structural geology, seismology, geomodelling, oil and gas exploration, field development, geological field surveys, and geothermal energy research. His extensive background in both applied research and project management enables him to contribute valuable insights to the Energy Geosciences team at NTGS.
Emilie Gentry
Emilie Gentry, Senior Geothermal Geoscientist with TEVERRA providing geological mapping, resource assessment, and geothermal conceptual model development. Her technical expertise is structural and subsurface geology with experience in geologic research and oil and gas development, exploration, reservoir characterization, and regulatory affairs management. Emilie uses her knowledge in faults and structural geology and her experience in oil and gas to address major challenges in the geothermal industry and bring opportunity to the larger energy industry. She earned her B.Sc. in Geological Sciences from the University of Texas at Austin and her M.Sc. in Geology at the Colorado School of Mines. Emilie is an active member of Women in Geothermal (WING) and was part of the WING Future Leaders Cohort.
Dr. Megan Eyre
Megan, PhD, P.Geo. is a Geothermal Geoscientist at Barkley Project Group. She has a Masters in Geophysics from the University of Liverpool, UK, and a PhD in Geophysics from University College Dublin, Ireland. With over 10 years of experience in the natural resources sector, including 6 years in Canada’s geothermal industry, Megan has extensive expertise in performing comprehensive resource assessments, techno-economic feasibility studies, and risk assessments. Megan is a strong advocate of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workforce and is a member of the Women in Geothermal Canada Chapter Committee, where she leads their event planning.
Dr. S.M. Talha Qadri
Dr. S.M. Talha Qadri is Manager of Energy Geosciences with the Northwest Territories Geological Survey, Government of the Northwest Territories. He holds a PhD in Petroleum Geosciences and has a diverse background in academia, applied research, and public sector leadership. His expertise includes source and reservoir modeling, petroleum systems, geo-resource management, and natural hazard risk assessment with a focus on sustainability and community resilience. Dr. Qadri has authored over 50 peer-reviewed articles and led research across Canada and internationally, including collaborations with Indigenous communities. He has experience in university teaching, industry-focused research in Southeast Asia and Canada, and strategic geoscience planning to support energy security. His work bridges technical excellence and cross-cultural, interdisciplinary leadership.
Dr. Catherine Hickson
Catherine Hickson is one of the most experienced and knowledgeable geothermal specialists in Canada, with a global practice. She has been in the industry since a student, spending much of her career in research and innovation related to geology and geothermal energy as a Research Scientist with Dept. of Natural Resources (Canada) - Geological Survey of Canada (GSC). This was followed by a career in industry working for private and publicly traded companies as a senior executive. She is President of Tuya Terra Geo Corp. (a geothermal, geoscience and project management company), and CEO of Alberta No. 1, a conventional geothermal project in Alberta, Canada. She is experienced in exploration and development of both low and high enthalpy (temperature) systems spanning three continents. She wields significant subject-matter expertise in geothermal exploration (greenfield), well field exploration and expansion (brownfield), well testing and reservoir management, in addition to science and technical management, community and government relations, environmental issues, risk analysis; and administration. She also has significant policy and regulatory experience in Canada and abroad, including working with the governments of Alberta, British Columbia, NWT and Yukon.
Anders Gamfeldt
Anders is Key Account Manager for land-based applications at Climeon and holds an MSc in Engineering Physics. He has worked in various roles across product/technology development and product management throughout his career. For the past eight years, he’s been part of the Climeon team, with a strong focus on the company’s latest heat-to-power solution, the Heat Power 300.
Dr. Ali Yaghoubi
Ali Yaghoubi holds a Ph.D. in geomechanics and geophysics from the University of Waterloo, and he earned his M.Sc. in geophysics from Stanford University. Ali has 14 years of international experience in geomechanics, petrophysics, and geophysics, including geomechanics simulation for subsurface energy extraction, geothermal reservoirs, and CO2 sequestration. His current projects are focused on underground energy extraction, including geothermal and unconventional resources, as well as CO2 sequestration across regions in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and Northern Canada.
Dr. Stanley Reitsma
Stanley Reitsma, P.Eng., PhD, is a leading expert in geothermal energy and environmental engineering. He holds a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from Queen’s University, an M.Sc. in Earth Sciences, and a B.Sc. in Geological Engineering from the University of Waterloo. As CEO and owner of Geosource Energy Inc. since 2004, he has pioneered geothermal drilling in Ontario, advancing drilling techniques, heat exchangers, and thermal storage solutions. Geosource Energy has successfully installed thousands of geothermal systems across North America. Previously, Stanley served as an Assistant Professor at the University of Windsor, where he led research on groundwater contamination, remediation, and ground source heating, securing funding from organizations like NSERC and the Canadian Foundation for Innovation. A registered Professional Engineer in Ontario, Stanley is active in multiple industry associations, including HRAI, BILD, CaGBC, and OSEA. He contributed to the ANSI/CSA/IGSHPA 448 standard and is involved in developing training related to the revised standard.