Closing Plenary: Leadership in the Age of Big Data
Wednesday, October 3, 2012 1:30 pm — 2:45 pm
Max Bell Auditorium
The final session of the Cyber Summit offered a panel of leaders in a variety of sectors — technology, research and the start-up community — discussing how data is driving their initiatives of today, and plans for tomorrow. Speakers described their concepts of good leadership in a technologically-dominated age, and what is still needed from civic, business and education decision makers to create a successful economy and inspire the next generation of idea makers.
Russell Taylor, Director of the Institute for Space Imaging Science, University of Calgary, and Project Leader, Square Kilometre Array Canada Project Taylor received a B.Sc in Astronomy, from the University of Western Ontario in 1976, and an M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Physics from the University of British Columbia in 1982. He leads several global data-intensive research collaborations that use the world’s most powerful radio telescopes to create 3D images of the Milky Way Galaxy and the universe. Taylor was Executive Secretary of the International Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Steering Committee, President of the Canadian Astronomical Society, chair of the Canadian Joint Subcommittee on Space Astronomy, chair of the Canadian Radio Astronomy Committee and founding co-chair of the Canadian Coalition for Astronomy. He is currently chair of the Board of Directors of the Canadian SKA Consortium and represents Canada on the International Board of the SKA project.
Michael Coren, Co-Founder and Managing Director, MajorPlanet Studios; Journalist, Contributor to The Economist, FastCompany Coren started his journalism career with the San Jose Mercury News. He went on to report from Cambodia as the managing editor of the Phnom Penh Post, and later served as the science and environmental producer for CNN.com. At MajorPlanet, Coren leads the design and editorial teams developing its multimedia technology. The company is focused on creating a new publishing platform for multimedia narratives on tablets, mobile and the desktop Web. He earned a Master’s degree at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies focused on environmental economics, and followed his graduate education advising the World Bank, the UK Government and others on climate change mitigation. He now contributes stories on science, economics and the environment to The Economist, FastCompany and other magazines.
Robin Winsor, President and CEO of Cybera Winsor is focused on leveraging the province’s high-bandwidth and cloud computing infrastructure and expertise to make Alberta the destination of choice for forward-thinking companies. He has a strong background in oil and gas and geophysics, and has authored standards used in the medical, well-logging and seismic industries. Winsor invented and developed the world’s first direct digital x-ray system, and holds multiple patents in the field of medical imaging. He studied geophysics and artificial intelligence at the University of Edinburgh.
