Amanda Hedden: Ban Ryu: 10,000 Ways to Make Sake

Sake is a misunderstood and underrated beverage that has deep traditional roots in Asia, but an exciting emerging community in the rest of the world. We’ll discuss how sake is made and how it can be done at home.

Amanda is a proud member of the Sake Brewer’s Guild and had been fermenting at the home-artisanal level for several years. She embraced being a “jack of all trades, master of none” – the learning process is her favourite part of any of her many interests.

TikTok: @chronicnostalgic
Instagram: @chronicnostalgic

Laura Blazejewski: Canadian Weather Monitoring

Laura will take us on a whirlwind tour through the evolution of weather monitoring in Canada! Discover how cutting-edge sensors have transformed weather tracking and supported environmental research. We’ll explore diverse applications like fire weather, climate change research, and national meteorological services, along with the intricate networks developed across Canada. This talk promises to blend history, innovation, and practical insights for a deeper appreciation of weather science.

Meet Laura, the ultimate weather enthusiast! Her passion for meteorology sparked at age 9 during a school weather unit and an unforgettable field trip to the Weather Network. With a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and a major in Atmospheric Science, Laura forecasted a future as a meteorologist. However, the winds shifted and took her on a different path into environmental monitoring, and she hasn’t looked back since. She now spends her days supporting researchers, government agencies, and industries by designing, selling, and teaching about advanced weather stations. She spends her nights looking out the window, waiting for the next storm to roll in.

Brechin Piper: Consent-Based Access Control and Healthcare Data

Ever wonder why your Doctor can’t see your healthcare data from another province or country? Or why your Physio doesn’t have access to any of your relevant health info? Join Brechin as he shares an overview of his graduate capstone that proposes a solution to put you in charge of your healthcare data.

Brechin Piper has a Bachelor’s of Computer Science from the Royal Military College of Canada and a Master’s of Information Systems Security Management from Concordia University of Edmonton. He served as a Signals Officer in the Canadian Armed Forces for 15 years and occasionally lectures at Concordia University of Edmonton. When he’s not ranting about why you shouldn’t keep reusing that one password you made in junior high for all of your accounts, he can be found with his crime solving dogs Sherlock and Watson, or frantically searching for his missing D4 before he steps on it.

LinkedIn: Brechin Piper