Conference speakers
Day One | April 28
Keynote address
On the emergence of meaning: Knowledge experiments that honour relational renewal
This session will bring focus to the colonial logics of relationship denial as it relates to possibilities for meaningful educational transformation. We will frame knowledge experiments as sustained opportunities for people to experience knowledge and knowing in unique ways and find meaning through attending to the wisdom of relational renewal.
Dr. Dwayne Donald
Dr. Dwayne Donald, PhD is a descendent of amiskwacîwiyiniwak (Beaver Hills Cree), Métis, and Norwegian ancestry. He works as a professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta. He is also a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Reimagining Teacher Education with Indigenous Wisdom Traditions.
Anahi Palomec McKenna
Anahi Palomec McKenna is a student at the University of Alberta, currently pursuing an education after degree in secondary English and Indigenous curriculum and pedagogy. She grew up on unceded Coast Salish territory but currently resides in Amiskwacîwâskahikan.
Day Two | April 29
Keynote address
Postplagiarism: Ethical, Equitable, and Inclusive Learning Futures
The rapid rise of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and related technologies have disrupted traditional notions of teaching, learning, and assessment in higher education. In this keynote, Dr. Sarah Elaine Eaton shares her award-winning postplagiarism framework as a way of understanding educational integrity in an era where technology cannot be decoupled from education. Postplagiarism provides us with a way to move beyond historical definitions of plagiarism and detection-based approaches, reframing integrity as a shared responsibility grounded in ethics, equity, and human dignity.
Dr. Sarah Eaton
Dr. Sarah Elaine Eaton, PhD, is a Professor and Research Chair in the Werklund School of Education and Chair, Leadership, Policy, and Governance specialization area. She holds a concurrent appointment as an Honorary Associate Professor, Deakin Learning Futures, Deakin University, Australia.
Professor Eaton’s research focuses on academic ethics in higher education. Her work can be found in the Canadian Journal of Higher Education, the British Educational Research Journal, Educational Policy, and the Journal of Academic Ethics, among other places.
Dr. Eaton is the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal for Educational Integrity (Springer Nature), a Q1 (Education) journal published by BMC Springer. Dr. Eaton was the co-founder (2018) and co-editor (2018-2020) of Canadian Perspectives on Academic Integrity.
Dr. Eaton is an internationally recognized authority in the field of academic ethics. In 2020 she received the National Research and Scholarship award from the Canadian Society for the Study of Higher Education (CSSHE) for her contributions to research on academic integrity in Canadian higher education. In 2022, she received the outstanding research award from the European Network for Academic Integrity (ENAI).
Day Three | April 30
Keynote address
Technology is the Easy Part: Enabling Digital Transformation
Colleagues who are charged with leading digital transformations in post-secondary institutions right now have some of the hardest jobs out there. Trying to support an institution to chart a course between wild enthusiasm and deep concern and reach some sort of consensus on action that does more than achieve “status-quo with a twist” is a hard task at the best of times, and this is not the best of times by any stretch. In our times of heightened financial pressure here in Canada, digital technologies can present us with substantial opportunities, but they are not transformative in and of themselves, because they do not exist separately to people and culture. Investing in creating the right kind of enabling environment is key to understanding that technology is actually the easy part, and any “digital transformation” is ultimately a people and culture transformation.
Anne-Marie Scott
Anne-Marie Scott is the Vice President of the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) in Vancouver and is an internationally recognized expert in digital, online, and open education, with leadership experience across higher education and the non-profit sector. She previously served as Deputy Provost of Athabasca University, and before that spent nearly two decades at the University of Edinburgh in the UK. She serves on the Board of the Open Source Initiative teaches in the Masters in Learning and Technology at Royal Roads University.
Panel discussion
Voices from the Field – Digital Transformation in Practice
Join us for the conference closing session, where D'Arcy Norman brings together four exceptional members of the University of Calgary community to explore digital transformation in higher education through diverse lenses.
This interactive session features four 5-minute talks, each followed by a 5-minute conversation with the audience. Panel members will share perspectives on digital transformation as it relates to their unique areas of work and scholarship, each concluding with a thought-provoking question to spark dialogue. Following the talks, the session opens for broader Q&A, creating space for reflection and connection as we close the conference together.
Dr. D’Arcy Norman
D'Arcy Norman leads the Learning Technologies & Design Team at the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning, focusing on finding and developing technology platforms that enhance student learning. He collaborates with instructors and faculty leadership to promote high-quality teaching and learning experiences across the University of Calgary. A strong supporter of open education, D'Arcy advocates for using technology to eliminate barriers and broaden access to learning. He is particularly interested in how technologies can empower individuals to freely publish, collaborate, and share knowledge. His PhD research integrates the disciplines of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)
Dr. Emily Marasco
Dr. Emily Marasco is an Associate Professor (Teaching) and Teaching Chair in Engineering Education Innovation – Digital Transformation within the Schulich School of Engineering. She founded the ADAPT Lab: Advancements in Digital Applications and Pedagogical Transformation. Her pedagogical work focuses on AI/digital literacy, cognitive diversity, accessible education, creativity, and first-year transition practices. An active science communicator, Dr. Marasco was honored as ASTech Outstanding Leader of Tomorrow (2018) and one of Calgary’s Top 40 Under 40 (2019).
Kris Hans
Kris Hans is a PhD student in Transdisciplinary Research at the University of Calgary whose research focuses on AI in the workplace and its implications for education. An award-winning educator and early AI adopter, he has taught 200+ courses at Mount Royal University, the University of Calgary, and the University of Lethbridge, including 65+ sections of Business Communication. He pioneered AI-integrated Business Communication coursework in 2023 and advises organizations from startups to global multinationals.
Nipa Chakravarti
Nipa Chakravarti joined the University of Calgary as Vice-President (Digital Transformation and Technology) & Chief Transformation Officer in November 2025, bringing more than two decades of senior leadership experience spanning operations, marketing and trading, customer service, finance, IT, regulatory affairs and business development across the energy, utilities, finance and telecommunications sectors. She has led large-scale, company-wide transformations, operationalizing innovative strategies, and building high-performing, customer-focused teams.
Throughout her career, Nipa has led major initiatives including creating new business units, significantly expanding customer bases and delivering value through complex transformation programs. She has managed initiatives such as smart metering projects, renegotiation of electricity franchises with over 140 municipalities, and modernization of IT and cybersecurity platforms at large organizations.
Nipa’s leadership extends to mentorship, having guided 16 leaders from staff to VP level, and board governance, serving on the boards of ENMAX Corporation and the Prostate Cancer Centre. Her professional credentials include a Bachelor of Management from Queen’s University, CPA, CA designation, and certification from the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD.D).
At the University of Calgary, she applies her expertise in transformation, digital strategy and organizational leadership to strengthen institutional effectiveness through innovative technology and strategic initiatives. Outside of work, Nipa is dedicated to mentoring young professionals and actively participating in community initiatives.
Dr. Soroush Sabbaghan
Soroush Sabbaghan is an Associate Professor and the Educational Leader in Residence in Generative AI at the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning. His work centers on the intersection of AI and education, spanning K–12 and higher-education contexts. He leads research on AI-supported teaching and learning, develops tools and collaborates with educators, school districts, and international partners. His work advances responsible, human-centred integration of generative AI in academic and professional learning.
