Prof. Amar K. Mohanty delivered the opening night keynote, "Waste-to-Value: Sustainable Materials Innovation for Addressing Everyday Waste Challenges", for the University of Guelph's SHAD program on July 8, 2026.

SHAD is a month-long summer program that brings high-achieving Grade 10 and 11 students to university campuses across Canada for STEAM, leadership, and entrepreneurship programming. Approximately 80 students attended the University of Guelph opening night, along with university student leaders and the SHAD University of Guelph team. The keynote launched the SHAD Design Entrepreneurship Challenge, themed "How might we reimagine the lifecycle of everyday goods to minimize waste and drive sustainable innovation in Canada?"

During his keynote, Prof. Mohanty shared his expertise and experience in sustainable materials innovation to address everyday waste challenges. The session concluded with an engaging question-and-answer discussion with the students.

To learn more about SHAD, visit this link.