Trottier Symposium - Part 2

On November 12, the IET will have the privilege of welcoming professors Catherine Beaudry (Polytechnique Montréal), Annie Chaloux (USherbrooke), and Catherine Potvin (McGill) to discuss the economic and diplomatic challenges of energy transition in the Canadian context.

Normand Mousseau (IET and UdeM) will join them to continue the discussion begun with Simon Sharpe during the feature webinar of the 2025 Symposium. Together, these experts will revisit the fact that the low carbon transition is a process involving much change and innovation, with rapid pace (ideally faster than it is now) and high uncertainty – a context in which the 'usual' economic methods are proving severely inadequate. How can policy makers evaluate which clean technologies have the greatest potential and which policies will be most effective in driving the energy transition? Canada needs a clever industrial strategy to take these aspects into account and position itself internationally.

Eminent panellists

Catherine Beaudry (pictured left) holds a PhD and MSc in Economics from Oxford University. She is a full professor in the Department of Mathematics and Industrial Engineering and holds the Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Management and Economics of Innovation (Innovation Chair) at Polytechnique Montréal. Her main research interests are collaboration and support mechanisms for public and private organisations within knowledge and innovation ecosystems.

Annie Chaloux (pictured right) is an associate professor at the Université de Sherbrooke and co-holder of the Climate Science Diplomacy Research Chair. A specialist in climate policy and environmental paradiplomacy, she is also director of Climatoscope 360 and the magazine Le Climatoscope. An active participant in public debates on climate policy, environmental governance and international action by federated states, she is regularly invited to speak to the media across the country.

Catherine Potvin (pictured centre) is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Biology at McGill University and holds the Canada Research Chair in Climate Change Mitigation and Tropical Forests. Her research in tropical ecology supports international efforts to reduce deforestation in the tropics. She also has extensive experience in international and national climate negotiations.

This event will be held in French.