Episode 32: What Botswana Can Teach Us About Innovation | Dr. Pierce Otlhogile-Gordon

Innovation is often framed as technology, startups, and global competition. But what happens when we look at innovation through the lens of place?

Drawing from Botswana’s efforts to move beyond diamonds, Dr. Pierce Otlhogile-Gordon shares how land, policy, history, and local Indigenous knowledge shape what innovation can — and can’t — achieve. Together, we explore how national ambition meets lived reality — and what other countries, regions, and cities can learn from Botswana’s approach.

Together, we explore:

• How innovation is shaped by policy, history, and place
• The opportunities and constraints facing emerging entrepreneurs
• The tension between big development goals and everyday realities

Guest

Dr. Pierce Edward Cornelius Otlhogile-Gordon 

Across discipline, industry, and geographical borders, he's guided changemakers and changemaker communities reach professional and personal goals of system change.

Each resource he's helped to build has synthesized and activated the creative impulse to build a more just, resilient, and communal global community.

He deftly navigates the disciplines of innovation practice, evaluation capacity building, systems thinking, international development, speculative futures, and more. He's guided changemakers at community and national scopes across multiple continents, in the for-profit, academic, philanthropic, and non-profit sectors. Across his vast and eclectic professional journey, his work shares one principle: to orchestrate the spread of agency and creativity across the world.

He holds a M.S. and Ph.D. from the Energy and Resources Group at the University of California, Berkeley, and summa cum laude B.S. degrees from the University of Michigan and Morehouse College.

Learn more:piercegordon.me/

Acknowledgements

Sponsorships

This episode is supported by the Nurubian, the University of Toronto School of Cities and the Department of Geography and Planning. 

Support

• Music Producer: Imany Lambropoulos
• Podcast Host and Graphic Designer: Alexandra Lambropoulos

Stay in the loop!

If you would like to be interviewed, have an interesting idea to share for an episode, or have any feedback on the podcast, please email at hello[at]urbanlimitrophe.com or DM on social media!

If you enjoy the show, please share it with your family, friends, cat sitter, chiropractor, cranberry farmer... leave a review, or you can buy me a coffee here!

Make sure to subscribe to the newsletter and follow the podcast on Instagram to stay in the loop for upcoming episodes and opportunities to engage with guests and the show. 

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Episodes 29-31: How the Trans Africa Pipeline (TAP) Can Solve the Sahel Region’s Water Crisis | Dr. Rod Tennyson & Dr. Romila Verma

What if water infrastructure could do more than deliver clean drinking water — what if it could transform economies, support food security, reduce climate migration, and unite communities across borders?

In this 3-part series, Urban Limitrophe explores the story of the TransAfrica Pipeline (TAP) — a visionary project to bring clean, desalinated water across the Sahel through a 7,000-kilometre pipeline powered by renewable energy. Through conversations with co-founders Dr. Romila Verma and Dr. Rod Tennyson, we unpack how water connects to everything: agriculture, innovation, migration, environmental justice, and community resilience.

TAP is more than a pipeline — it’s a call to imagine water systems built with care, creativity, and the future in mind.

Episode 1: How to Build a Continent-Sized Water System 

How do you build a continent-sized water system?

In this episode, we explore what it takes to design a 7,000-kilometre pipeline to bring clean water across one of the driest regions in the world. Co-founders  Dr. Rod Tennyson and Dr. Romila Verma share the origin story of the TransAfrica Pipeline (TAP) — a visionary infrastructure project that combines solar-powered desalination, salt recovery, and lightweight materials to deliver sustainable water access across the Sahel. From technical design to big-picture ambition, we dive into how TAP was engineered — and how it could change lives on a continental scale.

You can listen to the podcast on The Nurubian |  Spotify | Podchaser | Stitcher | Amazon Music | RSS | Apple Podcasts 

Episode 2: How Cities Can Rethink Water — With People, Planning, and Purpose

What does it take for cities to build water systems that truly serve their people?

Episode 3: Why Solving Africa’s Water Crisis Matters Everywhere — and What We Can Do About It

Guests

Dr. Rod Tennyson

Co-founder and Chair of the Board of Directors of TAP, Dr. Tennyson received his Ph.D in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Toronto. He was Professor and Director of the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies, with research experience in advanced materials and aerospace structures, fiber optic sensor systems and pipeline integrity. He has published 215 papers in these fields, holds six patents on sensing systems and has received many awards for his pioneering work. Dr. Tennyson directs all research and engineering aspects of the TAP project and leads negotiations with funding resources, governments and NGOs.

Learn more: Trans Africa Pipeline

Dr. Romila Verma

A founding Director of TAP, Dr. Verma is an Instructor at the School of the Environment and Department of Geography at the University of Toronto. Her teaching and research interests are in the field of global water management, environmental science and climate change impacts. She is also the founder of Water Speaks, an organization committed to advancing and translating the voice of water through research, education and action.

Learn more: Trans Africa Pipeline and Water Speaks

Shownotes

• Trans Africa Pipeline
• Water Speaks
• Water Be Dammed
• Story to Tell: Ground Zero For Anthropocene
• University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies
• The Green Revolution
• Sponge Cities

Acknowledgements

Sponsorships

This episode is supported by the Nurubian, the University of Toronto School of Cities and the Department of Geography and Planning. 

Support

• Music Producer: Imany Lambropoulos
• Podcast Host and Graphic Designer: Alexandra Lambropoulos

Stay in the loop!

If you would like to be interviewed, have an interesting idea to share for an episode, or have any feedback on the podcast, please email at hello[at]urbanlimitrophe.com or DM on social media!

If you enjoy the show, please share it with your family, friends, best friend, babysitter, barber ... leave a review, or you can buy me a coffee here!

Make sure to subscribe to the newsletter and follow the podcast on Instagram to stay in the loop for upcoming episodes and opportunities to engage with guests and the show. 

Read more »

Episode 28: How DO Architecture Co-Designs for Dignity After Disaster | Omar Degan

What does it mean to rebuild with dignity after disaster strikes?

In this episode of Urban Limitrophe, we speak with architect Omar Degan, founder of DO Architecture and the Fragility Lab. Together, they explore how architecture can be a tool for healing, not just shelter — and how co-designing with communities leads to more just, resilient spaces in the aftermath of crisis.

Omar shares his journey designing in fragile contexts — from post-conflict housing in Somalia to consulting for the UN — and how his work challenges traditional top-down models of humanitarian aid. Instead of quick fixes, his approach centers culture, collaboration, and care.

You’ll learn how DO Architecture uses emergency design to center communities in fragile contexts, and why beauty, dignity, and belonging should never be seen as luxuries — even in disaster recovery.

Whether you're a planner, designer, changemaker, or curious listener, this conversation invites you to rethink how we rebuild, who we build for, and what’s possible when communities lead the way.

You can listen to the podcast on The Nurubian |  Spotify | Podchaser | Stitcher | Amazon Music | RSS | Apple Podcasts 

Guest: Omar Degan

Omar Degan is a professor of architecture and the Principal of Do Architecture Group, an architecture firm based between Somalia, Italy and the USA specialising in emergency architecture, post-conflict reconstruction and fragile contexts.

His firm's principle lies in designing culturally, historically and climatically relevant solutions to social problems worldwide, with a particular focus on the most fragile contexts and communities.

Omar obtained his Master in Architecture for Sustainability and Built Environment from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and the Polytechnic University of Turin ( Italy) where he also earned his Post-graduate degree in Emergency contexts and developing countries.

In 2022 he become an Obama Leader and in 2023 co-founded the FragilityLab, a research and non-profit organization that aims to support the process of peace and development through architecture in the most distressed areas of the world.

With a global portfolio spanning Asia, South America, and Africa, he has contributed his expertise to numerous projects worldwide. His extensive experience in the field of architecture has been instrumental in establishing an inclusive and professional architecture office. 

Learn more: DO Architecture and FragilityLab

Timestamps

• Forthcoming

Acknowledgements

Sponsorships

This episode is supported by the Nurubian, the University of Toronto School of Cities and the Department of Geography and Planning. 

Support

• Music Producer: Imany Lambropoulos
• Podcast Host and Graphic Designer: Alexandra Lambropoulos

Stay in the loop!

If you would like to be interviewed, have an interesting idea to share for an episode, or have any feedback on the podcast, please email at hello[at]urbanlimitrophe.com or DM on social media!

If you enjoy the show, please share it with your family, friends, best friend, babysitter, barber ... leave a review, or you can buy me a coffee here!

Make sure to subscribe to the newsletter and follow the podcast on Instagram to stay in the loop for upcoming episodes and opportunities to engage with guests and the show. 

Read more »