2021

8th Annual John D. Thompson Entrepreneurial Development Seminar                     

Co-Hosted with the McGill Dobson Centre for Entrepreneurship on January 28, 2021

A conversation with Dr. Noubar Afeyan 

Our keynote speaker, Dr. Noubar Afeyan, (B.Eng.’83, McGill, PhD’87, MIT), Co-founder and Chairman, Moderna and Founder and CEO, Flagship Pioneering, shared his insights on the development of the COVID-19 vaccine, innovation and entrepreneurship through a Q&A session that was moderated by Sam Baker (President, Engineering Undergraduate Society). The event also featured remarks from Dr. Suzanne Fortier (Principal & Vice-Chancellor), Dr. Jim Nicell (Dean, Faculty of Engineering), and Dr. Morty Yalovsky (Interim Dean, Desautels Faculty of Management).


About Dr. Noubar Afeyan, Co-Founder and Chairman, Moderna & Chief Executive Officer, Flagship Pioneering 
Noubar Afeyan has dedicated his career to improving the human condition by systematically creating science-based innovations that serve as the foundation for start-up companies. At Flagship Pioneering, which he founded in 2000, Noubar has created an enterprise where entrepreneurially minded scientists invent seemingly unreasonable solutions to challenges facing human health and sustainability.

During his career as inventor, entrepreneur, and CEO, Noubar has co-founded and helped build over 50 life science and technology start ups. Noubar was born in Beirut to Armenian parents in 1962, did his undergraduate work in chemical engineering at McGill University, and completed his Ph.D. in biochemical engineering at MIT in 1987.

Flagship Pioneering Logo                                               Moderna Logo

About the John D. Thompson Entrepreneurial Development Seminar
This series was created to inspire Faculty of Engineering students to think about entrepreneurship and to think like an entrepreneur, whether they go on to start their own company in the future or be part of start-up or small/medium enterprise, or a large firm. In addition, we want to grow the entrepreneurial culture and spirit across the university.

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