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Prof. Nathwani (Executive Director, WISE) was invited to attend The Waterloo Symposium on Technology and Society, seeking to promote public discourse in Canada and beyond on the societal challenges and opportunities created by innovations in four primary areas: artificial intelligence, robotics, big data and social media.

Prof. Wu (Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering) described novel techniques pioneered in his lab that combine X-ray and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) to understand 2-dimensional materials such as graphene at the atomic level, then modify them for practical uses. One such use is an artifical leaf that mimics photosynthesis, converting carbon dioxide into methanol and oxygen, rather than glucose and oxygen as occurs in nature. This “leaf” could be used to capture carbon dioxide from high-yield sources such as thermal power plants, and convert it into methanol as an alternative fuel source.

Prof. Nathwani (Executive Director, WISE) was invited to be a keynote speaker at the 4th IEOM NA Conference with participation from more than 50 countries.

Prof. Nathwani (Executive Director, WISE) chaired the session, "Renewable Energy and Management Systems".

The session examined the challenges of climate change and universal energy access, requiring radical scientific and social innovation. To ensure a cost-effective transition to a low-carbon energy economy, critical factors include a creative approach to new distributed energy technologies, energy storage and battery technology advances, SMEs and entrepreneurs, 37 digitalization and smart energy networks, and the role of electrification, including hydrogen.

Prof. Nathwani (Executive Director, WISE) was invited to this by-invitation-only roundtable, governed under Chatham House Rules, which involved a broad spectrum of energy and environment stakeholders in Canada. The event was specifically structured to foster discussion, which would inform (in non-attributable form) an upcoming Conference Board research briefing.

The dialogue at the event was based on three key themes that guided the sessions of the day: Bankability and Finance, International Competitiveness, and Climate Legitimacy. Each session had a thematic speaker who gave an overview of the topic and the key issues, a panel that discussed the topic and offered diverse perspectives and a pathway to an outcome where roundtable participants discussed the topic in a workshop format and provided recommendations.