About PAW 2025

PAW 2025 is bringing together local and international experts in health, environmental sciences, sustainability, food, energy and water, digital technologies and the social sciences to explore creative and accessible solutions to support planetary health.

The Congress theme of Healthy people, healthy planet: Driving innovation with data will examine the benefits of shared perspectives, highlighting solutions to support local and global communities guided by data-driven insights and innovative technologies.

This exciting Congress will offer an action-packed three days including keynotes, panels, student poster sessions, tours and more from leading institutions and experts around the world. Our invited speakers include local, national and international experts whose topics may include: science diplomacy, policy and funding, integrated data for public and population health research, transforming Canadian health care, viral pandemics, rural and remote communities, holistic health, climate and human health, sustainability and more!  

PAW 2025 will: 

  • highlight cutting-edge technologies and strategies.
  • share valuable insights and practical solutions.
  • promote collaboration with a diverse network of experts from industry, government, education institutions and community organizations.
  • enhance informed decision-making and impactful policy development.
  • inspire action to improve health outcomes and social impacts in the context of a healthy planet to support thriving local and global communities.

From policymakers, researchers and artists, to entrepreneurs, students, scientists and the general public—PAW 2025 will be a dynamic place to exchange ideas, strategies and collaborative efforts focused on re-examining the solutions required to address the Decade of Action and advance the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

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Registration

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.

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.

Congress Program

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.


Start Time End Time Activity Location
7:45am 8:45am Registration; Light Breakfast and Networking Garry Room, Marquis Hall
8:45am 10:00am Welcome Garry Room, Marquis Hall
10:00am 10:45am

Opening Keynote Speaker: Dr. Timothy Caulfield
Professor of Health Law and Science Policy | Bestselling Author – University of Alberta, Canada 

Garry Room, Marquis Hall
10:45am 11:00am Break / Movement Garry Room, Marquis Hall
11:00am 12:30pm

Concurrent Sessions:

  • AI for Health and Health for AI  
  • How Healthy is the Air You Breathe, at Home, School, Work and Play?
  • Safeguarding the World Against Viral Pandemics  

Locations TBA
12:30pm 1:30pm Lunch Garry Room, Marquis Hall
1:00pm 3:00pm Student Poster Session Location TBA
2:30pm 3:00pm Break Garry Room, Marquis Hall
3:00pm 4:30pm

Plenary Panel: Building Bridges for Health Through Science Diplomacy

 Garry Room, Marquis Hall
4:30pm 6:00pm Break
6:00pm 8:00pm Congress Reception Location TBA

All times are CST. Program subject to change.


Start Time End Time Activity Location
7:45am 8:45am Registration; Light Breakfast and Networking Garry Room, Marquis Hall
8:45am 9:00am Welcome and Short Presentations from Top Three Student Posters Garry Room, Marquis Hall
9:00am 10:30am

Plenary Panel: Integrated Data for Public and Population Health Research 

Garry Room, Marquis Hall
10:30am 11:00am Break / Movement  Garry Room, Marquis Hall
11:00am 12:15pm

Concurrent Sessions:

  • Healthy Communities in Rural and Remote Areas – Challenges and Opportunities  
  • Poly-Solutions – A Response to Global Health Polycrises 
  • The Role of the Arts: Healthy Citizens and Healthy Communities

Locations TBD
12:15pm 1:15pm Lunch Garry Room, Marquis Hall
1:15pm 2:45pm

Plenary Panel: Transforming Canadian Healthcare - A Future Reimagined

 Garry Room, Marquis Hall
2:45pm 3:45pm

Closing Keynote Speaker: André Picard
Award-Winning National Health Writer and Author

 Garry Room, Marquis Hall
3:45pm 4:00pm Congress Closing Garry Room, Marquis Hall

All times are CST. Program subject to change.

Keynote Speakers and Panels

Timothy Caulfield Headshot
BIOGRAPHY:
Timothy Caulfield
Professor of Health Law and Science Policy | Bestselling Author

Professor Timothy Caulfield is an unrivalled communicator who debunks myths and assumptions about innovation in the health sector — from research on stem cells to diets and alternative medicine — for the benefit of the public and decision-makers. For over 20 years, he was the Canada Research Chair in Health Law and Policy and is currently a professor in the Faculty of Law and the School of Public Health and the Research Director of the Health Law Institute at the University of Alberta.

Caulfield has been involved in a variety of interdisciplinary research endeavours that have led him to publish more than 400 academic articles. His research focuses on topics like stem cells, genetics, research ethics, the public representations of science, and public health policy issues. He has won numerous academic, science communication, and writing awards, and is a Member of the Order of Canada and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, and the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry.

Caulfield also writes frequently for the popular press and is the author of four bestselling books: The Cure for Everything: Untangling the Twisted Messages about Health, Fitness, and Happiness; Is Gwyneth Paltrow Wrong About Everything?: When Celebrity Culture and Science Clash; Relax, Dammit!: A User’s Guide to the Age of Anxiety; and his most recent, The Certainty Illusion.

In addition, Caulfield is the co-founder of the science engagement initiative, #ScienceUpFirst. He has also hosted and produced several documentaries, including the award-winning television show, A User’s Guide to Cheating Death, which has aired in over 60 countries and is currently streaming on Netflix in North America.

 

Andre Picard Headshot
BIOGRAPHY:
André Picard
Award-Winning National Health Writer and Author

André Picard is one of Canada's top health and public policy observers and commentators. He has been part of The Globe and Mail team since 1987, where he is a health reporter and columnist. He is also the author of six bestselling books.

André is an eight-time nominee for the National Newspaper Awards, Canada’s top journalism prize, where he has twice been named the country’s top newspaper columnist. He is past winner of the prestigious Michener Award for Meritorious Public Service Journalism, and the Centennial Prize of the Pan-American Health Organization, awarded to the top health reporter in the 17 countries of the Americas.

André’s work has been recognized by a number of health advocacy groups. He was named Canada’s first “Public Health Hero” by the Canadian Public Health Association and a “Champion of Mental Health” by the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health. He received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his dedication to improving healthcare.

In 2023, André was appointed to the Order of Canada for his lifelong dedication to advancing public health understanding and practices within the nation.

A graduate of the University of Ottawa and Carleton University, André has received honorary doctorates from eight universities, including UBC and the University of Toronto.

He is a seasoned communicator who employs a conversational style to reach his audience. Additionally, he enlivens his research and commentary with personal stories to provide context for his audience. Fluently bilingual, André will enlighten and pique a sense of curiosity of audience members from all educational backgrounds. Behind the placid exterior lies an inquisitive, perceptive and industrious scribe for whom the work only begins with the official story.

 

SESSION DESCRIPTIONS:

PAW 2025 will feature three engaging Plenary Panels with local, national and international experts. More details coming late Summer 2025.

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. 

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.  

Transforming Canadian Healthcare - A Future Reimagined 
Canada’s healthcare system is fraught with many challenges and requires 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 in Canada. 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.  

FAQs

PAW 2025 will take place October 22-24, 2025 on the University of Saskatchewan (USask) main campus located in Saskatoon, SK. An evening reception will take place at a location within the city.

More details to come.

All conference registration details will be outlined under the 'Registration' tab.

Registration will open May 27, 2025. 

Once open, reigstration may be completed by following the link under the 'Registration' tab.

Congress attendees travelling to Saskatoon are encouraged to take advantage of discounted block rates at select local hotels. See below to learn more.

Additional tickets for the evening reception may be available depending on final numbers. If you are interested in additional tickets please email international.office@usask.ca.

A virtual option will not be available for PAW 2025.

If you have additional questions not addressed above, please contact international.office@usask.ca

Sponsorship

Sponsor the PAW 2025 International Congress in Saskatoon, October 22-24, 2025! Align your brand with this year's theme, connect with global experts, and drive meaningful change. Join us in making a world of difference.

Please contact international.office@usask.ca if you are interested in becoming an official sponsor of PAW 2025. 

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Sponsor Logo

Congress Resources

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a call for action by all countries — poor, rich and middle-income — to promote prosperity while protecting the planet. They recognize that ending poverty must go hand-in-hand with strategies that build economic growth and address a range of social needs including education, health, social protection, and job opportunities, while tackling climate change and environmental protection.

The United Nation's 17 Sustainable Development Goals

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.

This framework contains the voices, experiences and expectations of many equity-deserving groups. It is an expression of hope and courage – one that must be met by the courage and determination of a university community committed to becoming what the world needs.
The Office of the Vice-Provost Indigenous Engagement works within and outside the university to meet the unique needs of Indigenous students, staff, faculty and communities and uplift Indigenization by advancing initiatives and strategies that promotes Indigenous Knowledges and supports reconciliation and decolonization.