About Dr. Simair
Monique has a disciplined passion for building things, usually unconventionally, by sticking to her belief that we should figure out what works instead of repeating what is considered normal. Consistently at the forefront of business and systems innovation, Dr. Simair has achieved the rare accomplishment of being a leader in both technology innovation and business leadership.
A PhD biogeochemist by training, Monique graduated to an economy with few jobs and too many graduates. She started her first company to create quality jobs for herself and other scientists and engineers in her community. Without formal business training, she took a unique approach of viewing business systems as biological organisms - living, evolving, growing, and competing. Based on this unconventional strategic approach, several international biotechnology firsts have arisen, especially in the mining and mineral sectors, as well as new approaches to business sustainability.
Monique has received many awards, including the 2021 Eco Impact Award from Eco Canada, recognition as one of Canada’s future entrepreneurial leaders by Profit Magazine, listed in Chatelaine’s W100 Women Entrepreneurs, and also the University of Saskatchewan’s Alumni of Influence. She was also the youngest person ever appointed as an advisor to Canada’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Council, advising Canada’s Minister of Industry.
Scientist
Education:
Post-Doctoral Research Associateship, Biogeochemistry and Industrial Microbiology,
Certificate in Bioinformatics, Canadian Genetic Diseases Network
Doctor of Philosophy in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. Focus on Applied Microbiology, Genomics, and Bioinformatics
BSc Honours in Microbiology and Immunology
Professional Designations:
Environmental Professional, EP, ECO Canada
Registered Professional Biologist, RPBio, College of Applied Biology, B.C.
Dr. Simair is a scientist at heart. The more complex a challenge, the more excited she is to solve it.
25+ scientific peer-reviewed publications
200+ technical scientific contributions - Explore on Google Scholar and ResearchGate
In addition, Dr. Simair often lends her expertise to events, conferences, and learning sessions. She shares research, solutions, and stories in her presentations, lessons, and panels.
Speaker
Dr. Simair's talks are enriched with real-world examples from her own ventures, providing actionable insights and inspiration for the audience. Monique’s talks engage a broad audience by tailoring the technicality while maintaining authenticity.
Some topics Monique speaks about:
Resiliency
Innovation in Entrepreneurship
Technology and Environmental Stewardship
Sustainable Water Management
Diversity and Inclusion in STEM
The Future of Resource Industries
Leadership and Vision
Community and Corporate Responsibility
Selenium in the Environment
Are you looking for an expert for your next story or event?
Reach out to share your idea with Monique.
Innovator
Dr. Simair's perspective on technology innovation is about creating new systems while rethinking how businesses operate. She advocates for a culture where innovation is collective, involving every member of an organization to foster a dynamic environment where ideas flourish. Her commitment to sustainability is evident in her initiatives that connect technology with environmental stewardship, such as her work on semi-passive water treatment systems for mining operations.
Moreover, Simair has advocated for diversity and inclusivity, particularly in encouraging more women to enter tech-related careers, as seen in the high percentage of female employees at her companies.
Monique catapulted her entrepreneurship journey by commercializing the first-ever environmental microbiology genomics tools for the mining and resources sectors (Maven Project, 2011). Since then, she has achieved more firsts by developing gravel bed bioreactors for mine water/tailings treatment, operating since 2019. Dr. Simair also developed mScout, a software tool to improve mine water treatment. She has multiple other technologies in various stages of development (More on her in-progress innovations here).
Technology readiness, maturation, and commercialization are topics that Dr. Simair regularly advises on and speaks about (general, nerd level, intersecting with economic development). Simair's approach to innovation is grounded in her belief that businesses, much like biological organisms, should evolve and grow organically. This philosophy has led her to revolutionize water treatment processes globally, earning her recognition as a disruptive innovator in the tech sector.
Her work emphasizes the use of emerging technologies, particularly semi-passive treatments that eliminate the need for chemicals and electricity, thereby reducing the environmental footprint of industrial operations. Under her leadership at Maven Water and Environment, her latest venture, she has continued to push boundaries by employing big data approaches and constructing bespoke testing facilities to enhance strategies for water treatment directly at the sources of contamination. The Maven facility opened in Saskatoon in 2020.
Monique’s favourites:
Element: Selenium
Compound: Cyanide'
Chemistry Topic: Redox Reactions and Electron Transfer
Place to work: On an airplane or beside my dog
Humour: Puns and dad jokes
Books: Fooled by Randomness (Nassim Taleb), Klara and the Sun (Kazuo Ishiguro), Mars Trilogy (Kim Stanley Robinson)
Artists: My parents