Hosted by the Let’s Talk Science Outreach Programs at UBC and McMaster University, this year’s high school symposium seeks to motivate the next generation of STEM professionals to take effective actions towards a more sustainable future. The event encourages critical thinking and innovation for climate action through exciting discussions with climate leaders, who will share their experiences with climate action initiatives.
Speaker Information
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Keynote Speaker Mark Terry, PhD
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Mark Terry is an Adjunct Professor at York University and Wilfrid Laurier University in Canada. He is an academic Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, and The Explorers Club.
He has worked throughout the Circumpolar Arctic as a documentary filmmaker. He produced the first documented film of a crossing of the Northwest Passage, The Polar Explorer (2011). He has also worked in Antarctica documenting climate research in the film The Antarctica Challenge: A Global Warning (2009). In 2021, the third installment in his trilogy of polar documentary feature films, The Changing Face of Iceland premiered at the United Nations climate summit, COP26, in Glasgow, Scotland. In 2015, Canadian Geographic Magazine named Dr. Terry one of the “top 100 explorers of all time”.
In the past two years, he has published three academic books The Geo-Doc: Geomedia, Documentary Film, and Social Change; The Emerging Role of Geomedia in the Environmental Humanities; Speaking Youth to Power: Influencing Climate Policy at the United Nations.
Dr. Terry has worked with the United Nations since 2011 on the Youth Climate Report, a database documentary film project curating video reports made by young filmmakers aged 18 to 35 of climate research, impacts, and solutions for its annual climate summits known as the COP conferences. The project won the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals Action Award in 2021.
His current research projects include: The Planetary Health Film Lab (York University); Social and Environmental Sustainability Program (City of Vaughan); Youth Climate Report (United Nations); Ghana Youth Videography Programme (Wilfrid Laurier University); Youth in the Digital Age (York University).
He has been decorated by Queen Elizabeth with her Diamond Jubilee Medal, the Explorers Club with its Stefansson Medal; and the City of Vaughan with an investiture in its Order of Vaughan. His unique documentary film work has been recognized by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television when he was given their Humanitarian Award in 2013.
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Panel Discussion
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Trevor Bell
Trevor Bell, recently retired Geography Professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. He is recognized as a champion of issues surrounding climate change and Indigenous people in the Arctic. His most recent partnership—SmartlCE—has transformed into a social enterprise recognized by the United Nations (2017) for its novel climate solution, and the Governor General’s Innovation Award (2019). For his ground-breaking achievements on climate change adaptation, Trevor received in 2021 the inaugural Frederik Paulsen Arctic Academic Action Award and the Martin Bergmann Medal for Excellence in Arctic Leadership, and in 2023 the Government of Canada’s Northern Science Award.
Archita Borah
Archita is a an enthusiast for sustainability and climate policy, driven by her desire to support communities prepare for climate change. She has a Bachelors and Masters in Civil Engineering, and has gained valuable experience working with local and regional government entities in the Metro Vancouver area. Archita currently works as a Senior Policy Analyst at the Metro Vancouver Regional District, where she collaborates with public officials and community stakeholders to develop programs and initiatives aimed to protect the air quality and responding to climate change in the region. Connect with Archita on LinkedIn.Julia Kole
Julia Kole is the Coordinator of Membership and Business Engagement at Partners in Project Green (PPG). Now in her second year with PPG, Julia contributes her knowledge and experience in event planning and management, community-building, program outreach, member support, and administration. Previously, Julia was the Coordinator of the Futureproof Your Fleet program - funded in part by NR Can’s Zero Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative - at PPG to help GTA businesses decarbonize their medium and heavy-duty fleet vehicles.
Julia has worked in the non-profit sector for over 9 years with a preference towards conservation and educational organizations. She holds a Masters of Science in Environmental Policy and Management from the University of Bristol, England and sits on the Board of Directors for the Iroquoia Chapter of the Bruce Trail Conservancy.
Resources
Special Workshop
April 15th Filmmaking Workshop