Innovacorp’s Science and Technology Advisory Council comprises researchers and industry experts in fields related to Innovacorp’s focus industries, including clean technology, life sciences, and information technology. Members provide independent, strategic advice about relevance, quality of science, and commercialization potential of technologies evaluated by Innovacorp and its clients. The council is also a platform for assessing emerging science and technology issues important to Nova Scotia’s economic future. Click here to read the March 16, 2011, release announcing the launch of the council.
Gordon Agnew, PhD
Dr. Gordon Agnew received his PhD in electrical engineering from the University of Waterloo in 1982 and joined the university’s department of electrical and computer engineering the same year. In 1985, Gordon was a founding member of the data encrypton group at the University of Waterloo. This group’s work led to significant advances in the area of public key cryptographic systems, including the development of a practical implementation of elliptic curve-based cryptosystems. His areas of expertise include cryptography, data security, protocols and protocol analysis, electronic commerce systems, high-speed networks, wireless systems and computer architecture. Gordon is also a foundation fellow of the Institute for Combinatorics and its Applications, a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, and a co-founder of CERTICOM Corp., a world leader in public key cryptosystem technologies.
Ian Bryden, PhD
Dr. Ian Bryden is a professor of renewable energy at the University of Edinburgh, where he is head of the Institute for Energy Systems (IES). The IES specializes in the research of low and zero carbon generation of electricity, integration of intermittent and variable generation into electrical distribution grids and alternative vectors for the export of energy. He received his PhD in the dynamics of flexible floating wave energy devices (1984). He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh; the Institution of Mechanical Engineers; the Institute for Marine Engineers, Scientists and Technologists; and the Institute of Physics. Additionally, he is a non-executive director of the European Marine Energy Centre. Ian has worked in marine energy research, both wave and tidal current, for more than 30 years in both commercial and academic environments.
Teodoro Forcht Dagi, MD
Dr. T. (Teo) Forcht Dagi is a neurosurgeon, and a partner at HLM Venture Partners focusing on biomedical technologies and health care. He advises institutions and sovereign governments on innovation and translational medicine. Teo has served as director of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Georgia Institute of Technology, and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He also sits on the steering committees of the Harvard-MIT program in biomedical entrepreneurship, and Mount Sinai Medical School. He is a distinguished scholar, professor and chair of the School of Medicine at Queen’s University in Belfast, Ireland, and visiting professor at Harvard Medical School. Teo is a US Humanitarian Service Medalist and an elected fellow of the College of Critical Care Medicine. He received the DMedSc (HC) from Queen’s for his contributions to medicine and public service.
Ian Flint, PhD
Dr. Ian Flint received a B.Sc. (honours) in biology (1983), B.Sc. in geological engineering (1986), M.Sc. in metallurgy (1989), and PhD in mining and mineral processing (2001). Ian worked for Cominco Engineering (CESL) from 1989-1993 and again from 1998-1999 in column cell design, equipment design and commercialization, sparging, gold processing, liquid extractions and milling plant design and modifications. From 1993-1998, he was an independent mineral processing and environmental remediation consultant as well as director of Black Crystal Mining Corporation. From 2000-2010, he was a faculty member of Dalhousie University in the department of mining, where he taught mineral processing, equipment selection, costing, risk analysis and mineral economics. Ian has been developing tidal energy equipment since 2005. In 2010, he returned to private consulting and has worked on tidal energy and process development, test work and cost projections for the mining industry.
Ian Hill, PhD
Dr. Ian Hill received his B.Sc. in engineering physics (1993) and PhD in physics (1997) from Queen’s University. From 1998-1999, he was a visiting research fellow in the department of electrical engineering at Princeton University. From 2000-2003, Ian worked as a technical staff member at the Sarnoff Corporation (formerly RCA labs) in Princeton, N.J., before returning to Canada to join the faculty of Dalhousie University in the department of physics and atmospheric science, where he is currently employed. His expertise spans many fields of both physics and electrical engineering, including electronic materials and devices, micro and nano electronics, flat-panel display technologies, thin-film transistors, and photovoltaic devices. Ian has authored over 50 peer-reviewed research papers that have been extensively cited throughout scientific literature. He also holds patents (five issued; four pending) in diverse fields, including display technologies, nano electronics, robotic vision systems and electronic textiles.
Richard Karsten, PhD
Dr. Richard Karsten is an associate professor and the acting graduate coordinator in the department of mathematics and statistics at Acadia University. His research focuses on mathematical models of tidal currents and ocean circulation. In this work, he combines the analysis of oceanic observations (satellite data, float and current meter data, etc.) with the results of numerical simulations to develop and test simple mathematical models. Richard's interests include the study of all areas of fluid mechanics using mathematical, observational, and numerical models. He has also focused his research on tidal power in the Bay of Fundy. The project included assessment of potential power generation from tidal currents using in-stream tidal turbines. It also examined the impact the extraction of power has on tides and currents as well as the turbines’ environmental impact. The research combined both theoretical analysis and numerical modelling.
Richard Murphy, PhD
Dr. Richard Murphy is the founder of Richard Murphy & Associates, established in 2007. The management consulting company serves the needs of research universities and institutes, hospitals, governments and non-profit organizations that carry out or support medical research and clinical care. Richard has been a researcher, teacher and academic leader for four decades. After 11 years as a faculty member at Harvard Medical School, in 1986 he became chairman of anatomy and cell biology at the University of Alberta. In 1992, he was appointed director of the Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI), a teaching and research institute of McGill University. While at McGill, he completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School. In 2000, he was appointed president and CEO of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California. Upon his retirement from Salk in 2007, Richard served as the interim president of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, established in 2004 to grant $3 billion in bond financing in support of stem cell research.
Diana Pliura, PhD
Dr. Diana Pliura is president of ALBRY Inc., a provider of strategic advisory and management services to emerging life sciences companies, investors, technology transfer offices, and established companies undergoing transition. She recently completed an assignment as entrepreneur in residence with HTX, the Health Technology Exchange. Previously, Diana served as executive vice president at YM BioSciences, founding CEO of DELEX Therapeutics Inc., company creator of the Eastern Technology Seed Investment Fund, scientific advisor to MDS Capital Corp., vice president of research at Hemosol Inc., and head of the division of general biochemistry at Syntex (Canada) Research. In various senior executive roles, she has led the development of innovative life sciences projects through all stages of development, has participated in securing over $100 million in equity financing from the private and public capital markets, and has led or assisted companies through acquisitions, partnerships and IPOs.
James Taylor
James Taylor received his B.Eng. in mechanical engineering from Dalhousie University in 1978. For the first half of his career, James helped design and construct coal plants in Nova Scotia. The second half has been focused on the optimization and operation of the generation facilities and the transformation of Nova Scotia Power Inc. (NSPI) from its heavy reliance on coal to a balanced portfolio of prime energy sources. In 2010, James was recognized by Canada’s marine energy industry association, OREG, with the navigator award for his efforts in moving the industry forward. James retired from NSPI in 2011 and was named one of Canada’s Clean 50 by the Corporate Knights. Subsequently, he formed a consulting business, Quadrule Services Inc.
John Weigelt
As the national technology officer for Microsoft Canada, John Weigelt drives the company’s strategic policy and technology efforts. In this role, he is the lead public advocate on issues such as the development of a national technology policy and the use of technology by government, education and the healthcare community. He is also responsible for the development and implementation of strategies that strengthen the company’s relationships with the Canadian technology industry at large. Prior to joining Microsoft, John was senior director of architecture, standards and engineering, at the Chief Information Officer Branch of the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. There, he was responsible for the development of the Government of Canada Enterprise architecture, which provided the foundation for Canada’s Government On‐Line initiative and Treasury Board’s information management and information technology standards, and provided support for the Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Policy. John holds a master’s degree in computer and communications security engineering from the Royal Military College of Canada.
