PAW 2025 Registration Refund Policy:

• 100% Refund: A full refund, minus administrative fees, will be provided for cancellations made up to 4 weeks prior to registration closing (October 10, 2025).
• 50% Refund: A 50% refund, minus administrative fees, will be provided for cancellations made between 4 weeks and 2 weeks prior to registration closing (October 10, 2025).
• No Refunds: No refunds will be issued for cancellations made within 2 weeks of registration closing (October 10, 2025).
• Administrative Fees: Administrative fees are non-refundable and cover costs associated with processing and handling the registration and cancellation.
• Cancellation Deadline: Cancellations must be made in writing and received within the applicable time frames to qualify for a refund. Please contact international.office@usask.ca to arrange a ticket refund.
• Refund Process: Refunds will be processed within 7 business days from the date of cancellation approval.
• Ticket Transfer: Tickets are always transferable to a different name. Please contact international.office@usask.ca to arrange a ticket transfer.

• PAW 2025 Hotel Accommodations

As part of your PAW 2025 International Congress Registration a number of optional tours will be avaliable to you free of charge on Wednesday October 22, 2025.

Pre-registration is required. Additional details, including tour schedules and registration instructions will be provided to all Congress participants as the event date approaches via the email provided during registration.

• Optional Tours List

2025 Pre-PAW Congress Workshops: Partnering with the Czech Republic, Germany and France  

Join us on Monday October 20, 2025 and Tuesday, October 21, 2025, for four exciting workshops offered as part of the 2025 Pre-PAW Congress programming, designed to connect faculty, students, staff and others through global opportunities in research and education. These workshops are free and open to all. Due to a limited number of spots, please register in advance to secure your place. For further session details please see the Congress Program section.

To RSVP click on the session link below:

Monday, October 20, 2025 
Pre-PAW Congress Workshop #1: Unlocking research collaboration with the Czech Republic: strengths, priorities and funding

Pre-PAW Congress Event: Mozambique-Canada (USask) Partnerships for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Wellbeing

Tuesday, October 21, 2025
Pre-PAW Congress Workshop #2: Funding Research in Germany
Pre-PAW Congress Workshop #3: Choose France for Research
Pre-PAW Congress Workshop #4: Study, Research and Internships in Germany for Students and Postdocs in the Natural Sciences and Engineering

All times are CST. Program subject to change.

All times are CST. Program subject to change.

Join us on Monday October 20, 2025 and Tuesday, October 21, 2025, for a series of Pre-PAW Congress events designed to connect and engage our community in the days leading up to the PAW Congress.

2025 Pre-PAW Congress Workshops: Partnering with the Czech Republic, Germany and France  

Join us on Monday October 20, 2025 and Tuesday, October 21, 2025, for four exciting workshops offered as part of the 2025 Pre-PAW Congress programming, designed to connect faculty, students, and staff through global opportunities in research and education. These workshops are free and open to all. Due to a limited number of spots, please register in advance to secure your place. See more details on each of these workshops and links to register at the bottom of this section.

Mozambique-Canada (USask) Partnerships for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Wellbeing

Date: Monday, October 20, 2025 
Time: 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM 
Location: ARTS 208, Arts Building, University of Saskatchewan Main Campus 

This Pre-PAW Congress symposium focuses on the Mozambique-Canada (USask) Maternal Health and Sexual and Reproductive Health for Young Women projects in Inhambane, Mozambique. Using a modified World café format, the project team will share what they have learned and challenges that they have encountered and ask participants to engage and share their experiences and lessons learned in similar development projects.

Register here.

If you have any questions on these five Pre-PAW Congress events, please email international.office@usask.ca.   

Additional Details and Registration Links for the 2025 Pre-PAW Congress Workshops

1. Unlocking research collaboration with the Czech Republic: strengths, priorities and funding 

Date: Monday, October 20, 2025 
Time: 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM 
Location: EDUC 2005, Education Building, University of Saskatchewan Main Campus 

The USask International Office would like to invite faculty, students, staff and others interested to the 2025 Pre-PAW Congress workshop offered by the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Toronto. This interactive workshop presented by representatives from the Czech Republic Consulate in Toronto, will offer valuable insight into research collaboration with the Czech Republic. The session will explore the strengths, priorities and funding opportunities available to collaborate with the Czech Republic, and highlight major research and infrastructure projects in the Czech Republic. 

Participants will hear directly from Eva Libs Bartoňová, Head of Trade and Investment Section at the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Toronto. She will share insights on how to explore international funding and research collaborations in the Czech Republic and will provide practical guidance for researchers at all stages. The presentations will be followed by an extended Q&A session to encourage dialogue and support the development of future partnerships.  

Register here. 

2. Funding Research in Germany 

Date: Tuesday, October 21, 2025 
Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM 
Location: PMB 120, Convocation Hall, University of Saskatchewan Main Campus 

Hosted by USask’s International Office as part of the 2025 Pre-PAW Congress programming, this interactive workshop will offer valuable insight into the German research landscape, funding structures, and academic exchange opportunities for Canadian students, scholars, and institutions. The session will explore avenues for research and academic collaboration with Germany, and feature representatives from Germany’s two leading funding organizations: the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the German Research Foundation (DFG). 

Participants will hear directly from Bettina Schuffert, Program Officer at the DFG Office North America in Washington, D.C., and John Paul Kleiner, Senior Manager, University Relations at the DAAD Information Centre in Toronto. Both speakers will share insights on how to explore international funding, research collaborations, and study opportunities with the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and DFG in Germany and will provide practical guidance for researchers at all stages. The presentations will be followed by an extended Q&A session to encourage dialogue and support the development of future partnerships. 

Register here.

3. Choose France for Research 

Date: Tuesday, October 21, 2025 
Time: 1:30 PM – 4:00 PM 
Location: PMB 120 Convocation Hall, University of Saskatchewan Main Campus 

The USask International Office would like to invite faculty, students, staff and others interested to the 2025 Pre-PAW Congress workshop, to learn about the research opportunities and priorities between Canada and France. This workshop will feature a keynote presentation by Dr. Géraldine Dantelle, Attaché for Science and Higher Education at the French Embassy in Canada, who will offer insights into the French research landscape and pathways for collaboration. 

The workshop will feature presentations from both USask researchers and partner institutions in France and will include reflection on personal experiences working across borders and disciplines. The session will conclude with a panel discussion and an audience Q&A on how to engage innovatively to achieve common research goals and sustain the partnership.   

Register here.

4. Study, Research and Internships in Germany for Students and Postdocs in the Natural Sciences and Engineering

Date: Tuesday, October 21, 2025 
Time: 4:20 PM – 5:20 PM 
Location: PMB 120 Convocation Hall, University of Saskatchewan Main Campus 

Join DAAD – German Academic Exchange Service to learn more about funding opportunities for students (Undergrad and Grad) and postdocs in the Natural Sciences and Engineering interested in study, research and internships in Germany.

This session will provide details on both DAAD’s popular internship programs RISE Germany and RISE Professional each of which offers students from Canadian universities the chance to carry out research-related internships in Germany.

• DAAD will also give information on the following programs:
  Research Grant programs for PhDs and Postdocs;
• Fellowships with the German Aerospace Centres;
• Study Scholarship in support of Master’s studies in Germany;
• Fellowships in the field of Green Hydrogen research.

This session will be relevant to students at all stages of study (Bachelor, Master’s, PhD) as well as postdocs coming from programs related to all branches of the Natural Sciences and Engineering.

Come with your questions. All are welcome!

Register here. 

The workshop agendas and room locations will be shared with attendees closer to the date.  

Come discover what’s possible when research crosses borders! 

SESSION DESCRIPTIONS, MODERATORS AND PANELISTS:

PAW 2025 will feature three engaging Plenary Panels with local, national and international experts.

Building Bridges for Health Through Science Diplomacy 
Addressing humanity’s greatest challenges requires cooperation at both regional and global scales. Effective partnerships between researchers, governments, policy makers and diplomats can build trust between nations through the universal language of science and research. This session will bring together multinational and multidisciplinary experts to explore how innovative frameworks and evidence-based approaches can support health literacy, common understanding and hard science, delivering actionable policies in each society’s context. Experts will also discuss the necessary nuances that social and behavioural sciences can bring to the table to build a healthy consensus while respecting national sovereignty. 

Moderator: 

• Kari Harvey, CEO, Innovation Saskatchewan – Government of Saskatchewan, Canada 

Panelists:

• Dr. Connie McManus, Research Collaboration Manager (National and International), FAPESP / Emeritus Professor, University of Brasilia / Paschoal Senise Chair – University of São Paulo, Brazil
• Dr. Anita Melnyk, Director, Health and Life Sciences – Council of Canadian Academies, Canada
• Christian Strowa – Director of DAAD New York Office (USA, Canada) and DWIH New York – DAAD, Germany

Integrated Data for Public and Population Health Research  
The data infrastructure necessary to grow a public and population health systems and services research agenda has fallen behind that of the rest of the health system. This panel will discuss progress being made to fill gaps in data infrastructure and build expertise among trainees and researchers in partnership with providers and community partners in the field of population and public health. Prioritizing this need has the potential to impact healthcare sustainability, strengthen public health and improve health and wellness.

Moderator: 

• Dr. Cory Neudorf, Senior Medical Expert, Public Health Agency of Canada, and Professor, Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, College of Medicine – University of Saskatchewan, Canada 

Panelists:

• Alyssa Daku, Chief Data Officer and Director General, Science, Data and Surveillance Enablement Directorate, Science and Policy Integration Branch, Public Health Agency of Canada – Government of Canada, Canada
• Dr. Kimberlyn McGrail, Associate Dean of Research, School of Medicine – Simon Fraser University, Canada
• Dr. Nathaniel Osgood – Director, Computational Epidemiology & Public Health Informatics Lab; Professor of Computer Science – University of Saskatchewan, Canada

Transforming Healthcare - A Future Reimagined 

Healthcare systems face many challenges and require urgent governance reform to address workforce shortages, data accessibility, transparency and improved system administration. New innovations, along with an empowered workforce which can move successful models to scale, are required to improve health outcomes. This panel will explore how we can think and act differently to modernize the healthcare system. Whether it’s meeting the supply and demand for health services, decreasing costs, providing equitable access, or integrating competition, experts will weigh in on how an innovative and collaborative research ecosystem can drive solutions and contribute to the long-term of health of Canadians and the Canadian economy.

Moderator: 

• Dr. Sarah Forgie, Dean, College of Medicine and Pediatric Infectious Disease Physician, Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital – University of Saskatchewan, Canada 

Panelists:

• Ryan Cossitt, Assistant Deputy Minister, International Engagement, Ministry of Trade and Export Development – Government of Saskatchewan, Canada
• Ingrid Kirby, Assistant Deputy Minister, Ministry of Health – Government of Saskatchewan, Canada
• Mark Wyatt – Assistant Deputy Minister, Ministry of Advanced Education – Government of Saskatchewan, Canada

SESSION DESCRIPTIONS, MODERATORS AND PANELISTS:

PAW 2025 will feature two sets of enriching concurrent sessions for attendees to choose from.

Thursday October 23 choose from:

AI for Health and Health for AI 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the way we think about health and healthcare. From helping doctors detect diseases earlier to making hospital visits more efficient, AI is becoming a powerful tool in keeping people healthy. In this session, we’ll explore how AI is being used in everyday healthcare, what it means for patients and families, and how it could shape the future of medicine. This session is appropriate for all attendees, whether they’re curious about new technology or just want to understand how it might affect their care.

Moderator: 

• Dr. Daniel Fuller, Associate Professor, Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, College of Medicine – University of Saskatchewan, Canada 

Panelists:

• Dr. Björn Krüger, Professor of Personalized Digital Health and Telemedicine – University of Bonn, Germany
• Dr. Stephen Lee, Associate Professor, College of Medicine – University of Saskatchewan, Canada 
• Dr. Raymond Ng – Director, Data Science Institute / Co-Director, AI & Health Network – University of British Colombia, Canada

How Healthy is the Air You Breathe, at Home, School, Work and Play? 

Canadians spend over 90% of their time indoors, intaking 15,000 L (17kg) of air daily. While other inputs—like bottled water—indicate their contents and purity, the air we breathe is simply assumed to be clean. The COVID-19 pandemic increased the public’s awareness of the importance of indoor air quality, which is shown to have a significant impact on our health – with or without a pandemic. This session will address the factors that affect indoor air quality in various buildings and ways to improve indoor air quality during both normal operations and pandemics.

Moderator: 

• Dr. Melanie Fauchoux, Research Associate, Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering – University of Saskatchewan, Canada 

Panelists:

• Dr. Tara Kahan, Professor, Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Science – University of Saskatchewan, Canada
• Dr. Jeffrey Siegel, Professor, Civil Engineering – University of Toronto, Canada 
• Dr. Sonia Taamali – Research Engineer – University of Lille, France

Safeguarding the World Against Viral Pandemics 

In this session, we will learn about emerging viral epidemics and pandemics like avian influenza, discuss lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, and the world’s vision to prevent future pandemics. Participating researchers are experts in the field with real-world experience in addressing epidemics and pandemics. 

Moderator: 

• Dr. Arinjay Banerjee, Principal Scientist and Canada Research Chair, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization – University of Saskatchewan, Canada 

Panelists:

• Dr. Anvita Bhargava, Project Manager, "One Health - Emerging Infectious Diseases" Graduate School – Paris Cité Université, France
• Dr. Volker Gerdts, Director and CEO, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization – University of Saskatchewan, Canada 
• Dr. Matthew Miller – Director, Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research / Co-Director, Canadian Pandemic Preparedness Hub (CP2H) / Canada Research Chair in Viral Pandemics / Professor, Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences – McMaster University, Canada
• Dr. Samira Mubareka – Associate Professor; CIHR-PHAC Applied Public Health Chair – Sunnybrook Research Institute and University of Toronto, Canada

Friday October 24 choose from:

Healthy Communities in Rural and Remote Areas – Challenges and Opportunities 

What are the necessary public health infrastructures and human resources for promoting community wellbeing? What is required to deliver appropriate and timely healthcare services in rural and remote communities? What are some opportunities and barriers for engaging non-human health, as part of creating wellbeing for healthy communities?

Moderator: 

• Dr. Marc-André Pigeon, Director, Canadian Centre for the Study of Co-operatives / Assistant Professor, Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy – University of Saskatchewan, Canada 

Panelists:

• Dr. James Irvine, Professor Emeritus, Department of Academic Family Medicine, College of Medicine – University of Saskatchewan, Canada
• Dr. Shelley Kirychuk, Professor and Director, Canadian Centre for Rural and Agricultural Health – University of Saskatchewan, Canada 
• Dr. Jordan Woodsworth – Director, Northern Engagement and Community Outreach, Western College of Veterinary Medicine – University of Saskatchewan, Canada

Poly-Solutions – A Response to Global Health Polycrises 

This session will consider both sides of a ‘poly-crisis’—the multiple intersecting problems and solutions—to tackle complex problems locally, regionally, nationally and globally. To illustrate the poly-crisis-poly-solutions nexus and to explore multi-level scenarios, various examples will be shared including in areas such as climate change and health.

Moderator: 

• Dr. Nazeem Muhajarine, Distinguished Professor, Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, College of Medicine / Director, Saskatchewan Population Health and Evaluation Research Unit (SPHERU) – University of Saskatchewan, Canada 

Panelists:

• Jessica Ferne, Director, Global Health Impact – CanWaCH (Canadian Partnership for Women and Children’s Health), Canada
• Dr. Ronald Labonté, Professor Emeritus, School of Epidemiology and Public Health – University of Ottawa, Canada 
• Dr. Corinne Schuster-Wallace – Executive Director, Global Institute for Water Security – University of Saskatchewan, Canada

The Role of the Arts: Healthy Citizens and Healthy Communities

There is growing evidence that “Arts for Health” initiatives offer biopsychosocial benefits for diverse populations, leading to the expansion of programs that integrate arts and health services to enhance community wellbeing. However, this contrasts data showing high rates of musculoskeletal and mental health issues among artists themselves, forcing us to ask: How can arts such as music be so good for someone’s health and make artists sick? We will reflect on how narratives (cultural/institutional) shape our conception of “healthy art(ists)” and consider the social role of artists as active citizens of healthy communities. This panel will explore recent research to show that arts-led perspectives can offer transformative insights for sustainable health across sectors.

Moderator: 

• Dr. Jennifer Lang, Director, Professor, Music Education / Director of Choral Activities / Vice-Dean Academic, College of Arts & Science – University of Saskatchewan, Canada 

Panelists:

• Dr. Liliana Araujo, Assistant Professor, Applied Performance Sciences – McGill University, Canada
• Dr. Kyle Zavitz, Research Assistant – University of Toronto, Canada 

Our University Plan 2025 commits us to be “The University the World Needs”. This means harnessing our talents and resources to respond to contemporary challenges and opportunities. The Critical Path to Sustainability strategy lays out an ambitious set of five goals and 17 actions that responds to these challenges and opportunities. We commit to achieving them by 2030, aligning with the Agenda Sustainable Development Goals.

• USask Sustainability Strategy (2021-2030)

• USask EDI Framework for Action

• Indigenous Engagement at USask