Greg Bannard

Background

About Greg Bannard

MacGyver was my hero as a young 20-something because, at heart, I'm a problem solver. Today, I solve learning problems as an Instructional Designer at Stemble Learning Inc, where I design educational experiences that make complex concepts accessible and engaging. I've always known that problem-solving is a powerful way to learn, but organizing interactive symposiums that use gamified learning to teach sustainable chemistry helped me realize there's actually a place for me in chemistry education. Leading these events, including one at CSC 2025 in Ottawa and now my team is organizing another for CSC 2026 in Toronto, I get to guide attendees through puzzles and challenges where they work with concepts in tangible ways they can take back to their own workplaces. My problem-solving approach has given me a unique blend of theoretical and applied skills from my materials chemistry background. My research adventures included characterizing molecular aggregation, developing solution-based coating techniques, activating surfaces for functionalization, and creating unprecedented data analysis methods. But even then, my true passion lay in translating the complex technical concepts into learning experiences for myself and others. Whether in research or education, my approach has always been problem-solving based; I've found students succeed most when I give them the chance to solve selected problems of their own and then offer guidance if they get lost along the way. A personal highlight for me is when students have recognised me years later because I had made such an impact with my problem solving-based teaching style. To be able to teach people, you have to be willing to learn – I have acquired a number of hobbies that all involve learning new skills and walking into problems as a beginner that you then need to solve (if you’ve ever tried to add pockets to dress pants, you know what I mean). If the workplace is where you go to solve problems, hobbies are where you practice solving problems. In short, problem solving has been the undercurrent of nearly all of my choices in my adult life. It’s something I need to do and something I want to do. And I’m always interested in what problem I’m going to get to solve next.