Some ideas are Just Crazy Enough to Work

More than 3,200 kilometres in natural habitat from Yellowstone to Yukon can be both protected and connected. An alliance of oilsands producers can share the cost of developing $1.33 billion of transformative innovations in environmental performance. Poop can be converted into bioplastic for astronauts on deep-space missions.

Do these sound like crazy ideas? Fitting, then, that they drive Just Crazy Enough to Work, the upcoming second event in the Speakeasy Series, organized by the College of Discovery, Creativity and Innovation (CDCI), an arm of the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning. Speakeasy is an event series that facilitates community building with thought-provoking discussion among students, staff and community across the arts, humanities, business, science and engineering to foster discovery, creativity and innovation.  

On Thursday, Jan. 25, Amy Chen, student leader and researcher on the University of Calgary iGEM team, and Jodi Hilty, president and chief scientist of the Yellowstone to Yukon Initiative–Y2Y, will share the stage with Peter Beaudoin, senior adviser to the chief executive at Canada’s Oil Sands Innovation Alliance. The three speakers will describe their uniquely “crazy ideas” before engaging in a dialogue with event host, Jay Cross, director of the the CDCI, and the audience.

A sneak peek at the speakers’ topics

Chen will discuss a project called Astroplastic, which proposes converting human waste into usable material to help mitigate difficulties surrounding waste management and material transportation for future manned missions to Mars. She remembers some of the reactions she got when she first introduced the idea.

“Initially, people were shocked and didn’t believe it was possible. Some people even stated that it was crazy,” recalls Chen. “Surprisingly, our initial conversations with astronauts and industry experts were more reassuring. Although they also thought it was a wild idea, many of them expressed that our idea of turning poop to plastic is very novel and has potential for use in space, where waste management and materials are limited.

"Some industry professionals even believed that it was possible by offering us a chance to test our system in simulated Mars environments once we finalize a prototype.”

Hilty also offers a sneak preview of her presentation’s main focus. “I will talk about the crazy idea of protecting and connecting habitat from Yellowstone to Yukon, an idea that inspired people but they were also skeptical about whether it could be implemented,” she explains. “The idea worked because it is a compelling and positive vision that others see themselves in and want to achieve, and it also became a global standard and model.”

Beaudoin will share the story of how representatives from 13 oilsands companies came together in 2012 to apply solutions-oriented innovation to the most pressing oilsands environmental challenges, including greenhouse gases, land, water and tailings.

Register and learn more

Hilty, Chen and Beaudoin will expand on the details of their ideas at Just Crazy Enough to Work. Register to learn more about the connections and differences between the three innovative speakers’ experiences, and to connect with community members across disciplines. The Jan. 25 event will run from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Taylor Institute’s beautifully open atrium and forum, accompanied by jazz music and visitors from across campus and beyond.

Register for Just Crazy Enough to Work. Learn more about the Speakeasy event series.