Keynote Speakers

Teacher, Speaker, Coder, Maker

Brian Aspinall is an educator and best selling author and is considered one of the brightest STEM innovators in Canadian education. His book, Code Breaker – 15+ Ways to Get Started With Coding, continues to top the charts in STEM Education with a focus on rethinking assessment and eval- uation. Recently he was awarded the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence for his work with coding and computational thinking. His enthusiasm, thought leadership, and approach to building capacity within STEM education has made him a sought after speaker throughout North America and has earned him the honour of being selected as Canada’s first Minecraft, Micro:BiT, and Makey Makey Ambassadors!

At only 11 years old, Rachel developed her first water purification system after reading about Cholera and seeing "do not drink" signs while on a family trip. With the use of 3D printing and other materials, Rachel has been able to create a way for people in developing countries to safely pasteurize their water to drink using zero fuel and materials commonly found in 3rd world countries.

Her Solar Water Pasteurization System has won her many awards, including Gold at the Canada-Wide Science Fair as well as an award for Best Junior Environmental Project Challenge. She also came in second while representing Canada at the International Science and Engineering Fair in 2016.

Rachel is currently a grade 11 student at Charles P. Allen High School in Bedford

Senator Colin Deacon is an innovative thinker whose entrepreneurial background makes him a valuable asset in Canada’s Upper Chamber. The Nova Scotian has spent his career turning ideas into products and services that make life better for Canadians.

In 2009, he founded BlueLight Analytics, a company that aimed to improve restorative dentistry. Until 2006, he served as CEO of SpellRead, which improved reading skills among children, adults and seniors, and which was one of Atlantic Canada’s fastest-growing companies. Senator Deacon has also contributed to the charitable sector in Halifax, where he has been an active member on the board of many organizations dedicated to children’s health and well-being. He brings to the Senate his passion for civic engagement, creativity and ingenuity