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Alberta Innovates Tech Fest

Alberta Innovates Tech Fest: Exploring the Future of Laser Technology and Innovation

Each year, Alberta Innovates Tech Fest brings together leading minds in science, technology, and innovation to celebrate the power of discovery and transformative ideas. With a renewed focus, modernized structure, and visionary partnerships, the latest edition of Tech Fest goes beyond traditional formats to elevate Alberta’s position in the global innovation ecosystem. This year's event welcomed a particularly prestigious guest—Nobel Laureate Donna Strickland, a pioneer in laser physics whose work continues to impact fields ranging from eye surgery to precision manufacturing.

Held in a vibrant new venue, Tech Fest offered attendees an immersive experience combining cutting-edge science with meaningful dialogue, networking, and inspiration. This signature annual event reimagines what's possible, not just for Alberta, but for innovators and researchers across Canada and beyond.

Donna Strickland and the Power of Chirped Pulse Amplification

A highlight of the event was a compelling keynote conversation with Dr. Donna Strickland, Nobel Prize-winning physicist and professor at the University of Waterloo. Strickland is widely recognized for her groundbreaking development of chirped pulse amplification (CPA)—a method of generating ultra-short, high-intensity laser pulses.

What Is Chirped Pulse Amplification?

Chirped pulse amplification involves stretching a laser pulse in time to reduce its peak power, amplifying it, and then compressing it back. This technique, developed in the 1980s, opened new doors in laser physics and enabled applications that were previously impossible.

Strickland’s work has had a profound effect on:

Laser eye surgery – CPA allows for precise, non-invasive procedures like LASIK.

Micromachining of materials – High-intensity lasers can cut or modify glass and other materials at a micro-scale without damaging surrounding areas.

Nonlinear optics research – Her group at the University of Waterloo continues to advance the frontiers of laser science through high-powered systems that explore complex interactions of light and matter.

Her talk, followed by a Q&A session, brought scientific theory into practical focus, captivating an audience of entrepreneurs, students, engineers, and academics.

A Fresh Approach to Showcasing Innovation

The latest Tech Fest edition reflects a bold evolution of Alberta Innovates’ mission. With a fresh visual identity, collaborative energy, and more accessible venue, the event marked a turning point in how innovation is celebrated and fostered in Alberta.

Key changes to the format included:

Interactive sessions rather than passive presentations, allowing attendees to engage with speakers.

Cross-sector panel discussions involving tech, education, agriculture, and health.

In-depth networking opportunities, including a reception following Dr. Strickland’s session.

By bringing together thinkers across diverse industries, the event reinforced the idea that innovation is most powerful at the intersection of disciplines.

Advancing Alberta’s Innovation Ecosystem

Alberta Innovates has long played a key role in supporting local inventors, researchers, and entrepreneurs. Tech Fest serves not only as a platform to celebrate existing achievements but as a launchpad for the next generation of ideas.

The Event Supports Several Goals:

Encouraging young innovators by showcasing success stories and offering mentorship.

Promoting interdisciplinary collaboration between academia, business, and public sectors.

Highlighting homegrown talent and the impact of Alberta-based research on global markets.

Introducing new funding pathways and support programs available through Alberta Innovates.

These efforts reflect the broader vision to establish Alberta as a globally recognized innovation hub, capable of both creating and exporting high-value solutions.

Tech Fest: Highlights and Key Moments

The program was carefully curated to offer depth, inspiration, and practical knowledge. Some of the standout segments included:

Opening ceremony featuring Alberta Innovates executives outlining the province's innovation goals.

Conversation with Donna Strickland, moderated by a leading science journalist, blending technical insight with personal reflections.

Startup showcases featuring local businesses demonstrating their latest products and services.

AI and health tech panels, exploring how emerging technologies are shaping medicine and wellness.

Closing reception, offering a relaxed atmosphere for further networking.

These moments combined to create a memorable experience, celebrating not only what Alberta has achieved but where it’s heading next.

Looking Ahead: Reimagining What’s Possible

Tech Fest’s new direction is more than just a stylistic change. It’s a redefinition of how the province sees itself in a global context of scientific advancement and technological disruption. By placing figures like Donna Strickland at the heart of the program, Alberta Innovates emphasizes the importance of research-led progress and celebrates the powerful link between academic insight and industrial application.

The conversation around lasers is symbolic of the wider goal: making complex technology understandable, accessible, and impactful. As Dr. Strickland emphasized during her appearance, the best science often begins with curiosity, followed by years of dedication and collaborative support.

Innovation With Purpose

Alberta Innovates Tech Fest is more than a conference; it’s a catalyst. Through visionary leadership, community engagement, and world-class guest speakers, it opens new avenues for both seasoned professionals and rising innovators. With laser-focused themes, powerful storytelling, and a supportive atmosphere, Tech Fest embodies the essence of what it means to reimagine what’s possible.

GLOBAL ENERGY SHOW

Get ready to witness a convergence of industry giants, thought leaders, and innovators as the 2025 Global Energy Show Strategic Conference unfolds its doors. Set against the backdrop of Calgary, Canada, this event serves as a beacon for showcasing Canadian innovations and technologies on the global stage, driving discussions on energy transformation, sustainability, and the role of diverse energy sources in shaping our collective energy future.

With over 400 speakers and more than 1,000 delegates from 50 countries, the Global Energy Show Canada stands as the largest B2B exhibition and conference in the energy sector, facilitating dialogue and collaboration among industry stakeholders, policymakers, and young professionals. From oil sands to hydrogen, wind to nuclear, the event embraces all energy systems, highlighting the diverse array of solutions driving innovation and progress in the dynamic energy landscape.

Formerly known as the Global Petroleum Show, the Global Energy Show is North America's premier platform where policymakers, industry leaders, and professionals convene under one roof. Its hallmark features include a diversified exhibition floor showcasing companies representing the full spectrum of energy, a strategic conference hosting high-level discussions, and a comprehensive technical conference spanning 12 categories.

Moreover, the Global Energy Investment Forum provides a global stage for international and domestic investors to forge connections and build relationships, paving the way for sustainable energy production in the coming decade. Themes such as policy changes, global investment forecasts, Canadian investment attraction, and future outcomes in global energy are explored, shaping the trajectory of energy policy and investment strategies.

The Global Energy XTL Summit unites key stakeholders involved in gas-to-liquids (GTL) processes, both in North America and worldwide. As opportunities in GTL play a significant role in meeting the growing energy demand, Canada emerges as a prominent player, positioning itself as a global leader in energy innovation and sustainability.

In essence, the 2025 Global Energy Show Strategic Conference is more than just a gathering—it's a catalyst for change, a platform for collaboration, and a testament to Canada's vision and leadership in shaping the future of energy on both national and global scales. Together, let us embark on a journey towards a more sustainable and inclusive energy future, where innovation, collaboration, and diversity reign supreme.

International Conference on Robotics & Smart Manufacturing

The International Conference on Robotics and Smart Manufacturing (ICROSMA) is an exciting event that promises to bring together experts, innovators, and thought leaders from across the globe to share their knowledge and insights on the latest trends and developments in robotics and smart manufacturing. Scheduled to be held in Calgary, Canada, ICROSMA aims to provide an inclusive platform for students, researchers, academicians, and industry professionals to explore the cutting-edge advancements shaping these transformative fields.

Organized by the Canada Conference Board, the conference is poised to offer a rich, international forum for the exchange of ideas and collaborative discussions. With robotics and smart manufacturing playing an increasingly pivotal role in the future of industries like automotive, electronics, healthcare, and logistics, the event will showcase groundbreaking innovations that are redefining how manufacturing processes are designed and executed. From artificial intelligence-driven automation to the integration of the Internet of Things (IoT) in smart factories, ICROSMA will provide attendees with the opportunity to delve into a broad spectrum of topics, from theoretical research to practical applications.

One of the key features of ICROSMA is its commitment to ensuring the widespread dissemination of the knowledge shared at the conference. All accepted papers will be archived in a Digital Library, with each paper assigned a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) from CROSSREF. This ensures that the research presented at the conference will be easily accessible and citable by researchers worldwide. Additionally, the proceedings will be submitted to ISI Thomson for review and indexing, further solidifying the academic integrity and global reach of the conference. To extend the impact even further, the proceedings will be published in international journals with ISSN numbers, allowing the cutting-edge research discussed at ICROSMA to reach a wider audience within the scientific and industrial communities.

At its core, ICROSMA aims to promote research and development in the fields of robotics and smart manufacturing. By providing a platform for researchers, engineers, scientists, and practitioners from both academia and industry to come together, the conference facilitates the exchange of ideas and fosters collaboration that drives innovation. Whether you are a seasoned academic, a young researcher, a developer, or a professional working in the manufacturing sector, ICROSMA is an ideal venue for networking, learning, and discovering new opportunities in these rapidly evolving fields.

Moreover, ICROSMA is more than just a conference—it is a community. It provides an annual meeting point for those working at the intersection of robotics, automation, and manufacturing technologies. The event’s international scope ensures that a diverse array of perspectives is shared, enriching the discussions and expanding the reach of the ideas presented. Attendees will be able to connect with colleagues from around the world, forge valuable partnerships, and stay on the cutting edge of technological advancements that are reshaping industries and economies.

The official language of the conference will be English, making it an accessible gathering for participants from all corners of the world. Whether you are presenting the latest research, seeking to gain insights into new trends, or looking to connect with like-minded professionals, ICROSMA provides a unique and vibrant platform to advance the fields of robotics and smart manufacturing.

As the world moves toward more intelligent, automated, and sustainable manufacturing systems, ICROSMA will continue to be a vital event that reflects the pulse of these transformative industries. With its focus on research, collaboration, and global knowledge exchange, the conference promises to be a key milestone in the ongoing evolution of robotics and smart manufacturing, driving forward the innovations that will shape the future of these sectors.