It’s with great pride that the de Gaspé Beaubien family foundation attended the official launch of the AquaHacking Lake Winnipeg Challenge on January 31st. Live from the DisruptED event at the RBC Convention Center, high-profile speakers had the chance to share their in-depth knowledge of innovation, creativity, artificial intelligence and the human side of technology.
It’s Time to Take Action with AquaHacking
It is clear that the state of Canada's water is in danger. Lake Winnipeg, one of the largest freshwater rivers in the world, is no exception. Since the preservation of water quality is a priority for the de Gaspé Beaubien family, it went without saying that supporting a Challenge that would aim to preserve and improve the water of this region through sustainable actions and changes aligned well with the Foundation’s goals.IISD, an Important Ally
This new edition of the Challenge is presented by IISD (International Institute of Sustainable Department), a local management partner based in Winnipeg for over 30 years. The primary mission of this institution, made up of researchers from around the world, is to conduct research on climate and water issues. Through research, analysis and international expertise, IISD identifies and defends sustainable solutions. By joining the AquaHacking Challenge, the organization becomes a launchpad for the development and deployment of concrete and innovative actions for freshwater issues. AquaHacking stakeholders are very excited about this collaboration. “We are proud to be associated with this great organization, IISD, and we are very excited to energize the technology sector with new initiatives in the Manitoba region, whose technology sector is currently in full swing.” Said Dominique Monchamp, senior advisor to the de Gaspé Beaubien foundation.An Inspiration for the Next Generation
The family was delighted to welcome a member of the AquaHacking alumni community, Dr. Robert Liang, CEO and founder of WaterPuris, as a guest of the conference and Lake Winnipeg AquaHacking Challenge Kick-Off. Dr. Liang presented his technology developed during the AquaHacking 2018 Challenge. His presence was a real inspiration for the next generation of young hackers. The next generation is a precious source of inspiration and innovation for the de Gaspé Beaubien family. This is why AquaHacking recruits and encourages new players to think about issues related to freshwater. The Challenge teams are made up of committed and creative minds, students, water researchers, developers, designers, scientists, programmers, engineers, technology enthusiasts, and entrepreneurs. A common motivation unites these individuals with distinct areas of expertise, namely the undeniable concern for the fate of Lake Winnipeg and its ecosystem.
5 Reasons to Participate
The five water issues associated with the AquaHacking Lake Winnipeg Challenge were officially revealed to participants at the DisruptED conference. Participating hackers can access informative webinars that describe each of the issues by water experts. These videos explore the issues in detail and assist participants in their selection of the subject they will address during the Challenge.The 5 water issues
During the AquaHacking Lake Winnipeg Challenge, hackers are tasked to develop exciting and innovative solutions for the following five issues:- Water management on agricultural land: Providing agricultural producers with solutions to increase their profitability in a sustainable manner while reducing the amount of phosphorus that is found in Lake Winnipeg.
- Preserving fish health: Developing strategies to remove drug residue from wastewater before it ends up in Lake Winnipeg and methodologies to assess fish health without having to kill the fish being tested.
- Protecting ecosystems from plastic: Looking for ways to better understand how microplastics end up in Lake Winnipeg.
- Access to drinking water in Aboriginal communities: Advancing innovative and economical solutions to allow northern communities to test the quality of their drinking water supplies.
- Financing a healthy Lake Winnipeg: Developing new financial tools to help concerned citizens easily invest in the protection of Lake Winnipeg and be able to follow the impact of their investment.