Keynote Speakers
Inspiring Global Perspectives for WCTE 2027
WCTE 2027 will bring together leading thinkers, innovators, and practitioners whose work is shaping the future of timber engineering, architecture, and the built environment.
This year's keynote speakers represent internationally recognized expertise in timber construction, sustainable design, structural resilience, and emerging technologies. Join us in Edmonton as they share insights, challenge conventional thinking, and explore the opportunities ahead for our industry.
Monday, August 16, 2027
Dr. Yves Weinand
Director, Laboratory for Timber Constructions (IBOIS), EPFL, Switzerland
Yves Weinand is an architect, civil engineer, and Professor at EPFL, where he leads the Laboratory for Timber Constructions (IBOIS). His work spans architectural design, digital fabrication, robotic assembly, structural wood mechanics, and advanced timber construction. Through an interdisciplinary approach, his research explores the technical and structural potential of wood in all its forms, from round timber to engineered wood products.
Internationally recognized for advancing innovative timber design and construction methodologies, he has contributed to numerous landmark timber projects, including the Saint-Loup Chapel, the Parliament of the Canton of Vaud, and the Vidy Theatre Pavilion in Lausanne. His work continues to push the boundaries of how digital technologies and timber can shape the future of the built environment.
Session details to be announced.
Wednesday, August 18, 2027
Vivian Manasc
Founding Principal, Reimagine, Canada
Vivian Manasc, DAOE, PP/FRAIC, Architect, AAA, NWTAA, SAA, AIBC, LEED AP, LLD [Hon], is an architect, author and sustainability leader whose work has helped advance integrated sustainable design and the adaptive reuse of existing buildings in Canada.
For more than three decades, Vivian has co-created with First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities, an experience that has informed her approach to architecture and her writing on Indigenous ways of knowing. She is also a Past President of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada and currently serves on the Board of the National Trust for Canada.
Session details to be announced.
Thursday, August 19, 2027
Prof. Xinzheng Lu
Professor of Civil Engineering and Head,
Institute of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation,
Tsinghua University (China)
Xinzheng Lu is a Professor of Civil Engineering and Head of the Institute of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation at Tsinghua University, China. His research focuses on generative AI for structural design and optimization, earthquake engineering, and disaster prevention. He integrates engineering data, domain knowledge, and mechanics to develop intelligent design methods for practical applications. He serves as Editor of Earthquake Engineering & Structural Dynamics and has published more than 200 international journal papers and eight books. His research has contributed to design codes, structural analysis software, and major engineering projects.
Session details to be announced.
More Speakers to Come
The WCTE 2027 program will feature leading researchers, practitioners, designers, engineers, and industry experts from around the world. Additional speakers and technical program details will be announced in the coming months.
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