BEST Summer Retreat 2026

Join a diverse community to discuss biomedical and environmental sensor research, in a dynamic environment for collaboration and discovery.
About this Event

First Annual BEST Summer Retreat
At Simon Fraser University Big Data Hub
August 5-7, 2026

The First Annual Biomedical and Environmental Sensor Training (BEST) Summer Retreat will bring together a diverse community of researchers, trainees, industry partners, and government scientists to discuss emerging advances in biomedical and environmental sensor research. BEST is an NSERC CREATE training program focused on the development, translation, and application of sensor technologies for biomedical and environmental challenges.

This three-day in-person meeting is designed to create a dynamic environment for collaboration, discovery, professional development, and networking. Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with scientists and engineers from industry and government laboratories, as well as academic researchers from Simon Fraser University, the University of Waterloo, and partner institutions, including faculty members, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and undergraduate trainees.

The program will feature invited oral presentations from leading speakers in academia, industry, and government, together with student flash talks, poster presentations, and structured opportunities for discussion. Student flash talks will be 12 minutes in length, providing trainees with the opportunity to present their work to a broad interdisciplinary audience.

Program topics will include:

• development and commercialization of biomedical and environmental sensor technologies.
• introduction to intellectual property, patents, and technology transfer.
• strategies for integrating equity, diversity, and inclusion into research and training environments.
• the expanding impact of nanotechnology in life sciences, energy, environmental monitoring, and related fields.
• career development and networking across academic, government, and industry sectors.

Breakfast and lunch will be provided each day, along with coffee breaks throughout the program. A retreat dinner at the Diamond Alumni Club is planned for August 6.

Student presenters will be eligible to compete for presentation prizes, recognizing excellence in research communication and highlighting the contributions of emerging researchers within the BEST community.

The retreat will be held in person from August 5–7, 2026, at the Simon Fraser University Big Data Hub.

Land Acknowledgement

Simon Fraser University respectfully acknowledges the unceded traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples, including the səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations, on which SFU Burnaby is located.

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Thanks to our sponsors!

We acknowledge the support of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).

Nous remercions le Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada (CRSNG) de son soutien.