Sask Polytech is pleased to present our first annual Sustainability Day—an event where we will come together to celebrate all the work we do that contributes to sustainability and the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

In-person and virtual events are planned for each campus location to help students, faculty and staff connect with others across the whole organization. We plan to make Sustainability Day an annual event to coincide with Earth Day.

Date: April 20, 2023
Time and location: In-person and virtual events are planned for each campus location. See event schedule below.

Events

Our showpiece event will be the final stage of our Student Sustainability Innovation Competition. Entrants to this competition have a chance to win a spot at UNITE’s Camp 2030 in upstate New York! Camp 2030 is a global, in-person event, bringing together top youth leaders from across the globe for six days of innovation and co-creation for the UN SDGs.

Prizewinners will be announced after competition finalists present their video pitches of innovative ideas to solve sustainability challenges. This will be a hybrid event, bringing together all four campus locations to celebrate the ingenuity of our students.

Event schedule

Locations:

  • Moose Jaw: Macoun Meeting Room
  • Prince Albert: Dining Room in the Technical Building 
  • Regina: Room 155 and Main Street
  • Saskatoon: Gymnasium

Join us for morning coffee and come see how your classmates and colleagues have been contributing to sustainability and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). There will be posters, booths and interactive exhibits to drop in and see.

We’ll bring the coffee and treats, you bring your mugs. (We’ll have some special-edition Sustainability Day mugs to use and keep, but get there fast—we only have a limited number!)

Find the QR code to register your attendance, answer a short survey and enter to win one of six door prizes of a $50 gift card!

Presentations

10:20 a.m.
Elder Rick Daniels (Saskatoon)
Opening prayer

10:25 a.m.
Dr. Has Malik (Saskatoon)
Opening remarks

Join us to hear about some of the interesting, innovative and important work that our faculty and staff are doing. Hear about projects relating to healthcare, construction, agriculture and more!

Presentations

10:30 a.m.
Blake Weiseth (Saskatoon)
Evaluation of the use of emerging technologies and practices to optimize nutrient and water use efficiency in agricultural production

10:38 a.m.
Allie Combden (Prince Albert)
FetchGIS

10:46 a.m.
Joseph Banini (Moose Jaw)

10:54 a.m.
Lindsay Boechler (Saskatoon)
Virtual community connections: Using virtual reality to enhance the well-being of Indigenous youth across Canada

11:02 a.m.
Break

11:07 a.m.
Sam Wolkosky (Prince Albert)
Modernizing hand-sound-based bathymetry maps in Saskatchewan

11:15 a.m.
John Blommsteyn/ Sid Limkar (Moose Jaw)

11:23 a.m.
Dave Halstead (Prince Albert)

Have lunch on us as we prepare for the finale of the Student Sustainability Innovation Competition! Pizza will be available from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m

Come and hear some of the great ideas our students have for solving sustainability challenges, and find out who will be representing Saskatchewan Polytechnic at UNITE’s prestigious annual Camp 2030, for young thought-leaders in sustainability!

Presentations

12:10 p.m.
Dr. Susan Blum (Saskatoon)
Introductory words

12:15 p.m.
Anson Chen (Saskatoon)
A new experience-based pedagogical approach for teaching nursing students IV skills

12:20 p.m.
Darien Dyck (Regina)
Community & social integration: Increasing outcomes for students with disabilities through recreation therapy

12:25 p.m.
Joel Glines (Saskatoon)
Exploring an upstream approach to poverty reduction to increase the health and well-being of individuals living in poverty

12:30 p.m.
Nicole Kennedy (Saskatoon)
Initiative to improve wellbeing and treatment of caregivers with ADHD

12:35 p.m.
Onyinye Uzor & Ebuka Aniasonwa (Regina)
Health staff shortage in relation to Saskatchewan’s health industry

12:40 p.m.
Dr. Susan Blum (Saskatoon)
Announcement of prizewinners

Feel free to drop by any time. However, there may be more to see in between structured sessions, with demonstrations and exhibits. The coffee will be available all day, so pop by for a top up!

Some of our applied researchers will be giving quick talks to give us a taste of the kind of research they are doing that relates to sustainability and the UN SDGs. Join us for this session where you can chat and network with your research colleagues—whether you are another researcher looking to combine forces, a new researcher looking for tips or a student interested in doing a research project and applying for an Applied Research Scholarship. We will be bringing out some more treats to have with your coffees!

Presentations

2 p.m.
Ian McWilliams (Saskatoon)
Introductory words and the Office of Applied Research and Innovation's role in supporting applied research

2:05 p.m.
Volker Schmidt (Prince Albert)
Sustainability a modern idea?

2:09 p.m.
Sarah Kostiuk (Regina)
Transformational change begins with healthcare education: Improving experiences and outcomes through partnerships with patients and undergraduate healthcare education

2:13 p.m.
Blake Weiseth (Saskatoon)
Evaluation of the use of emerging technologies and practices to optimize nutrient and water use efficiency in agricultural production

2:17 p.m.
Blaine Chartrand (Saskatoon)
Next generation DNA sequencing of wastewater biome

2:21 p.m.
Break and networking

2:40 p.m.
Donna Thiessen (Saskatoon)
Open educational resources

2:44 p.m.
Abdul Raouf (Regina)
Geospatial technologies at work for sustainable development goals

2:48 p.m.
Leon Lipoth (Saskatoon)
Purpose built ultra low-cost automation in manufacturing

2:52 p.m.
Linda Martin (Saskatoon)
School based recreation therapy for students with mental health, physical, developmental and/or learning disabilities

2:56 p.m.
Eileen Zaba (Saskatoon)
Virtual community connections: Using virtual reality to enhance the well-being of Indigenous youth across Canada

The researcher lightning talks session officially closes Sask Polytech’s first Sustainability Day. However, please feel free to stay and chat, and help finish any treats that are left.

Remember to register using the QR code on display for a chance to win one of six door prizes of a $50 gift card!

Why Sustainability Day?

Sustainability is one of Sask Polytech’s four key values, and feeds into our vision and mission— to lead the rise of polytechnic education and empower a better Saskatchewan. As part of our commitment to those values, Sask Polytech signed up to the UN SDG Accord, a global initiative to UN SDGs.  
 
Sask Polytech has many existing initiatives, projects, courses and other activities that contribute to these global goals. Sustainability Day allows us to share those activities and celebrate all of the good work we are doing. 
 
We know we can be even more innovative and sustainable as an institution through greater collaboration and sharing of knowledge, skills and resources. Sustainability Day is also an opportunity to connect with others across our campus community in the spirit of miyo wâhkôhtowin—good relationships.  

Contact us

Sustainability Day planning committee
applied.research@saskpolytech.ca