Dr. El Chenier

El Chenier (they/them) is Associate Dean of Scholarship in the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Professor of History at Simon Fraser University, where they are also an Associate Faculty member in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies. A graduate of Queen’s University at Kingston (MA 1995, PhD 2001), Chenier’s teaching and research are deeply informed by feminist, anti‑racist, anti-colonial and queer perspectives, with a focus on the history of sexuality and gender in twentieth‑century Canada and the United States. Their scholarship includes oral histories of lesbian cultures, studies of sexual regulation and moral panic, ethical archival practices and digital humanities, and histories of sexuality among Canadians of Chinese heritage.

Dr. Hector Vazquez-Cordoba

Hector completed his PhD in Educational Studies at UVic. His doctoral research was supported by a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Doctoral Fellowship, and it addressed the embedding of music with Indigenous roots into Mexico’s national elementary curriculum. In 2022, Hector was awarded one of the 10 inaugural year Aspiration 2030 Postdoctoral Fellowships at UVic, and in 2023, he was awarded a SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship. His research interests include Indigenizing and decolonizing music education in both K-12 and postsecondary settings, community music initiatives in Indigenous communities, emphasizing the use and development of Indigenous methodologies from a perspective rooted in the global south, as well as educational policy and change.

Dr. Matt Huculak

Dr. J. Matthew Huculak is Director of the Kula: Library Futures Academy at the University of Victoria Libraries. He is a 2024 Library Journal “Mover and Shaker” award winner and 2019 team winner of the Professional & Scholarly Excellence (PROSE) award from the Association of American Publishers in the category of “Innovation in Publishing.” He was a postdoc for 8 years.

TBD

Dr. Brooke Hockin

Dr. Brooke Hockin completed her PhD in Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology at Simon Fraser University in 2022, where she studied cardiovascular control in recurrent fainting disorders, with a focus on improving diagnosis, management, and patient quality of life. Drawing on her skills in scientific communication, cross-functional collaboration, and project management, she transitioned into a career in biotech shortly after completing her PhD. In her role as a Scientific Marketing Specialist at STEMCELL Technologies, she plans and executes strategic marketing campaigns and translates complex science into engaging content that supports business priorities in pluripotent stem cell culture, hematology, and cell and gene therapy.

Dr. Surya Dhulipala

Dr. Surya Dhulipala is an Environmental Initiatives Advisor with the BC Liquor Distribution Branch, where he leads enterprise-wide greenhouse gas reporting and sustainability initiatives across over 200 sites. He holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and has previously worked in industry and academia on air quality, transportation emissions, and corporate ESG strategy, including roles at TELUS and the University of British Columbia. His work focuses on translating data-driven research into practical climate action and policy-aligned sustainability programs.

Dr. Taylor Wright

Dr. Taylor Wright (he/him) is the Senior Manager, Circularity Innovations & Partnerships, Lululemon. Wright completed his PhD in Chemistry from UBC in 2022 and joined lululemon to lead a new team focusing on textile recycling and low impact bio materials development. His work focuses on building partnerships with external parties across academia, start-ups, and industrial chemical partners to develop, scale, and adopt more sustainable versions of polyester, nylon, and polyurethane (spandex).

TBD

Dr. James Montgomery

Dr. James Montgomery is the Director - Energy, Environment and Climate Change within Facilities Management & Operations at Island Health. He oversees initiatives to address climate change mitigation and adaption with a focus on reducing energy consumption and waste generation and improving the resilience of healthcare infrastructure on Vancouver Island. His career has spanned energy conservation program management, decarbonization planning, advanced building controls, district energy system analysis, and large-scale measurement and verification initiatives. He holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from UBC, specializing in sustainability, energy efficiency, and the built environment.

Dr. Rackeb Tesfaye

Dr. Rackeb Tesfaye (she/her) is the Knowledge Mobilization Lead and Senior Scientist at the Bridge Research Consortium, part of Canada’s Immuno‑Engineering and Biomanufacturing Hub, where she leads initiatives to strengthen public trust and equitable access to vaccines and immune‑based innovations. She holds a PhD in Neuroscience from McGill University and has supported global neuropsychiatric research as a Visiting Scholar at the University of Oxford, alongside knowledge mobilization roles spanning pandemic research translation in BC and autism care partnerships in Quebec. For over a decade, she has championed inclusive, accessible science as a lecturer, CBC radio science columnist, co‑founder of ComSciCon Canada and BlackInNeuro, and advisor to organizations including Canada’s Chief Scientist’s Youth Council, Falling Walls, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and The Kavli Foundation.