A roundtable discussion, with "experts in the field", scientists, and journalists, was held prior to the symposium. The discussion has been recorded and is available as a webcast. The roundtable features the following participants:
- Jim Bell, Arizona State University, President, The Planetary Society,
- Bill Brownstein, City and Cultural Life Columnist, The Montreal Gazette
- Rene Doyon, Professor of Physics, Université de Montréal
- Victoria Kaspi, Lorne Trottier Chair, Canada Research Chair, McGill University
- Walter Natynczyk, President, Canadian Space Agency
- Joe Nickell, Senior Research Fellow, Committee for Skeptical Inquiry
- Julie Payette, Engineer and Astronaut, COO, Montreal Science Centre
- Tommy Schnurmacher, Host of The Tommy Schnurmacher Show, CJAD Radio
- Joe Schwarcz, Director, Office for Science & Society, McGill University
- Sara Seager, Professor of Planetary Science and Physics, MIT
- Karen Seidman, Universities Reporter, The Montreal Gazette
- Jill Tarter, Bernard M. Oliver Chair, SETI Institute
- Lorne Trottier, co-founder of Matrox and founder of McGill University’s Trottier Public Science Symposium
- Boswell Wing, Canada Research Chair, McGill University