Keynote speakers
Isabelle Tremblay, Eng.
Executive Director, Space Infrastructure, Space Utilization, Canadian Space Agency
Title: Space for Earth : Canada’s Commitment to a Sustainable Future
Bio: For over 25 years, Isabelle Tremblay has been dedicated to the field of space exploration with the belief that this bold quest, intrinsic to human nature, propels us toward the future, catalyzes innovation, and unites us in the face of the fragility of our planet and the immense challenges of our future, both on Earth and in space.
Ms. Tremblay is responsible for the development and operations of Canada’s space infrastructure. The areas of activity are diverse, including telecommunications and satellite positioning systems, Earth observation, space situational awareness, and satellite maintenance in orbit. Essential to our daily lives, this infrastructure allows us, among other things, to contribute to environmental protection, monitor and preserve natural resources, support disaster response efforts, and ensure the security of the space environment.
Previously, Ms. Tremblay held positions as a research and development engineer in space robotics and as a lead engineer for Canada’s contributions to NASA’s Mars Phoenix Lander and the James Webb Space Telescope. She also led Canada’s Human Spaceflight Program, which includes the Canadian astronaut corps, conducting scientific studies aboard the International Space Station focused on health research, as well as developing future contributions to the autonomous delivery of healthcare during crewed deep-space exploration missions (on the Moon and Mars).
Isabelle Tremblay holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from Polytechnique Montréal, with a specialization in space technologies.
Leroy Little Bear JD, DASc, LLD
Vice-Provost, Iniskim Indigenous Relations
Title: Remote Sensing: A perspective by a Blackfoot
Bio: As one of Canada’s most respected Indigenous academic voices, Dr. Leroy Little Bear was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2019, received the University of Lethbridge Ingrid Speaker Research Medal in 2017, was awarded the Alberta Order of Excellence in 2016 and holds honorary doctorates from the University of Lethbridge and the University of Northern British Columbia. He is also an honorary Eminent Scholar at Red Crow Community College. Little Bear holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Utah, a BA from the University of Lethbridge, and an Associate Arts Degree in Forestry from Wenatchee Valley College.
Little Bear has been a mentor and consultant on Indigenous matters at local, provincial, national and international levels, and helped establish the Native American Studies program at the U of L. His writings and work have greatly influenced legal and policy realms including the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the re-establishment of the Blackfoot Confederacy and the First Nations Buffalo Treaty. He is the author of several esteemed publications and was the first Indigenous person to be quoted by the Supreme Court of Canada. Little Bear was born and raised on the Blood Reserve (Kainai First Nation) west of Lethbridge.
Dr. Catherine Champagne
Environmental Scientist
Title: Building a Foundation of Earth Observation Data for Water-Smart Agriculture
Bio: Dr. Champagne manages the Earth Observation team in the Science and Technology Branch of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Her research and development activities have focussed on leveraging Earth observation technology for agrometeorology, climate related risk and food production systems. She studied environmental sciences at McGill, the University of Ottawa and the University of Guelph and has worked for the past 27 years in government research and applied science teams at Natural Resources Canada and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. She is based at the Central Experimental Farm in Ottawa.
Agriculture in Canada is largely driven by rainfed production systems which are vulnerable to extreme weather events including floods and droughts. The frequency and intensity of these events are expected to increase in a changing climate, but the impacts on food production can be mitigated through improved early warning systems, improved water management and improved understanding of water resilient production systems. This presentation will discuss how the building blocks of hydrological monitoring from Earth observation are being developed and used to quantify water availability and the impact of water shortages on agricultural production in Canada. Leveraging a wide range of sensor technologies, these data “systems” are advancing the digital toolbox to accelerate adaptation and mitigation of climate extremes on food security.
Dr. Alain Pietroniro, P.Eng.
Professor and Chair in Sustainable Water System in a Changing Climate, University of Calgary
Title: From Pixels to Predictions: Operationalizing Remote Sensing for Next-Generation, Hydrological Decision-Making
(Talk co-authored with Martyn Clark, University of Calgary)
Bio: Dr. Alain Pietroniro currently holds the position of Professor and Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Water Systems at the University of Calgary’s Schulich School of Engineering. Prior to his academic appointment, Dr. Pietroniro served as the Executive Director of the National Hydrological Service (NHS) for the government of Canada. His research is primarily focused on improving, developing, and evaluating hydrological models, remote sensing and GIS applications in hydrology.
