We're very pleased to be featuring performance elements from three of the amazing artistic talents of RiverFestYYC. Welcome Nicole Korenda-Tritter, Adora Nwofer, and Morag Northey to our speaker and performer line-up.

RiverFestYYC is a vibrant and inclusive cultural festival that recognizes the Bow and Elbow Rivers as a unifying presence and acknowledges their life-giving gift of water. Through extraordinary arts installations and performances, engaging workshops and creative adventures, the festival invites Calgarians of all ages and backgrounds to celebrate our connections with the Rivers. By promoting collaboration, innovation, and shared purpose, RiverFestYYC aims to build a more cohesive city and foster a sense of connection between diverse communities and traditions.

S.K. Wellington is led by dynamic singer-songwriter Sarah Kemmers, known for crafting compelling melodies and thought-provoking lyrics. She was joined for our event by performers Talia Beckie and Clayton Dell.

A true aficionado of the creative process, Wellington often finds themselves in a state of “flow” while composing music. This profound state of immersive absorption and deep focus is where Wellington’s songwriting thrives. It is in these moments of flow that the distractions fade away, the overthinking dissolves, time stands still, and S.K’s songs truly come to life.

Kemmers has been writing and performing music for well over a decade with different bands. Her debut solo EP as S.K. Wellington, "Where the Earth Meets the Sea" was released in 2018 and met with positive reviews all the way from her Calgary hometown to the UK. She followed the successful EP with a steady series of singles and is set to finally release her next EP in late 2024. Sitting in the “perfect pocket of folk, pop, indie, and rock”, her music has been described as “Fleetwood Mac meets Deathcab for Cutie”.

S.K.’s songs have made the Regional Top Ten in the CBC Searchlight competition four times, and she was nominated for “folk recording of the year” at the YYC Music Awards in both 2019 and 2020. She’s had the honour of opening for other fantastic singer-songwriters such as Dan Mangan and Donovan Woods.

At TEDxCalgary, S.K. Wellington will not only perform a couple of selections from their repertoire but Sarah Kemmers also shares insights around how entering a flow state can transform the ordinary act of writing music into an extraordinary experience of discovery and wonder.

What does flow mean to you?

Flow to me means complete immersion — a loss of the sense of separateness between the myself and the "task". Just one, flowing activity that typically results in feelings of joy, inspiration and creativity.

Frank is a water resources engineer and applied hydrologist with the City of Calgary, focused on water supply, dam and reservoir design and operations, floodplain management, flood forecasting, stormwater, water quality and riparian management.

For the last 16 of his 26 years environmental and water resources career Frank has gotten to "really know the Bow" studying the Bow River and its watershed, tributaries, water quality and habitat. The Bow has taught Frank about flood, drought, climate shift and ultimately about resilience.

What does flow mean to you?

Flow is about energy passing across space and time in streamlined form — flow is connection

Rachel's journey in earth science began with a profound curiosity about the inner workings of our planet. Her career has carved a unique niche, delving into the fascinating intersection of the seafloor and Earth's mysteries—an area we know less about than the surface of Mars.

Her research is a testament to her curiosity, particularly focusing on the dynamic relationship between life and the ocean/earth interface. Rachel's work primarily centers on terrestrial and submarine hydrogeology, where she diligently unravels the planet's mysteries beneath the ocean's depths. Her ground-breaking research in submarine hydrogeology, specifically the movement of fluids beneath the oceanic crust, has led her to explore the ocean's depths aboard Alvin, a deep-water submersible, reaching depths of 4.5 kilometers. This unique perspective has granted her profound insights into the intricate connections between geoscience and biology in the Deep Ocean. Most recently, she played a pivotal role in an international collaboration, working alongside biologists, policy researchers, artists, and others, focused on understanding fluid exchange and it’s support of life at depths of 3.5 kilometers.

Beyond her research, Rachel is an inspiring educator. She doesn't simply teach; she mentors and guides, passionately committed to shaping the future of her students. Her unwavering dedication to preparing undergraduates and graduates for global challenges is evident in her creation of innovative courses, her mentorship beyond the classroom, and her active involvement in curriculum development. Her mission is to ensure that students not only secure jobs after graduation but also embark on fulfilling careers that continue to evolve. She actively participates in various department, faculty, and university committees, recognizing that collaboration and shared responsibility are essential for a thriving academic community.

Rachel is a scientist who relentlessly pursues knowledge, endeavours to make the world safer, and is devoted to inspiring and supporting the next generation of scientists.

What does "flow" mean to you?

Flow is the process that connects us to each other and the planet...