Conferences

EWB Conferences

EWB conferences are born from a desire to unite and spark equality on a local, national and global scale.

xChange is the national annual conference of Engineers Without Borders, encouraging a movement toward a world free from poverty and inequality.

The event brings leaders together from across the world over three days to discuss opportunities, formulate ideas, and create lasting, profound change for communities in Canada and Sub-Saharan Africa. More than merely acknowledging the persistence of inequality, xChange exists to challenge it head on.

Participants are empowered to identify the potential for systemic change and equipped to achieve it. By examining case studies and previous works, and hearing from sector leaders, you will leave with the tools you need to turn your ideas into actions – actions that will positively impact upon local and global communities.

xChange attendees are invited to advance principles of equality by:

  • Unlocking the potential of the engineering profession to tackle some of the world’s most pressing challenges.
  • Reimagining aid and social finance.
  • Building tools to enable community-level impact.

Partnering with xChange provides your organization with a variety of unique opportunities. Each year, the event unite 600 young leaders with some of the best and brightest minds from the engineering, entrepreneurship, social innovation and international development fields.

xChange offers a potent platform for corporate and academic institutions to showcase their excellence, connect with strategic partners, and invest in and inspire their employees and clients.

Partners can:

  • Showcase organizational support for engineering, social entrepreneurship, international development and social responsibility.
  • Shape the future of your industry by diving into complex problems and formulating solutions while learning from industry, public sector, and civil society organizations.
  • Inspire employees through an investment into their professional development and innovative capacity.
  • Recruit the brightest thinkers and most talented leaders from within our community.
  • Build a long-term partnership with EWB to create meaningful, lasting social change in Canada and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Every xChange conference features a showcase of leading minds from a broad range of industry sectors. Speakers cover engineering, academia, government, social development and more.

Past xChange speakers include:

Engineering.

  • Michel Lemieux, President, MIM. Inc.
  • Arlene Strom, VP Sustainability and Communications, Suncor
  • Brenda Kenny, CEO, Canadian Energy Pipeline Association
  • Ed Opitz, VP Corporate Responsibility, Kinross Gold Corp.
  • Megan Smith, VP New Business Development, Google.org
  • Shayne Smith, VP, Tetra Tech Inc.
  • Bob Carreau, Senior VP Health, Safety & Sustainability, IAMGOLD Corporation
  • Anne Downey, VP Operations, Statoil Canada
  • Scott Yarrow, Vice President – Sustainability, Xstrata Nickel
  • Paul MacMillan, Global Public Sector Leader, Deloitte
  • Anne Tennier, VP Environmental Sustainability, Maple Leaf Foods

Engineering Associations.

  • Kim Allen, CEO, Engineers Canada
  • Randy Pickle, President, Canadian Society for Civil Engineering
  • Diane Freeman, Former President, PEO

Academia.

  • Allan Rock, President and VC, University of Ottawa
  • Claude Lague, Dean, University of Ottawa
  • Mary Wells, Associate Dean Outreach, University of Waterloo
  • Ron Britton, Associate Dean Faculty of Engineering, University of Manitoba
  • Wendy Cukier, VP Research & Innovation, Ryerson University
  • Yu-Ling Cheng, Director Centre For Global Engineering, University of Toronto
  • Domenico Grasso, Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate College, University of Vermont
  • Granger Morgan, Head of Department of Engineering and Public Policy, Carnegie Mellon

Social/development/community/foundations.

  • Dr. James Orbinski, Former President of the International Council of Médecins Sans Frontières
  • Dr. Stephen Lewis, Founder of the Stephen Lewis Foundation
  • Adam Kahane, Chairman, North America, Reos Partners
  • Dr. Samantha Nutt, Founder, War Child
  • Bill Young, President, Social Capital Partners
  • Steve Wright, Grameen Foundation
  • Gillian Barth, CEO and President, CARE Canada

Government.

  • Christian Paradis, Minister for International Development and La Francophonie
  • Alison Redford, Former Premier of Alberta
  • Marc Garneau, MP, Canada
  • Karina Gould, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development
  • Lloyd Axworthy, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chancellor of St. Paul’s University College
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