Women in STEM

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WO M E N I N

STEM How important is representation in aerospace to you?

Diversity in STEM and aerospace matters deeply in all areas because it allows for a multitude of perspectives, interests, and needs to be represented rather than being dominated by one group, as we have seen throughout history and the present. As such, without diversity, we may not all reap the benefits of innovation in the aerospace sector, leaving the fruits of progress to be hoarded by a few people instead of being distributed equitably. Furthermore, diversity allows people from different walks of life to gain access to STEM and space-related fields so that they can create access and opportunity for others to follow and ensure that everyone is able to benefit from these advancements while also having a part in building our future.

Read the full Q&A on page 3!

Laurie Clark Founder, Onyen Corporation, Canchek Corporation, & Smarten Up Institute

Zainab Azim World’s Youngest Female Future Astronaut

What global socioeconomic trend do you believe has the most relevance for Canadian women and girls?

What challenges have you faced as an Indigenous woman in the tech industry?

How did you overcome them?

There are many complex issues that concern us all, but I’ll choose one where we have the opportunity to leap forward — STEM education. As China and the U.S. battle for technological supremacy, from 5G networks to artificial intelligence to quantum computing, we must be motivated to improve the pace of Canadian innovation. We have the means to do better, but our real opportunity lies in better using Canada’s diversity — diversity at all levels — to build a STEM powerhouse. Our ability to bring more young women of every race into STEM is the litmus test of whether Canada will punch above its weight.

We can’t win by dismissing an entire segment of the many outstanding brains in our country.

Unfortunately, when I go through our investor list, I count 170 investors who said no to me. When I look back statistically, this might not have anything to do with it, but I can’t help but think that 90 per cent of them were white males who just didn’t understand me or what I was building. So, either I wasn’t getting the message out clearly, or they didn’t believe in me. I hate to say the latter was most likely what was wrong, but whether it was my being Indigenous or a woman or someone who is a part of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, I will never know.

When I realized I wasn’t getting investor interest, I took a couple of months to re-evaluate who I was targeting.

I spoke with a few impact funds, and when I explained what we do and why, I noticed much more interest. So I switched gears and started reaching out to more impact Bobbie Racette funds and investors, Indigenous which led me to close my Entrepreneur Series A funding round of the Year successfully.

What advice can you offer to women and young girls interested in the industry?

Women or young girls interested in the space industry should 100 per cent pursue it. It’s such an exciting time with so many opportunities for young women.

If you’ve found an interest, follow your dreams, and never let anyone take your dreams away. Tell people about what you’re interested in doing because the industry is always looking for more girls who are passionate. Although space can seem male-dominated, the women working in the space industry are welcoming and inspiring.

Alyssa Carson Astronaut & Space Enthusiast

Read the full interviews at innovatingcanada.ca.

Publisher: Layal El Masri Business Development Manager: Sarah Ferreira Country Manager: Nina Theodorlis Content & Production Manager: Raymond Fan Designer: Kylie Armishaw Lead Editor: Karthik Talwar All images are from Getty Images unless otherwise credited. This section was created by Mediaplanet and did not involve The Toronto Star or its editorial departments. Send all inquiries to ca.editorial@mediaplanet.com.

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McMaster Welcomes Diversity in Engineering as Women Make Up 40 % of Class In the last six years, the representation of women students increased by 18 per cent in McMaster University’s Faculty of Engineering.

Kim Arnott

can get, the better the solution we’ll come up with.”

PHOTO CREDITS: GEOFF SHAW

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Heather Sheardown Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, McMaster University

nly a few decades ago, women made up a very small proportion of engineering students across the country. Today, many of Canada’s most promising young women see themselves as future engineers: problem-solvers capable of making change and addressing society’s most wicked challenges.

In 2022, McMaster University’s Faculty of Engineering has reached a new equity milestone, with 40 per cent of incoming undergraduate students being women.

“It’s an incredible accomplishment,” says Heather Sheardown, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at McMaster University, who recently became the first woman to move into the position.

Sheardown says the university’s outreach efforts have succeeded in connecting with girls and showing them that they can make a difference in the world through engineering.

Building an engineering program that truly reflects Canadian society remains McMaster’s priority, says Sheardown. “We’ve known forever that diverse teams generate better solutions because we’re not all thinking from the same place. The more perspectives we

Here are a few of the talented young women making up 2022’s incoming engineering undergraduate class: CHELSEY

ELLIS

developed a love for biology, health, and the human body in her earliest years. Her mother, a family physician, fostered that interest with books and gifts related to human anatomy. But when a Grade 12 class showed her how science could be applied to human health through technologies like gene editing, 3D bioprinting, and wearable devices, she knew her future was in engineering. “I realized that I wanted to be able to apply the science I was learning right away instead of just learning the science,” she says.

JAVAYRIA MUDASSAR was awarded a prestigious Schulich Leader Scholarship for her academ ic excel lence a nd leadership. An aspiring astronaut, she wants to contribute to new technologies that better our understanding of the universe.

And as a Muslim woman who speaks five languages, Mudassar also aims to be a role model who helps “shape a world where talent and pas-

sion are valued, regardless of who you are or where you’re from.” “I want to establish that one doesn’t have to choose between religion and STEM and that becoming an engineer who wears a hijab is possible and beneficial,” she says.

NEAHA BIJO intends to study artificial intelligence. She wants to contribute to space exploration by incorporating AI into rovers. She also dreams of building a smart home to help older people with day-to-day activities and make it easier for them to live independently. She says her mother, a civil engineer, is her biggest supporter. She believes she will succeed as a woman in engineering because it’s an innovative field that’s always looking for ideas. “Diversity brings more ideas to the field.

Each person is distinct, and it’s this distinctness that fosters innovation.”

JULIA DOWSON says participating in an allgirls LEGO robotics team in middle school helped inspire her to study engineering. She also has a passion for music, playing in her high school band and earning a scholarship for her dedication and skill. While still waiting to see where her studies lead her, she hopes to inspire other young women to study STEM subjects.

“I also hope to be a strong woman leader for people to look up to,” she says.

This article was sponsored

by McMaster Engineering.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALGONQUIN COLLEGE

We Saved You a Seat: Algonquin College Initiative Fosters Diversity in STEM

To learn more, visit eng.mcmaster.ca.

Algonquin College encourages women to seek opportunities in STEM by reserving classroom seats in key programs.

Sabrina Seecharran

Located in Canada's Capital, Algonquin College is the largest polytechnic institute in Eastern Ontario with options at the degree, diploma, certificate, and advanced graduate certificate levels on campus and online. AC offers more than 300 programs across four of its campuses serving the National Capital Region and the outlying areas — Ottawa, Pembroke, Perth, and AC Online.

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t Algonquin College (AC), improving opportunities for women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) starts with making physical space.

In 2018, the School of Advanced Technology and the Algonquin Centre for Construction Excellence launched the We Saved You a Seat (WSYAS) initiative as a pilot program to address the underrepresentation of women in STEM and to meet the projected skills shortage in the industry. The initiative reserves 30 per cent of classroom seats for women across seven programs. The idea behind WSYAS is to improve visibility, foster a diverse community, improve learning outcomes for all students, and encourage women to dream bigger.

The seven programs of the WSYAS initiative include Computer Systems Technician, Computer Systems Technician - Networking, Electrical Engineering Technicia n, Electromecha nica l Engineering Technician, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Powerline Technician, and Construction Engineering Technician — most of which offer co-op and non-co-op options.

Bringing STEM awareness and opportunities to women Being unaware of career opportunities in STEM is one of the primary reasons women are underrepresented in the field. Nicole Lemieux is a graduate of

the Electrical Engineering Technician program at AC and now works as an Electrical Technologist. She shares that she’s fulfilled in her role because she enjoys seeing projects come to life and that the compensation and worklife balance are sustainable. Lemieux says, “Without the WSYAS initiative, she wouldn't have encountered and chosen this career path.”

The benefits of more diverse and inclusive classes spill into the offices, workshops, and worksites where our students — whatever their gender — employ their skills and talents.

Systemically supporting women’s STEM education AC recognizes that visibility is only one puzzle piece in removing the barriers women face in entering STEM professions. To provide comprehensive support for women, the college also offers financial aid from various donors to qualifying applications through scholarships, bursaries, and awards. Additionally, mentorship opportunities allow students to connect with women in the industry.

One is a coffee break run by Kathryn

Reilander, Faculty and Coordinator of Electrical Engineering Technology at Algonquin College.

A safe space for challenging the status quo At AC, diversity means more than quotas. It’s championing systemic change that’s both conscious and sublimina l. Christopher Ha hn, Dean of Algonquin Centre for Construction Excellence, shares that academia is the ideal place to kickstart systemic change as colleges are supposed to be forward-thinking and knowledgeable about anticipating the challenges and needs of the future. It should always be a safe environment to engage in these topics.

Through industry connections, AC identifies the areas where skills are needed and formulates solutions that break down the entry barriers for women by establishing initiatives like WSYAS and adjusting academic policies to take the meaning of representation beyond visibility.

Choosing AC for STEM education WSYAS is just the beginning of AC’s mission to enable prospective students to dream big! The college recognizes that brilliance is not limited to gender, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, or religion and is dedicated to investing in opportunities that reduce the barriers to post-secondary education.

Christopher Hahn Dean, Algonquin Centre for Construction Excellence and Perth Campus, Algonquin College

To learn more about this unique STEM initiative for women at AC, visit algonquin college.com.

This article was sponsored by Algonquin College.

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How Appleby Is Preparing Students for Jobs That Don’t Exist (Yet)

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Hold the Key to the Bio-Economy’s Talent Shortage

In education, students sometimes get frustrated by pursuing studies that they don’t see as having long-term application in their lives. Thanks to STEM, that’s all changing.

DE&I may just be the solution to the country’s talent shortage in the bio-economy.

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t Appleby College, the STEM approach to education fosters creativity and divergent thinking alongside fundamental disciplines. It motivates and inspires students to dream beyond the here and now.

A unique space to ideate

PHOTO COURTESY OF APPLEBY COLLEGE

Sarah Morrison Assistant Head of School, Academics, Appleby College

It’s important to empower students with the tools and learning that instill strong fundamentals and equip them with the ability to problem-solve, develop ideas, experiment, and create through iteration and trial and error.

Imagine a physical space where students come together to collaborate, design, explore, experiment, and test their ideas. Since 2016, Appleby students have enthusiastically embraced the opportunity to combine their knowledge of science, mathematics, and structures with imagination, creativity, and artistry to explore solutions to everyday problems that challenge people to think differently — all in the school’s state-of-the-art Design Lab. “My experience in Appleby’s Design Lab has allowed me to experiment with new technologies and tools,” says Tia Rojas, a Grade 12 student. “There are more than enough resources at my disposal — 3D printers, physical materials, power tools, a laser cutter, electronics, and more — that help me transform my ideas into creations.”

More than a physical space

To learn more about the Appleby College experience, visit appleby.on.ca or email stem@ appleby.on.ca.

This article was sponsored by Appleby College.

Through the ‘making’ component of STEM studies, the tools and resources made available enable students to develop their ideas and apply them as workable designs while collaborating, drawing inspiration, and learning from one another.

Future application Since the school’s founding in 1911, Appleby’s mission has been to educate and enable students to become leaders of character, major contributors to, and valued representatives of their local, national, and international communities. Through STEM learning, students are acquiring the skills and knowledge to be future problem-solvers and leaders of industry.

BioTalent Canada

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anada’s bio-economy is likely to require 65,000 additional workers by 2029.

However, companies will be challenged to fill positions due to a highly competitive labour ma rket, relatively low awareness of bio-economy careers, and in many cases, an ongoing lack of HR capacity or capital to attract and retain candidates.

Despite this clear need for talent, many small- and medium-sized employers in the sector still overlook under-represented groups for their recruitment.

For example, the number of women working in the bio-economy is disproportionate to the number of women who graduate from STEM programs. According to BioTalent Canada’s recent National Labour Market Information study released in 2021, women’s enrolment in college-level STEM and health programs has remained at around 50 per cent (as of 2018–19).

Yet, women comprise only 34 per cent of Canada’s bio-economy workforce.

Hiring from under-represented groups like women will do more than meet labour needs. Diversifying the bio-economy’s workforce will also help companies in the sector become more creative and successful.

Research shows that diverse companies with inclusive leaders are better able to attract and retain top talent, making them more innovative and more profitable.

To support employers in adopting more diverse and inclusive principles, BioTalent Canada’s new I.D.E.A.L Biosciences Employer TM recognition program — which represents inclusivity, diversity, equity, and accessibility leadership — will recognize organizations in Canada’s bio-economy leading the way in embodying the diverse and inclusive corporate principles needed to promote growth and success in the sector.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BIOTALENT CANADA

Sarah Morrison

To learn more about the I.D.E.A.L program, visit biotalent.ca.

This article was sponsored by BioTalent Canada.

Women in STEM: Q&A with Entrepreneur Laurie Clark Serial entrepreneur Laurie Clark, founder of Onyen Corporation, Canchek Corporation, and Smarten Up Institute, shares her perspective on supporting women in STEM. What is one thing you’d like to say to young women and girls as they look to the future?

Laurie Clark Founder, Onyen Corporation, Canchek Corporation, & Smarten Up Institute

Learn more at onyen.com and canchek.com.

PHOTO CREDIT: SHUTTERSTOCK

This article was sponsored by Onyen Corporation & Canchek Corporation.

Learn about the women who came before. There are many great Canadian women in STEM, from as far back as the 1800s or earlier, but we don’t know about them.

Mabel Bell was an aeronautics financier and social reformer who directly contributed to husband Alexander Graham Bell’s work. Elsie MacGill was the first female Canadian to earn a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering and practice as an engineer. Donna Strickland is an optical physicist who was awarded the Nobel Prize in physics for work with lasers. Victoria Kaspi is an astrophysicist who studies collapsed stars and the first woman to win Canada’s top science prize. Roberta Bondar is an astronaut, neurologist, physician, pioneer in space medicine research, and the first Canadian woman and second Canadian in space. Roberta reminds us: “Canada needs individuals to whom educators can point, and of whom we can be proud, whether athletes or astronauts or anything else. I think the role each Canadian plays is not so much ‘Look at me,’ but rather, ‘Look at our country.’”

How do you personally support women and girls?

I hope my example of going from a family business to serial technology entrepreneur (Onyen, Canchek, Smarten Up Institute, and Dataphile) inspires others.

I hire, promote, mentor, and help many women. However, it’s not enough. Recently I met a young Syrian girl, passionate about education, who played a key role in the Northern Secondary School (TDSB) robotics team competition win. I was so impressed by her that I’ve become a team sponsor. I’d like to see and support more young women in STEM and challenge all women (and men!) to support this and similar programs.

It’s critical to the future success of women and to our country.

SCWIST Moves the Dial Forward for Women in STEM Since 1981, SCWIST has delivered high-impact programs to remove barriers that prevent women from entering and advancing in STEM careers.

Ashley van der Pouw Kraan, SCWIST Events and Communication Lead

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fter 40 years of STEM impact, the Society for Canadian Women in Science and Technology (SCWIST) continues to evolve to advance its vision and mission.

SCWIST has partnered with the Government of Canada and over 1600 organizations on the 50-30 Challenge, with a goal to achieve gender parity (50 per cent) and increase participation of underrepresented groups (30 per cent) in STEM workplaces. To better understand how STEM companies can create change, SCWIST surveyed 552 STEM employees about their perspectives on equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) to help move the dial forward.

“There’s a growing awareness among STEM employees that achieving 50-30 within an organization can help improve business outcomes by eight times and financial targets by two times. With 93 per cent of our survey respondents seeking help to achieve 50-30 within their workplace, our SCWIST team continues to provide resources to support EDI efforts,” says Dr. Melanie Ratnam, SCWIST Director of Policy and Advocacy.

“SCWIST is also committed to improving access to STEM career pathways through its job board, annual career fair, resume coaching, workshops, mentoring, and networking connections,” shared Lily Takeuchi, Vice-President and Director of Business Development at SCWIST. Further, SCWIST aims to support employers to introduce equitable hiring practices, and advocates for pay equity, flexible work, parental leave, and inclusive workplace cultures through its STEM Forward for Economic Prosperity project, supported by Canada’s $100 million Feminist Response Recovery Fund.

By increasing the number of diverse, STEM-trained people in the workforce, we can solve the complex problems of today and the future. SCWIST is proud to empower girls from grade school to their career launch and beyond, through programs including Youth Engagement, Immigrating Women in STEM, Make Possible, Make Diversity Possible, and Supporting Safe STEM Workplaces.

Dr. Melanie Ratnam Neuroscientist, Entrepreneur & SCWIST Director of Policy & Advocacy

Lily Takeuchi Biomedical Engineer, PhD Student & SCWIST VicePresident & Director of Business Development

Learn more about SCWIST programs at scwist.ca.

This article was sponsored

by SCWIST.