Vivienne Wu
Vivienne Wu has been with MDA for more than 24 years in the business development role, with knowledge and credential in optical and SAR sensors (ground segment, data, derived information and services). She has extensive experience supporting MDA’s clients and partners in Canada, Latin America and Asia Pacific.
Sessions in which Vivienne Wu attends
Monday 12 May, 2025
BUY YOUR TICKETAre you a GIS professional navigating the evolving intersection of GIS and BIM? Or a government decision-maker wondering why integrating the built environment into GIS is crucial for your department’s future? Join us for BIM & GIS: Smarter Data, Smarter Decisions, a foundational wo...
Tuesday 13 May, 2025
The Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) is Canada's agency for charting Canadian waters. Canada has the longest coastline of any country in the world, with more than a third of its territory under water. As a maritime nation, global maritime transport traffic is significant. Hydrography supports safe navigation and shipping through the production of nautical charts and other publications including water levels. With opportunities provided by emerging technologies and the move to e-navig...
In 2006, British mathematician Clive Humby declared that data was the new oil. Soon after there was a significant rush around the world to embrace a data revolution to try and improve humanity’s social, economic and environmental well being. Twenty-years later, the hard work of data continues. Like Canadian oil and gas, it is for the most part – a landlocked asset; unable to push us to the next levels of productivity and innovation. This keynote looks at ...
Keith J. Masback is one of the most respected voices in the field of geospatial intelligence (GEOINT), with over three decades of leadership spanning the U.S. government, military, and private sector. His deep expertise in remote sensing, intelligence, and national security has positioned him at the forefront of how geospatial data is used for strategic decision-making.As the former CEO of the United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF) and a senior leader at the National ...
A seasoned leader in geomatics and Earth Observation with two decades of experience in the federal government, Eric Loubier has vast expertise in developing and implementing national geomatics and Earth observation strategies. In his talk, Eric will explore the integration of AI with Earth observation, and how this powerful combination is transforming Canada’s approach to addressing critical national issues like climate change, natural resource management, urban planning, and disaster response.
Wednesday 14 May, 2025
The Oceans cover more than 70% of our Planet… with offshore, near shore and coastal waters including rivers and lakes that are navigable or not.This Keynote Address will kick off the Hydrospatial Track on Day TWO of the GeoIgnite 2025 - Ottawa. The presentation will articulate the context and the timing of WHAT is HYDROSPATIAL in the global Geospatial community? SO WHAT is important to Measure, to Monitor an to Model? THEN WHAT is the Strategy, the Challenges, t...
As the geopolitical landscape shifts and a new global space economy emerges, Canada must navigate complex international dynamics and seize opportunities in all facets of the space ecosystem. In this talk, we will explore how space can be part of the solution to geopolitical and national challenges—and what Canada must do to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving global landscape.
As digital collaboration becomes the norm in the construction industry, ensuring the authenticity and integrity of Building Information Models (BIM) is more critical than ever. While BIM and openBIM standards, such as the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC), have improved interoperability and data exchange, challenges remain in verifying data at the object level.This presentation explores the potential of digital signatures as a solution to enhance trust, transparency, and traceability i...
Presenting the CHN and highlighting how its new features leverage advancements in hydrography to improve both water-related models and their applications to support decision making. The Canadian Hydrospatial Network (CHN) was officially launched this past May, marking a significant milestone in the development of hydrospatial networks in Canada. Over the past year, the network has expanded and grown in importance, positioning itself as a key resource for the future of its field. CHN continues...
This session unveils the findings of this groundbreaking report, which builds on international research and best practices in digital construction from countries leading in BIM and data standards. Central to the roadmap is the use of OpenBIM principles to ensure compatibility, transparency, and collaboration across diverse systems and stakeholders. The report outlines strategies to enhance data management, improve BIM compatibility, achieve interoperability within Common Data Environments (CD...
Under the FHIMP, Natural Resources Canada, supported by Public Safety and Environment and Climate Change Canada, collaborates with provinces and territories to create, and disseminate engineering-level flood hazard maps and information. In this presentation, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) will provide an update on the ongoing work under FHIMP with results of the first stage of the FHIMP (2021-24) and the kickoff of the FHIMP expansion (2023-2028) which will see investments in every jurisdic...
This talk will highlight method innovations in water research using satellite earth observations (SEO) in the Canada Centre for Mapping and Earth Observation (CCMEO) of Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). They include dynamic surface water mapping and modelling for water areas and water volume changes, terrestrial water storage variations, groundwater recharge evolution and storage changes, water extreme events (drought and flood) characterization, and environmental and climate impacts on the w...
The successful implementation of the S-100 suite hinges on various factors, with final product specification and comprehensive testing of route monitoring layers being paramount. Canada is proposing an international designated area for these tests, underscoring its commitment to the S-100 suite's success and global maritime safety. Canada has selected the St-Lawrence River in Québec as the S-100 sea trial area for 2025. The trial aims to evaluate the S-100 system's ability to ingest and displ...
In 1976 the Canadian Hydrographic Service was the first hydrographic agency to recognize and display a satellite-discovered feature on a nautical chart. This was the discovery of Landsat island off the coast of Labrador.In the time since the capabilities of satellites to survey coastal waters have grown exponentially yet the use of satellite based depth information on nautical charts has not. Satellite based surveying offers a multitude of benefits to the safety of operations, empowering ...
Natural Resources Canada’s (NRCan) Emergency Geomatics Service (EGS), under the Canada Centre for Mapping and Earth Observation (CCMEO), supports the national and international emergency response efforts by providing rapid disaster mapping services. This presentation will give an overview of the service and highlight examples of how it uses satellite imagery and advanced remote sensing technologies to assess the impact of natural disasters like floods, geohazards, and wildfires, enhancing sit...
In this session, we will explore key trends and insights from FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data for the United States. Using publicly available data from OpenFEMA, we will analyze patterns in flood risk and claims frequency, with a particular emphasis on the impacts of major flooding events such as Hurricane Katrina (2005) and Hurricane Sandy (2012). Through a deep dive into historical claims data, we will uncover trends over time and examine how these significant storms, al...
In a world of constant change and uncertainty, how can we make informed decisions in real-time, grounded in the realities of ambiguity? This presentation tackles these fundamental questions by exploring the evolution of how we understand and interpret our world—from childhood curiosity to professional expertise—and how these insights shape decision-making in complex environments.Using case studies in GEOINT adoption inside and outside traditional national security communities, I will d...
Nearly 45 years after its construction, the efficiency of the vertical support heat pipes along the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) has shown signs of degradation. These heat pipes are crucial for maintaining ground stability in permafrost regions, where the pipeline is elevated for over half of its 800-mile length. Filled with liquid ammonia, the heat pipes transfer heat from the bottom to the top, preventing excessive thawing around the support structures. Ground-based monitoring of the...
Digital Twins hold enormous potential for the buildings and infrastructure sectors, but their implementation faces key challenges. What is a Digital Twin? The industry lacks a clear consensus, leading to misinformation and confusion. While Digital Twins can scale, not every project requires every possible capability—so how do we manage this effectively? More importantly, the industry is not ready—foundational work in data standards, interoperability, and governance is still needed.In r...
In today’s fast-paced world, having timely information at your fingertips is more important than ever. That’s why Health Canada’s Radiation Protection Bureau reached out to Natural Resources Canada’s Centre for Mapping and Earth Observation (CCMEO) for geomatics expertise. The two departments collaborated to create the Real-Time Environmental Radioactivity Monitoring dataset. This map and geospatial data give Canadians clear information on radioactivity levels and fluctuations from natural so...
Foundation models represent a transformative shift in the utilization of EO data, historically limited by data complexity, and the manual preparation and analysis required to employ the data. By using foundation models with forthcoming AI-ready EO datasets, users will be able to efficiently develop solutions for diverse sustainability applications without extensive labeling efforts. This approach greatly expands the practical value and accessibility of EO data, driving innovations across envi...
The Canadian Ocean Mapping Research and Education Network (COMREN) is a national group of academic, non-profit, and federal researchers in ocean and coastal mapping. Since 2016, COMREN has focused on developing research activities, technology transfer to industry, and educational programs that support ocean mapping as a network of dedicated individuals. The group partners with government agencies and international organizations to increase Canada’s domestic and global ocean and coastal mappin...
