The Friends of the University of Alberta present Raise The Bar
with Janet Sperling

Spring gardens and Zombie insects

As we venture into our dormant gardens, clearing away wet leaves and broken branches, we should be on the lookout for lady bugs, those fearsome foes of aphids, and lacewings, ferocious predators of the same sap sucking hemipterans. A lucky few will stumble on zombie insects. A naïve gardener may see innocent parasitized aphids and gasp when a parasitic wasp emerges. Gardening will never be the same when you learn to recognize signs of our heroic plant defenders – also known as Biological Control agents – defenders that predate human agriculture. We will learn why lazy gardeners who leave the leaf litter may be helping to defend our treasured tomatoes.

Tue, Apr 28, 2026

5:15 PM Doors Open
6:00 PM Speaker + Q&A
8:00 PM Event Ends

Ticket includes 1 drink (beer, wine, non-alcoholic)

Janet Sperling, PhD is an alumna of the University of Alberta where she first graduated with a B.Sc. Ag in Horticulture, followed by an MSc in Entomology and more recently a PhD in Systematics and Evolution. She is currently president of the Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation where she advocates for better diagnosis and treatment of this increasingly important tick-borne disease.

Raise The Bar is a program designed by The Friends of the University of Alberta to provide engaging learning opportunities delivered by U of A researchers in a casual setting – like a bar. We’re raising the bar on the way people consume content!

The Friends of the University of Alberta present Raise The Bar
with Katrina Ingram

AI, ethics and deep fakes – are we doomed?

The year is 2026. Generative AI, trained on humanity’s collective outputs, threatens to upend our sense of reality while displacing workers and leading the world towards destruction. Or maybe, artificial intelligence will usher in a utopic future, providing longevity and economic prosperity for all. Doom and hype are not necessarily polar opposites in the AI story. Instead, they work together to keep us invested in AI, both literally and figuratively. Join adjunct faculty member and technology ethicist, Katrina Ingram, for a critical, socio-technical take on the past, present and future of the enigma known as ‘AI’.

Blue Chair
9624 – 76 Avenue NW

Tue, Feb 3, 2026

5:00 PM Doors Open
6:00 PM Speaker + Q&A

Ticket includes 1 drink (beer, house wine, non-alcoholic)
Drinks Menu at The Blue Chair Cafe

Katrina Ingram is the Founder and CEO of Ethically Aligned AI, a company focused on helping organizations to drive better outcomes in the design, development and deployment of AI systems. A seasoned executive, Katrina has over two decades of experience running both not for profit and corporate organizations in the technology and media sectors as well as experience in the public sector. She was named to the 100 Brilliant Women in AI Ethics list. Katrina holds an undergrad in business administration from Simon Fraser University, a master of arts in communications and technology from the University of Alberta and is an IAPP certified information privacy professional (CIPP/C). She is an adjunct faculty member with the University of Alberta’s Media and Technology Studies department.

Raise The Bar is a program designed by The Friends of the University of Alberta to provide engaging learning opportunities delivered by U of A researchers in a casual setting – like a bar. We’re raising the bar on the way people consume content!