Spring Lecture Series
April 30th to May 28th
When: Wednesdays – April 30, May 7, 14, 21 and 28
All live lectures are in-person at 10AM at The Westdale Theatre.
Download details of Westdale Parking Information
Cost: $55.00 for all 5 Lectures
(Q&A and post lecture recording available for 2 weeks)
Single event walk-in registrations are available (space permitting) for $15.00 cash payment per person. Post lecture recordings are available only to full series paid registrants
Program: 50 minute lecture followed by a question and answer opportunity.
- Dr. David Novog: Hamilton’s Nuclear Reactor: Past, Present and Future of the McMaster Nuclear Reactor
- Dr. Sarah Lepage: Transforming Healthcare: The Groundbreaking Impact of Cell and Gene Therapies
- Jon Allen: The Shifting Sands in the Middle East circa 2025
- Dr. Roseann Runte: Innovation and Creative Thinking: The Keys to a Better Future for Canada
- Graham Rockingham: Hamilton, City of Music?
(Recorded lectures are password protected, available for anytime access up to 2 weeks after the live lectures. No extensions will be applied after the 2 weeks. Paid registrants will receive an email after each lecture with access details and the required password.)
Bring a Friend for Free to any one of the 5 Spring Lectures.
This is a great opportunity for you to have a friend come along and introduce them to the unique HTAL experience.
Each paid registrant is entitled to bring one friend to any One of the 5 Lectures.
We will register your friend as a “walk in” registrant when you arrive at The Westdale Theatre, for that day. Nothing extra for you to do when you register online for yourself.
Dr. David Novog
April 30th, 2025 – 10AM
- Hamilton’s Nuclear Reactor: Past, Present and Future of the McMaster Nuclear Reactor
- Dr. David Novog Biography
Dr. David Novog
The presentation will explore the McMaster Nuclear Reactor’s (MNR) rich history related to discovery, innovation and operation since the very first conceptual discussions dating back to the 1950s. In the 60-plus years since then, the MNR has played an important role in McMaster’s engineering and science education programs, but also provided opportunities for innovation in the energy, health and environment sectors.
Based in Hamilton, the MNR is Canada’s largest research reactor and remains a focal point for industry, academics and society as we look to future opportunities in the nuclear sector.
The presentation will review the early days of MNR development, trace through important events and discoveries over the decades, and looks into the future of what Hamilton’s nuclear reactor might achieve.
Dr. David Novog is an expert in nuclear safety, emergency preparedness and advanced reactor designs with almost 30 years in the nuclear sector. Prior to joining as a faculty member, he has worked for Ontario Hydro, AECL, OPG, and various successor companies as a technical lead, consultant, or manager on dozens of nuclear projects.
He currently holds a UNENE Research Chair in Nuclear Safety, providing independent expertise to industry, government, regulators, and media. His love of the McMaster Nuclear Reactor dates back to the early 1990s where he used the reactor extensively as part of his PhD research on radiation imaging and has been a tour guide at the MNR since 1992.
Dr. Sarah Lepage
May 7th, 2025 – 10AM
- Transforming Healthcare: The Groundbreaking Impact of Cell and Gene Therapies
- Dr. Sarah Lepage Biography
Dr. Sarah Lepage
How are ongoing advancements in cell and gene therapy (CGT) transforming how we treat and potentially cure disease?
CGT is one of the fastest-growing areas in therapeutics, with numerous clinical trials testing pioneering therapies for cancer, heart disease, neurodegenerative disorders, and more. While these therapies are transforming the pharmaceutical industry with their novel mechanisms of action, they come with unique manufacturing challenges that must be addressed.
In this talk, we will explore the science behind cell and gene therapies, their future potential, and how academic institutions and biopharma companies are innovating to overcome production hurdles. We will also highlight Hamilton’s own OmniaBio Inc., Canada’s largest CGT contract development and manufacturing organization, and their role in positioning Canada as a leader in innovation, reducing costs, and enhancing access to CGT across North America.
Dr. Lepage is an Assistant Professor in Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Biology at the University of Guelph, where she is currently building innovative experiential learning programs in Regenerative Medicine and Translational Clinical Research.
She has a strong research background in translational cell-based therapies, having completed her PhD and postdoctoral research on the use of stem cells for the treatment of cartilage defects and osteoarthritis in horses at the Ontario Veterinary College.
From May 2022 to June 2024, she worked for OmniaBio, Inc., leading the development of the employee training curriculum on the manufacturing of cell and gene therapies for human clinical trials.
Jon Allen
May 14th, 2025 – 10AM
Jon Allen
Mr. Allen will discuss the current situation in the Middle East with a particular focus on Israel and Palestine.
He will inevitably also touch on Lebanon/Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, Iran and Syria. Donald Trump’s foreign policy vis a vis the region will be a backdrop influencing all of the above.
Born in Winnipeg in 1950, Jon Allen (LL.B., University of Western Ontario, 1976; LL.M., International Law, University of London School of Economics, 1977) joined the then Department of External Affairs in 1981.
In addition to postings abroad in Mexico City and New Delhi, Mr. Allen held the positions of Minister (Political Affairs) at the Canadian Embassy in Washington (2004-2006) and Assistant Deputy Minister for the Americas (2010-2012),
From 2006 to 2010, he was Canada’s Ambassador to Israel and from 2012 to 2016 he was Ambassador to Spain and Andorra. From 2012 to 2014, he served concurrently as Charge´ d’affaires at the Canadian Embassy to the Holy See.
He is currently a Senior Fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto, a Distinguished Fellow of the Canadian International Council, and the Chair of Rozana Canada, a not for profit whose objective is to build bridges between Palestinians and Israelis via the health sector. He contributes opinion pieces on the Middle East to the Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star and he regularly appears on TV and radio.
Dr. Roseann Runte
May 21st, 2025 – 10AM
Dr. Roseann Runte
Innovation is not only important in engineering and design, but in every aspect of human endeavor. We need, and most especially in difficult times, to find new ways to improve health and the environment, the economy, our communities and our lives.
This talk will introduce some of the most innovative Canadians right across the country from every field from medicine to AI and Quantum, from the environment to the arts, and from physics and photonics to the social sciences and issues like immigration.
They are truly inspiring, and their stories offer hope for the future. In addition, I will pass along some of the wise advice they generously shared with gentle humor and great modesty.
Roseann O’Reilly Runte is the President and CEO of the Canada Foundation for Innovation. She has led a number of universities in Canada and the U.S. and has played a role in the economic development of the regions in which they were located.
A member of the board of a number of businesses including the National Bank of Canada, LifeNet and Jean Coutu, she has also served as President of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, of the Foundation for International Training and as a member of the executive of the Club of Rome and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons.
She has been a member of the Virginia Industrial National Development Authority, the Virginia Advanced Shipbuilding Integration Center, the Ontario Québec Private Sector Advisory Committee and the Advisory Board for SunGard SGT.
She has received a number of academic and civic honors and awards from several countries and has a Ph.D. from the University of Kansas.
Graham Rockingham
May 28th, 2025 – 10AM
Graham Rockingham
Just a few years ago, the City of Hamilton seemed to be undergoing a cultural renaissance, spearheaded by music. The city was again welcoming the Junos Awards, an event Hamilton had hosted more times than any other city in Canada, with the exception of Toronto.
Supercrawl had become one of the most successful festivals in Canada. Acts like the Arkells, Monster Truck, Steve Strongman, Harrison Kennedy, Terra Lightfoot and Diana Panton were all gaining national and international attention. City Council even declared Hamilton a “City of Music” as part of a branding campaign.
Committees were struck and studies were undertaken. But, without funding, the initiative faded. Did Hamilton, long considered a gritty industrial backwater, deserve such a lofty title?
Graham Rockingham, music editor of The Hamilton Spectator for more than 20 years, looks back on Hamilton’s musical legacy to help answer that question.
Graham Rockingham is a former music editor with the Hamilton Spectator. He has an Ontario Newspaper Award for entertainment writing and has been media person of the year 5 times at the Hamilton Music Awards.
In 2015, he was presented with a special HMA lifetime achievement award.