Shannon Bard

Biography

Shannon Bard has over 30 years experience in innovation and R&D in climate solutions, environmental sustainability, ecosystem & human health. She led entrepreneurship@UBC’s Climate Venture Studio since its founding at the University of British Columbia, working to accelerate the translation of climate solutions research to impact. In recognition of the success of this work, the program won the BC Cleantech Award in 2022 and Clean50 Project Award. She has also coached science-based cleantech, healthtech, and social impact ventures through Foresight Cleantech Accelerator, SFU Venture Connection & the Ocean Startup Project.

Shannon was previously the global Director of Innovation for the environmental consultancy Hemmera and parent engineering firm Ausenco. She developed and launched a global corporate Innovation Program for >2000 staff to undertake industrial-academic-government R&D collaborations to develop and commercialize new science and engineering services to solve sustainability issues. She oversaw a Board-directed innovation incubator to invest in applying new technologies & methods to reduce the environmental footprint of industry activities including mining, clean tech, renewable energy, genomics, habitat restoration, environmental assessment, contaminated sites remediation, climate change mitigation/ adaptation, data analytics, AI, VR/AR & digital solutions.

She has extensive experience in leading regional, national and international multidisciplinary technical teams to tackle complex interdisciplinary environmental problems. Her environmental health and sustainability work has required forging working relationships with multiple stakeholders including business, industry, government regulators, environmental managers, politicians, academia, environmental groups, First Nations, media and the public.

Formerly, Shannon was a professor of Environmental Science at Dalhousie University, Director of the Marine Ecotoxicology Laboratory and co-winner of the Senate Environmental Award. She is a graduate of Stanford University, Université de Nantes, MIT & Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. She was the inaugural winner of the national YTV Environmental Achievement Award. Winner of the BC Cleantech Community Advocate of the Year in 2023 and Clean50 Angel in 2024.