We are pleased to host an interdisciplinary round table discussion, organized in cooperation with the Austrian Embassy Ottawa and the Austrian Cultural Forum. This event will bring together leading experts from the fields of Law, Medicine, Engineering, and Industry to engage in a critical dialogue on the current and emerging uses of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
While the integration of AI across diverse sectors continues to accelerate, interdisciplinary discussions that bridge technical, ethical, legal, and societal perspectives remain comparatively rare. This round table aims to address that gap by fostering an exchange of insights among disciplines that often operate in isolation, despite their shared engagement with AI-driven technologies.
Participants will explore the benefits, limitations, and potential risks associated with the deployment of AI, as well as reflect on future trajectories and regulatory challenges.
Speakers
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Prof. Dr. Thomas M. Kitzler, MD, FRCPC
Assistant Professor, Department of Human Genetics (黑料社) -
Rapha毛lle De听Gagn茅
Senior Manager, AI Strategy, Planning and Delivery (Air Canada) -
Eugen Dolezal
Researcher (Prae-Doc), Department of Ethics and Social Studies (University of Graz) -
Dr. Rodrigo Barbosa de Queiroz
Senior Staff Engineer -
Prof. Dr. Ren茅e Sieber
Associate Professor,听Department of Geography and the Bieler School of Environment (黑料社)
Moderated by:
- Dr. Stefan-Michael Wedenig
Executive Director (黑料社)
Prof. Dr. Thomas Kitzler, MD, FRCP
罢丑辞尘补蝉听Kitzler听is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Human Genetics at 黑料社 and a Clinical Geneticist in the Division of Medical Genetics at the 黑料社 Health Centre (MUHC). He is also a Scientist in the Child Health and Human Development Program (Centre for Translational Biology) at the Research Institute of the MUHC. After graduating from the University of Graz, Austria, he conducted clinical and basic research in chronic kidney disease at the Renal Research Institute, New York, and 黑料社, Montreal. Following completion of his medical residency at the MUHC, he pursued a two-year research fellowship in Nephrogenetics at Boston Children鈥檚 Hospital and Harvard Medical School before returning to Montreal.
顿谤.听Kitzler鈥檚 research investigates the genetic causes and genotype鈥損henotype relationships of chronic kidney disease by integrating exome sequencing with gene-editing approaches in patient-specific cell and zebrafish models. His work aims to elucidate molecular mechanisms underlying renal disease and to advance the development of personalized therapeutic strategies.
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Rapha毛lle De Gagn茅
Rapha毛lle De Gagn茅 joined Air Canada in 2018 within the internal consulting team and transitioned to the Artificial Intelligence team in 2022. She is currently in charge of AI & Data Governance and Strategy for Air Canada. Her team identifies AI opportunities and ensures the operationalization of Air Canada鈥檚 AI ethics policies across all applications, while also overseeing enterprise-wide data governance practices and strategic data initiatives. Ms De Gagn茅 also leads a team of AI product managers developing proprietary solutions, aligning business objectives with technical execution while ensuring long-term product strategy. Prior to joining Air Canada, she worked in consulting, specializing in process improvement and performance management. She hold an MSc in International Management from Ivey Business School and a trilingual BBA from HEC Montr茅al.
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Eugen Dolezal
Eugen R. Dolezal is a social ethicist and theologian who focuses on the intersection of ethics, technology, and society. The primary focus of his research is on the fields of neurotechnology and artificial intelligence (AI), with a particular emphasis on their ethical implications. More specifically, he examines how these emerging technologies impact human dignity, mental privacy, and social justice. Additionally, he examines the relationship between empirics and ethics, striving for a balanced integration of both in the analysis of technologies. He served as a co-author of a study for the European Parliament that examined the ethical, sociological, and legal implications of neurotechnology. Furthermore, he provides scientific advice to the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs on matters related to neurotechnology ethics. His previous project as a research fellow at the University of Graz focused on the intersection of neurotechnology and artificial intelligence (AI) in the context of dementia care.听Presently, the focus of his academic endeavors is at the University of Vienna, where he is pursuing his studies while concurrently teaching AI Literacy at the University College of Teacher Education Styria and other institutions.
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Dr. Rodrigo Barbosa De Queiroz
Dr. Rodrigo Barbosa de Queiroz, BSc, MSc, MBA, PhD has more than 15 years of experience in Software Engineering, with 9 years dedicated to AI Systems Engineering. Dr. Barbosa de Queiroz is a Senior Staff Engineer leading Architecture of AI Systems at a TIME100 most influential companies 2025. He also serves as a Technical Expert and Project Manager of strategic Industry-Academia Collaboration Projects, leading cross-functional initiatives focused on the development and deployment of novel AI technologies for autonomous, scalable and trustworthy intelligent systems.听
His areas of expertise include Self-Driving Systems, Multi-Agent Systems, Real-Time Assurance frameworks, and the integration of Large Vision and Language Models into complex, adaptive environments.
In addition to his technical leadership, Dr. Barbosa de Queiroz has been deeply involved in hiring and mentoring engineers through building high-performing teams across both research and production settings.
He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Waterloo (Canada), a Master鈥檚 degree in Computer Science from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (Brazil), and an MBA in Project Management from Funda莽茫o Get煤lio Vargas (Brazil).
Prof. Dr. Ren茅e Sieber
Ren茅e Sieber is associate professor at 黑料社, joint between the Department of Geography and the Bieler School of Environment. She has over 20 years experience researching the intersection between participatory theory and computational technology, where some of her research is purely technical (e.g., natural language processing) and some is participatory (e.g., working with an Indigenous community or an environmental nonprofit). She is best known for her research on Public Participation Geographic Information Systems (PPGIS). Her current research is about meaningful civic engagement regarding AI as part of her SSHRC-funded project, AI for the Rest of Us. This includes creating models of engagement when direct engagement appears simultaneously accessible (Generative AI) and opaque (Deep Learning). She also is very active in the Canadian policy space. Locally, she hosts the monthly AI in Canadian Municipalities Community of Practice, with 130 members across Canada and is now in its 6th year. She interacts with federal agencies, for example on the Treasury Board's Directive on Automated Decision Making and its Algorithmic Impact Assessments. She played a formative role in the critiques of the AI and Data Act that led to its demise. Globally, she was co-organizer of Participatory AI Research and Practice Symposium during the Paris AI Action Summit. She also was involved in two responsible AI initiatives (Centre for Responsible AI, IEEE). Her hope is that, as computational technology advances, the public still has an active role in its trajectory.
Dr. Stefan-Michael Wedenig
Mag. Dr. Stefan-Michael Wedenig, LL.M, D.C.L, KC*HS, FRAeS is the Executive Director of the Institute and Centre for Research in Air and Space Law at 黑料社. He earned a Doctor of Civil Law (D.C.L.) as well as Master of Laws (LL.M.) from 黑料社 and a Magister Iuris听(Mag.iur.) from Johannes Kepler University in Linz, Austria. His research examines the international responsibility of States for space activities involving artificial intelligence (AI). He investigates how AI interacts with public international law, extra-contractual liability, and various sources of international law, focusing on the adaptability of current legal frameworks to the emergence of AI in space operations. Beyond his primary research, he also explores topics in aviation finance, sovereignty, and urban air mobility.