SFU cleans up at the 2021 BC Cleantech Awards

Simon Fraser University received multiple accolades at the 2021 BC Cleantech Awards, which was hosted online this year by Foresight Cleantech Accelerator Centre in February. 

SFU was honoured as the 2021 Top Education Institute. Elicia Maine, special advisor on innovation to SFU’s vice-president, research and international; and the VanDusen professor of innovation and entrepreneurship at the Beedie School of Business, took home 2021 Top Educator honours.

The Top Education Institute award recognizes SFU’s work championing a cleantech future.

For more than 20 years, SFU has established expertise in materials science and engineering, with a complementary investment in clean technology development.

As global demand for a shift away from dependencies on fossil fuels towards new sources of renewable, clean and highly efficient energy technologies has increased, SFU has emerged as a globally recognized leader, particularly in the fuel cell science and technology field.

SFU researchers and students are collaborating across disciplinary boundaries to deliver innovative technologies that meet these global challenges through SFU programs and initiatives. Examples of SFU’s clean technology capabilities include:

• 4D Labs: SFU’s state-of-the-art material science and engineering research facility
•  SFU's new School of Sustainable Energy Engineering: this interdisciplinary program is the first of its kind in Western Canada and prepares its students to become global leaders in clean technology
• The recently announced Low Carbon Cities Canada (LC3) Innovation Centre (SFU is establishing a low carbon cities Canada innovation centre for the Metro Vancouver region)
• SFU Beedie School of Business’ Invention to Innovation (i2I) program: developing entrepreneurial mindset in PhD and postdoctoral scientists and engineers and shaping commercialization strategy for their inventions.

The Top Educator award recognizes Maine’s work in taking an innovative and leading approach with cleantech education. She founded the i2I program in 2015 and is the program’s academic director.

Through SFU Innovates, Maine is also helping develop industry partnerships that further SFU’s commitment to a more sustainable future for us all.