Schulich Connects - Nature-Inspired Engineering Solutions for a Sustainable and Regenerative Future

Engineers are often solving complex problems, yet sometimes the solutions are simpler than we think if we turn to nature. Biomimicry is an emerging discipline that looks to nature in solving some of humanity’s biggest questions, in everything from agriculture and medicine to architecture and business. We welcome you to the next Schulich Connects, Nature-Inspired Engineering Solutions for a Sustainable and Regenerative Future, on November 23 as our panel of research and industry experts weigh in on the history of biomimicry, how it is used today, and where innovation could take us in the years to come.

Event details:

Date: Thursday, November 23. 2023
Breakfast: 7:30 - 8 a.m. MT
Program: 8 - 9 a.m. MT
Format: In-person (CNRL Complex Atrium) or Zoom
Dress code: business casual

Please note: In-person has reached capacity. Please join us virtually.

Meet our host:

• Dr. Bill Rosehart
  Dean, Schulich School of Enginering
  For over 20 years, Bill Rosehart has been a passionate advocate for engineering education and research. Rosehart is registered as a Professional Engineer through APEGA and was a founding member of the Canadian Engineering Education Association (CEEA). He has also been inducted as Fellow into the Canadian Academy of Engineering.

Meet our Moderator:

• Dr. Marjan Eggermont
  Professor (Teaching), Schulich School of Engineering
  Dr. Eggermont is a Professor (Teaching) at the Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary. She is also the Interim Associate Dean of Sustainability. Dr. Eggermont is a Biomimicry Institute Fellow and has been working in the field since 2004 with a focus on visualization and abstraction. She also served on the board of the American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) from 2014-17 and was recently inducted into the 2023 ASEE Hall of Fame.

Meet our Panelists:

• Linda Selin 
  Associate, Senior Interior Designer, Stantec 
  Linda is an experienced senior interior designer who captures, conceptualizes, and executes projects of all brands, scopes, requirements, and challenges. She has built a wealth of professional experience across multiple market sectors including justice, recreation, post -secondary, hospitality and health care. One of Linda’s key attributes includes the ability to assess client needs and design creative and appropriate spaces. She is passionate about creating environments promoting and sustaining healthy work, play and living experiences. Her design skills prioritize mental and physical health. Linda is enthusiastic about applying biophilic and biomimicry principles in her work.

• Jim Gilliland 
  Director, Engineering Services, Williams Engineering Canada
  Jim has been involved in the building design industry for more than 25 years. His passion is to support communities by helping develop sustainable and resilient infrastructure that will address immediate needs while being part of a community’s long-term vision. He has worked to find cost-effective solutions that support the local economy, suit the local environment, address the effects of climate change and make the community more resilient to extreme environmental events. As part of his passion for sustainable development, Jim has taken active roles in many community organizations. He deeply values the friendships he has developed while working on projects in First Nation communities and with Frog Lake First Nations in particular. 

• Dr. Eric Limacher
  Assistant Professor, Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering
  Dr. Limacher is a specialist in unsteady aerodynamics with industry experience in mechanical design. After completing his BSc in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Calgary, Eric spent four years working in clean-tech start-ups. He contributed to the design, assembly, and commissioning of hydrokinetic turbines and waste-heat-to-electricity systems. In 2013, Dr. Limacher returned to graduate school to study the aerodynamics of rotating and accelerating wings, with a focus on biomimetic-design and renewable-energy applications. Since obtaining his PhD, he has sought to combine his academic and industry experience, working on wind-turbine theory and design principles for low-head water turbines. Eric spent his post-doctoral fellowship abroad at the Federal University of Pará (Brazil) and Princeton University.