Fall 2026 Lecture Series

Oct. 19 – Dr. Christopher DiCarlo – “Building a God – The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and the Race to Control It”

Dr. Christopher DiCarlo is a philosopher, educator, and author. He is the Principal and Founder
of Critical Thinking Solutions, a consulting business for individuals, corporations, and not-for-
profits in both the private and public sectors. He currently holds the position of Senior Advisor at
Convergence Analysis, an international organization focusing on AI Risk and Governance.
Dr. DiCarlo is also the Ethics Chair for the Canadian Mental Health Association
(Waterloo/Wellington). He often teaches at Toronto Metropolitan University and is a past
Visiting Research Scholar at Harvard University. Dr. DiCarlo has won several awards including
TV Ontario’s Big Ideas Best Lecturer in Ontario Award and Canada’s Humanist of the Year.

Building a God – The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and the Race to Control It. 

AI technologies have advanced so rapidly in the last several years that we are almost out of time
to regulate, legislate, control, contain, or even stop the potential negative effects of such
emerging technologies. In this lecture, Dr. DiCarlo will talk about three things. First, the basics
of Artificial Intelligence, its key terms, concepts, and issues. Second, a look at some of the
promising benefits and potential harms that such new technologies will bring to humanity. And
third, what we all can do to help mitigate the risks of AI.

 

Oct. 26 – Ivan Semeniuk – “Canada’s Next Chapter in Space”

Ivan Semeniuk is a journalist and broadcaster who has spent the past three decades chronicling
humanity’s exploration of the universe. As The Globe and Mail’s national science reporter, he
informs readers across Canada with his coverage of topics that range from particle physics to the
most pressing issues related to the environment, technology and human health. A former editor
with Nature and New Scientist, he is also known for his television work, most recently as the
writer and host of Unsolved Universe, currently airing on TVO. Over the years, Ivan’s work has
garnered several awards including the Royal Canadian Institute's Sandford Fleming Medal for
contributions to the public understanding of science.

Canada’s Next Chapter in Space  

Nearly 65 years after the launch of Alouette, the first Canadian satellite, and 25 years since
Canadarm 2 was installed on the International Space Station, the country's space sector is
entering a new and diverse era. Thanks to emerging technologies, new applications and a shift in
geopolitical realities, space has returned as a strategic and economic priority for Canada. Jeremy
Hanen's historic flight around the moon renewed public interest in spaceflight. Find out how a
combination of public and private efforts are working in less visible ways to transform Canada's
role in space.

 

Nov. 2 – Dr. Bill Timmins – “The Manhattan Project: The Real Story of the Development of the World’s First Atomic Bomb”

Dr. Bill Timmins is a British expert in nuclear safety. He has worked for more than 30 years in the industry – most of that time in nuclear defence. Bill holds the degrees of BSc, MSc and PhD and is a Fellow of the UK’s prestigious  Institute of Mechanical Engineers.
 
Bill’s extensive knowledge of nuclear defence has sparked his interest in the arms race ranging from the Manhattan Project in WW II to the present day. Over the last four years, Bill has presented a series of highly acclaimed talks to the UK’s nuclear defense industry and to Government departments in the UK. His lectures have been viewed by thousands of interested staff. 
 
The Manhattan Project: The Real Story of the Development of the World’s First Atomic Bomb
 
The race to create the first atomic bomb was one of the most complex and ambitious projects of the twentieth century. Developed under a veil of total secrecy, this US-led project pushed the boundaries of science and engineering, ushering in a new age of nuclear weapons. The Manhattan Project marks the beginning of a story whose consequences reverberate to this day.
 
 
Nov. 9 – Dr. Whitney Lackenbauer – “Canada’s Arctic”
 

P. (Paul) Whitney Lackenbauer (pronouns he/him) is Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in the Study of the Canadian North and Professor in the School for the Study of Canada at Trent University. He was Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel of 1st Canadian Ranger Patrol Group based in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories from 2014-2020 and was reappointed to this position from 2022-2025. He is also a Fellow with the Bill Graham Centre for Contemporary History at the University of Toronto; the Arctic Institute of North America; the Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies at the University of Calgary; and an adjunct professor with the Brian Mulroney Institute for Government at St. Francis Xavier University and the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the Center for Arctic Security and Resilience, School of Management, University of Alaska Fairbanks. Whitney specializes in Arctic security, sovereignty and governance issues, modern Canadian military and diplomatic history, and Indigenous-state relations.

Whitney has (co-) written or (co-) edited more than sixty books and more than one hundred academic articles and chapters. His recent books include The Joint Arctic Weather Stations: Science and Sovereignty in the High Arctic, 1946-72 (2022); Lines in the Snow: Thoughts on the Past and Future of Northern Canadian Policy Issues (2021); On Thin Ice? Perspectives on Arctic Security (2021); Breaking Through? Understanding Sovereignty and Security in the Circumpolar Arctic (co-edited, 2021); On Thin Ice? Perspectives on Arctic Security (co-edited, 2021); Canada and the Maritime Arctic: Boundaries, Shelves, and Waters (co-authored 2020); Custos Borealis: The Military in the Canadian North (edited 2020); Governing Complexity in the Arctic Region (co-authored 2019); Breaking the Ice Curtain? Russia, Canada, and Arctic Security in a Changing Circumpolar World (co-edited 2019), and China’s Arctic Ambitions and What They Mean for Canada (co-authored 2018). His book The Canadian Rangers: A Living History, 1942-2012 (2013) was shortlisted for the Dafoe prize, and his co-authored book Arctic Front: Defending Canada in the Far North (2008) won the 2009 Donner Prize for the best book on public policy in Canada.  He is also co-editor of the Documents on Canadian Arctic Sovereignty and Security (DCASS) series to which he has contributed more than a dozen volumes.

Canada’s Arctic

 

Nov. 16 – David Cravit – “Super Aging: Getting Older Without Getting Old”

David Cravit has over 30 years’ experience in advertising, marketing and consulting in both Canada and the USA. He’s participated at the most senior levels in the creation and placement of over $5 billion worth of media advertising.

He has been a guest on numerous radio and TV shows, frequent speaker to consumer and business audiences, and contributor to professional journals.

He’s now focused on tracking the reinvention of aging, led by the Baby Boomers. It’s the most significant and far-reaching trend in the world, touching every aspect of society – health, money, jobs, education, the consumer marketplace, and even sex.

Cravit’s first book was “The New Old,” (October, 2008, ECW Press) detailing exactly how the Boomers are completely revolutionizing the entire process of aging – and what the implications are for businesses, government, and society as a whole. His second book,“Beyond Age Rage” (April, 2012, Bastian Books), describes the apparent “war of the generations” – Boomers vs. Millennials – and shows boomers and seniors are already solving it.

Super Aging: Getting Older Without Getting Old

Welcome to the dazzling new world of SuperAging, where everything you’ve been taught about aging is challenged. Getting older does not need to mean the end of accomplishment and growth. For SuperAgers, the period after age sixty-five can be one of the most productive and fulfilling times of life. 

SuperAging is already a reality for millions. But the science, business, and culture of aging have changed at such a rapid pace that they can be hard to keep up with. That’s where authors David Cravit and Larry Wolf can help. They’ve broken SuperAging down into seven simple components—Attitude, Awareness, Activity, Autonomy, Achievement, Attachment, and Avoidance—and in this groundbreaking book, they show how you can put these forces to work in your own life. From taking control of your health and health care to revolutionary ways of thinking about retirement, money, housing, and even relationships, you’ll discover how to make your seventies, eighties, nineties, and beyond some of the best years of your life. Why settle for getting old when you can thrive? 

 

Nov. 23 – Dr. Adam Chapnick – “Canada’s Security in the World”

 

Adam Chapnick is a professor of defence studies at the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC).  He is located in Toronto, where he also serves as the deputy director of education at the Canadian Forces College.

He holds a BA (Honours) from Trent University, an MA in International Affairs from the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University, and a PhD in History from the University of Toronto. He joined RMC in 2006 and currently teaches courses in Canadian foreign policy and strategic decision-making at the federal level. He also supervises theses on Canadian foreign and public policy and plays a leading role in drafting and implementing the College’s teaching and learning vision and strategies.

Outside of the college, he lectures about Canadian politics and international security across the greater Toronto community. 

Canada’s Security in the World