SCWIST

SCWIST x Canadian Space Society: Experiences of women in space and tech
2023-08-24 17:30 - 18:30 (America/Vancouver)
Women in STEM sharing their journeys, challenges and triumphs in the space and tech industries.

Since 1981, SCWIST has made great strides in promoting and empowering women in STEM. When you register, please consider adding a small donation to support our programs so all interested women and girls can see where a future in STEM can take them.

The Society for Canadian Women in Science and Technology (SCWIST) and the Canadian Space Society (CSS) have joined to bring you a captivating panel event, Exploring Frontiers – Women in Space and Technology.
We will be shining a spotlight on four extraordinary women who have charted their own paths in the space and technology sectors and delve into their remarkable journeys, challenges, and triumphs.
This event will be an excellent opportunity to explore the current state of women’s representation in STEM, gain insights into the diverse career options within space and technology industries, get valuable advice on seeking mentors and being one yourself and learn about their journeys from academia to industry.

SPEAKERS

Natalie Cook
Natalie is an Intermediate Geospatial Technician/Remote Sensing Operator at MDA.

Samantha Yueh
A versatile tech enthusiast with a solid grounding in emerging technologies (VR/AR/MR, AI, BCI). Samantha has a proven track record in digital transformation, project management, and product development in cross-disciplinary teams. She is passionate about leveraging cutting-edge tech to innovate, inspire, and create impactful user experiences.

Maria Nickel
Maria Nickel is an experienced STEM teacher living in Winnipeg, Manitoba. With over 26 years of teaching, she has covered subjects like Science, Phys. Ed, ELA, and Social Studies for grades K-8. Her passion lies in space, evident through her involvement in the Student Spaceflight Experiment Program and the Manitoba IRIS Cube Satellite-1 Engineering Team. Maria is affiliated with organizations like the Space Foundation and Space Center Houston. She has received numerous accolades, including the Prime Minister’s Excellence in Teaching Award. In 2016, her application was in the running to be Canada’s next astronaut. Although she was not successful, the experience provided her with valuable real-world teaching moments for her students and fans during the selection process.

MODERATOR

M﻿ahima Kapoor
Mahima is a polymath and thrives at the intersection of science, business, and technology! Guiding organizations through disruptive technological changes and deeply understanding and solving for end user needs excites her. Her spare time is filled with a multitude of passion projects, producing a space podcast to highlight underrepresented narratives of those working in Canada’s budding space sector, working at a professional Bollywood dance company, and mentoring university women in STEM.

PRESENTED BY

The Society for Canadian Women in Science and Technology (SCWIST) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to empowering and supporting women in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in Canada. With a focus on promoting gender equality and diversity, SCWIST offers mentorship, professional development, and networking opportunities to foster a thriving community of women professionals. Through their advocacy and transformative programs, SCWIST aims to break down barriers, inspire future leaders, and create a more inclusive and equitable landscape in the world of STEM. scwist.ca

The Canadian Space Society (CSS) is a leading organization at the forefront of space exploration and technology in Canada. Established to promote and advance the development of space activities, CSS serves as a platform for space enthusiasts, professionals, and researchers to collaborate and share knowledge. With a strong commitment to education, outreach, and advocacy, CSS strives to inspire and engage the next generation of space enthusiasts while contributing to Canada’s significant role in the global space community. css.ca

Photo and Video Consent
By registering for the event, you understand that the session may be video recorded and/ or photos will be taken for use in SCWIST digital communication platforms, including but not limited to the SCWIST website, e-newsletter, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and others. You, therefore, are providing consent for your image and voice to be used by SCWIST for free and in perpetuity.
If you do not want your image to be captured in video or photographically, please ensure that your camera is off during the session.
Questions and Feedback
For questions about the event, or to sign up as a speaker, please contact the Communications and Events team, by email at marketing_events@scwist.ca.

Quantum Leaps Career Conference - Cell Biology and Photochemistry
2023-08-24 17:00 - 18:00 (America/Vancouver)
This is a career conference event for high school girls to interact with women professionals in STEM and learn about science careers.

Since 1981, SCWIST has made great strides in promoting and empowering women in STEM. When you register, please consider adding a small donation to support our programs so all interested women and girls can see where a future in STEM can take them.

SCWIST Quantum Leaps is a virtual career conference uniquely designed for girls from grade 8-12 interested in or curious to explore careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). This conference gives girls a glimpse into what women in STEM fields do in their careers.
During these events, girls can meet professionals who have been successful in their STEM fields and meet other like-minded girls who have similar aspirations and interests. This event will help them know more about the STEM fields they are interested in and discover new STEM fields. Quantum Leaps also aims to aid students in the transition between high school and higher education.
This particular Quantum Leaps event will focus on women professionals working in careers related to cell biology and photochemistry. They also have expertise in science communication and facilitating learning. Did they have a fixed plan for what they would like to do five years after high school? How do they ease into changing their career focus? Did they know that they wanted to pursue these careers when they were in university? Girls will get the opportunity to interact with these women to get the answers they need at the event.

AGENDA

5:00-5:25: Speaker 1 and Q&A session
5:25-5:55: Speaker 2 and Q&A session
5﻿:55-6:00 Conclusion

SPEAKERS

Vaishnavi Sridhar
Vaishnavi Sridhar completed a PhD in Cell and Developmental Biology from the University of British Columbia, Canada. She studied proteins required for parts of a cell to contact each other and the relevance of these contacts for cellular function and disease for her PhD. She completed an Integrated BS-MS, majoring in Biology from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali prior to her PhD.

As a scientist, she believes that science should be accessible to all and that it is important to communicate science to diverse audiences in engaging ways. In this regard, she has communicated her research and science in general via presentations, poems, articles, videos, and hands-on science activities. She enjoys writing and has adapted life science research articles for diverse audiences. She has mentored high school, undergraduate and graduate students, discussing careers in science, how to apply to graduate school, how to tailor statements of purpose and work-life balance.

Sree Gayathri Talluri
Dr. Sree Gayathri Talluri (she/her) is a photo-chemist by training with expertise in self-assembled systems. She is currently a Scientist working towards developing advanced nucleic acid therapeutics at Cytiva. Sree graduated with a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Victoria in 2022. Her research focused on developing fluorescence methods to study the mobility of small molecules in drug delivery systems.
Sree is passionate about science communication and outreach. She served as the national and regional organizer of ComSciCon CAN, a workshop designed to provide science communication training to graduate students across Canada. In her previous role as the interview coordinator for UVic Women in Science, Sree worked towards amplifying the voices and highlighting the experiences of women in the scientific community across Vancouver Island. She served as a STEM specialist at BC girl guides, where she worked on designing and developing STEM experiments for girls. She is the acting director of mentorship at the Student Biotechnology Network in Canada.

Quantum Leaps - Software Engineering and Education Counselling
2023-07-20 17:00 - 18:00 (America/Vancouver)
This is a career conference event for high school girls to interact with women professionals in STEM and learn about science careers.

Since 1981, SCWIST has made great strides in promoting and empowering women in STEM. When you register, please consider adding a small donation to support our programs so all interested women and girls can see where a future in STEM can take them.

SCWIST Quantum Leaps is a virtual career conference uniquely designed for girls from grade 8-12 interested in or curious to explore careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). This conference gives girls a glimpse into what women in STEM fields do in their careers.
During these events, girls can meet professionals who have been successful in their STEM fields and meet other like-minded girls who have similar aspirations and interests. This event will help them know more about the STEM fields they are interested in and discover new STEM fields. Quantum Leaps also aims to aid students in the transition between high school and higher education.
This particular Quantum Leaps event will focus on women professionals working in careers related to software engineering and education counselling. Did they have a fixed plan for what they would like to do five years after high school? How do they ease into changing their career focus? Did they know that they wanted to pursue these careers when they were in high school? Girls will get the opportunity to interact with these women to get the answers they need at the event.

AGENDA

5:00-5:25: Speaker 1 and Q&A session
5:25-5:55: Speaker 2 and Q&A session
5﻿:55-6:00 Conclusion

SPEAKERS

Zoya Malhi
Zoya is a final year software engineering student studying at McGill University. She loves taking on new challenges and likes to be involved in the community. During the summers she has worked as a software developer intern at Genetec, a software security company, and presently, Intact, an insurance company. In her spare time she has also focused on her work as a member of a student society at McGill called POWE which stands for Promoting Opportunities for Women in Engineering. It is important to her that there is equal opportunities for women in STEM fields and that women feel both welcomed and included. She has been responsible for organizing and participation in events such as Speed Networking/Mentoring, Internship Panels, Symposiums, and workshops at her university. She is someone who enjoys being involved in impactful projects that drive positive change.

Jessica Lovnicki
Jessica has experience working as a Clinical Research Coordinator in the field of Oncology and an Academic Specialist. She will be applying to teacher’s education programs this fall. Since November 2019, she has offered administrative support to 39 students by logging their private school and university applications. She has also provided career and educational counseling to help students decide which path to pursue by providing options that offer the opportunity for fulfillment and success. As a Supported Learning Group leader at University of Guelph, she collaborated with the Faculty of Science to create presentation material to help educate faculty on the role of facilitated learning in a students’ continual education.

Quantum Leaps - Data Analytics in Engineering and Disease Occurrence
2023-06-22 17:00 - 18:00 (America/Vancouver)
This is a career conference event for high school girls to interact with women professionals in STEM and learn about science careers.

Since 1981, SCWIST has made great strides in promoting and empowering women in STEM. When you register, please consider adding a small donation to support our programs so all interested women and girls can see where a future in STEM can take them.

SCWIST Quantum Leaps is a virtual career conference uniquely designed for girls from grade 8-12 interested in or curious to explore careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). This conference gives girls a glimpse into what women in STEM fields do in their careers.
During these events, girls can meet professionals who have been successful in their STEM fields and meet other like-minded girls who have similar aspirations and interests. This event will help them know more about the STEM fields they are interested in and discover new STEM fields. Quantum Leaps also aims to aid students in the transition between high school and higher education.
This particular Quantum Leaps event will focus on women professionals working in careers related to spatial epidemiology and software engineering. Did they have a fixed plan for what they would like to do five years after high school? How do they ease into changing their career focus? Did they know that they wanted to pursue these careers when they were in high school? Girls will get the opportunity to interact with these women to get the answers they need at the event.

AGENDA

5:00-5:25: Speaker 1 and Q&A session
5:25-5:55: Speaker 2 and Q&A session
5﻿:55-6:00 Conclusion

SPEAKERS

Wendy Hoy
Wendy is a Software Engineer specializing in Analytics and Data Engineering and a Career and Leadership Coach at Staffbase. She believes that data analytics and coaching help people to gain more insight, and make better-informed decisions. Before Staffbase, she spent 8 years in the video games industry primarily as a Gameplay Engineer developing games for the Xbox and PlayStation. She spent another 5 years in the non-profit sector, where she worked with the BC Ministry of Education to help bring coding and computational thinking into classrooms. Wendy has a bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering from UBC, and has completed the Certified Leadership Coach Program through Essential Impact. She is currently working towards her Associate Certified Coach (ACC) Credential through the International Coaching Federation.

Her linkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendyhoy/

Emily Acheson
Dr. Emily Acheson works as a spatial epidemiologist for the Public Health Agency of Canada. She uses mapping tools and statistics to predict where diseases are occurring in the environment and where they may go in the future.
Emily did her honours bachelor’s degree at the University of Toronto in Biology, Environmental Science, and Professional Writing and Communication. For her Master’s degree at the University of Ottawa, she studied mosquitoes in Tanzania that transmit the parasites that cause malaria and looked at whether mosquito nets are being distributed to the best places where people are most at risk of getting sick. For her PhD, she studied a fungus in British Columbia that makes people and animals sick and can be deadly. For her research now with the federal government, she continues to study the ecology of different pathogens and the vectors that spread them, including fungi, ticks, and rabies.

SCWIST Annual General Meeting 2023
2023-06-21 16:30 - 18:00 (America/Vancouver)
The SCWIST Annual General Meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 21, from 4:30-6:00pm. The event will take place on Zoom.

All members and interested individuals are welcome to attend.
T﻿he Annual General Meeting (AGM) will cover our previous years’ achievements, review and approve the financial statements and vote on the incoming slate of potential board directors.
Register to receive a Zoom invite, agenda for the meeting and an AGM report containing reports on SCWIST programs and committees, profiles of the proposed new board members, details of our new fiscal year budget and more closer to the date of the event.
While the general public is welcome to attend the AGM, only SCWIST members in good standing will be able to vote on proposed by-law changes and board nominations.
Become a member of SCWIST today* and take advantage of many benefits including free or discounted event tickets, access to professional development and mentorship programs, volunteer opportunities and expanding your professional network with women in STEM.
*Only those who have been members for more than 30 days are able to vote at the AGM.

Chat with Us Series: Rendez-vous with an Assessment Officer
2023-06-15 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Toronto)
Want to learn about science careers outside of academia?
Join us for an informal chat with an Assessment Officer.

Are you wondering what to do after your master’s, doctorate, or postdoctoral fellowship?
Want to learn about science careers outside of academia?
The Society for Canadian Women in Science and Technology – Quebec (SCWIST – Quebec) invites you to hear the experiences and perspectives of Dr. Edna Matta-Camacho, an Assessment Officer at the Therapeutic Products Directorate at Health Canada, co-founder and executive director of STEM sin Fronteras Fondation.
Join us for a live chat on Thursday, June 15th, at 12:00 pm EDT (Montreal time) for the fourth edition of the Chat with Us series – “Ins and Outs” of science jobs outside academia. We will have a great opportunity to learn the Ins and Outs of scientific positions at the Canadian government.
Various topics will be discussed, such as:

The role of an Assessment Officer in the Pharmaceutical Drugs Directorate at Health Canada,
Edna’s career in the academic, private, NGOs and the government,
Career opportunities at Health Canada,
Do’s and don’ts in the application/interview process, etc.

We strongly encourage you to interact with our speaker and to ask questions during the event.
_﻿_____________________________________________________________________________

Est-ce que vous vous posez encore la question : Quoi faire après ma maîtrise, mon doctorat, ou mon stage postdoctoral?
Vous voulez en savoir plus sur les carrières scientifiques en dehors du milieu universitaire?
La Société des Canadiennes en Science et Technologie – Québec (SCWIST – Québec) présentera les expériences et le point de vue de Dre. Edna Matta-Camacho, agent d’évaluation à la Direction des produits thérapeutiques de Santé Canada, co-fondatrice et directrice exécutive de la Fondation STEM sin Fronteras.
Rejoignez-nous jeudi le 15 juin à 12:00h (heure de Montréal) pour la quatrième édition de la série Chat with Us – “Ins and Outs” des emplois scientifiques à l’extérieur du milieu universitaire. Nous aurons la grande opportunité d’apprendre les tenants et les aboutissants de devenir un agent d’évaluation clinique chez Santé Canada.
Divers sujets seront abordés, tels que :

les rôles d’un agent d’évaluation à la Direction des Médicaments Pharmaceutiques de Santé Canada,
le parcours d’Edna dans les secteurs universitaires, privés, dans des ONG et le gouvernement,
des opportunités de carrière chez Santé Canada,
les choses à faire et à ne pas faire dans le processus d’embauche, etc.

Nous vous invitons grandement à interagir avec notre conférencier et à poser des questions pendant l’événement.

SPEAKER

Edna Matta-Camacho MSc. mMBA. PhD
A scientist with more than 15 years of combined national and international experience in research and management for academia, private, NGO & government sectors.
Dr. Matta-Camacho holds a degree in Chemistry from Universidad Nacional in Colombia, a master’s degree in Biochemistry from UNAM in Mexico, a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from McGill University, and a mMBA from Carleton University in Canada.
Dr. Matta-Camacho is an Assessment Officer at the Therapeutic Products Directorate in Health Canada. She oversees scientific files of basic and applied research to assess and advise on the potential benefits and risks of prescription pharmaceutical drugs for human use.
Edna Matta-Camacho is the Founder & Director General of the STEM sin Fronteras (Without Borders) Foundation, a Colombo-Canadian project that strives to position education and equity in the rural areas of Colombia & Latin America at the forefront of social development. Dr. Matta-Camacho is one of the co-Founders of the Immigrant & International Women in Science (IWS) Network and member of the steering committee for the Health Products and Food Branch Science Network, a community that promotes scientific excellence, advises on horizontal science issues, and facilitates science-policy integration in Canada.
Mom, Leader & EDI Advocate
“By creating education accessible to everyone, especially minorities and low-income populations, we can lower the barriers in STEM fields and social disparities worldwide.” _﻿_____________________________________________________________________________
La Dre. Matta-Camacho est une scientifique avec plus de 15 ans d’expérience nationale et internationale dans la recherche et la gestion des secteurs universitaires, privés, ONG et gouvernementaux. Elle est titulaire d’un diplôme en chimie de l’Université Nationale en Colombie, d’une maîtrise en biochimie de l’UNAM au Mexique, d’un doctorat en biochimie de l’Université McGill, et d’un mMBA de l’Université Carleton au Canada.
La Dre. Matta-Camacho est agent d’évaluation à la Direction des produits thérapeutiques de Santé Canada. Elle supervise les dossiers scientifiques de la recherche fondamentale et appliquée pour évaluer et conseiller sur les avantages et les risques potentiels des médicaments pharmaceutiques sur ordonnance à usage humain.
Edna Matta-Camacho est la fondatrice et directrice générale de la Fondation STEM sin Fronteras (sans frontières), un projet colombo-canadien qui s’efforce de positionner l’éducation et l’équité dans les zones rurales de Colombie et d’Amérique latin à l’avant-garde du développement dans les zones rurales de Colombie et d’Amérique latine à l’avant-garde du développement sociale. La Dre. Matta-Camacho est l’une des cofondatrices du réseau Immigrant & International Women in Science (IWS) et membre du comité directeur du Health Products and Food Branch Science Network, une communauté qui promeut l’excellence scientifique, donne des conseils sur les questions scientifiques et facilité l’intégration des sciences et des politiques au Canada.
Maman, leader et avocate EDI.
« En créant une éducation accessible à tous, en particulier aux minorités et aux populations à faible revenu, nous pouvons réduire les barrières dans les domaines STEM et les disparités sociales dans le monde ».

Photo and Video Consent
By registering for the event, you understand that the session may be video recorded and/ or photos will be taken for use in SCWIST digital communication platforms, including but not limited to the SCWIST website, e-newsletter, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and others. You therefore are providing consent for your image and voice to be used by SCWIST for free and in perpetuity.
If you do not want your image to be captured in video or photographically, please ensure that your camera is off during the session.
Questions and Feedback
For questions about the event, or to sign up as a speaker, please contact the Communications and Events team, by email at marketing_events@scwist.ca.

A Night In with SCWIST Ontario
2023-06-14 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Toronto)
A social evening to meet SCWIST Ontario members and volunteers and have some fun.

Welcome to our informal networking session and social with the current SCWIST Ontario members!
There will be introductions, fun trivia, networking, and information about the vision of SCWIST Ontario and how we can meet the needs of our current and future members. We will provide a safe open space to meet other women in STEM in Ontario. This event is open to both current SCWIST members, as well as anyone interested in joining SCWIST or supporting SCWISTs goals.

A﻿GENDA

7﻿:00pm: Welcome and Opening Remarks
7﻿:10pm: Introductions
7﻿:30pm: SCWIST and Science Trivia
8﻿:00pm: Breakout Networking Rooms
8﻿:30pm: Closing Remarks

HOSTS

Christine Blair
Christine is passionate about team leadership, facilitation, and building communities. She has worked in transportation and construction for 12 years, most notably on major light rail projects across Canada. As a Project Manager, she applies her leadership, systems thinking and human centered design principles to complex projects. In her spare time, she is passionate about facilitating and enabling thoughtful, impactful conversations that support careers in engineering, especially for women.
She is the Chair of SCWIST Ontario and an active volunteer with other organizations leading change in inclusion and belonging. Christine is a Professional Engineer from Engineering Physics at Queen’s University and holds a Project Management Professional credential, as well as an Executive MBA from Quantic School of Business & Technology.
C﻿hristine will be joined by other SCWIST Ontario volunteers.

Interview & Performance Review Prep: Identifying Your Unique Strengths
2023-06-06 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Vancouver)
Join us in the next workshop in the SCWIST x The Thoughtful Co series to learn about interviews and performance reviews.

Since 1981, SCWIST has made great strides in promoting and empowering women in STEM. When you register, please consider adding a small donation to support our programs so all interested women and girls can see where a future in STEM can take them.

T﻿his event is part of a series of workshops with SCWIST x The Thoughtful Co.
Check out the other available workshops below.

Compensation Negotiation 101. April 18th, 2023 12pm-1pm PST (Virtual)
Understanding Stock Options & Restricted Stock Units. May 2nd, 2023 5pm-6pm PST (In-person)

INTERVIEW AND PERFORMANCE REVIEW PREP: IDENTIFY YOUR UNIQUE STRENGTHS

This workshop will teach you how to communicate your unique strengths and skill-set with confidence to excel in your next performance review or job interview. We discuss what you can be doing throughout the year to ensure you’re prepared well in advance of the review, and focus on strategies that enable you to concisely but confidently articulate your value to an employer. This workshop is led by Sophie Warwick and Jillian Climie, Co-Founders of The Thoughtful Co. We leave time for group discussion and Q&A to ensure all your questions are answered. Key takeaways from this workshop include:

Communicating your strengths with confidence & leveraging your unique skill set.
Setting the stage for a positive & productive conversation that serves you and your employer.
Asking questions to ensure you have the information needed to make an informed decision.
How to research effectively and learn from your network to lead an impactful discussion.
Understanding your non-negotiables & where you do, and don’t, have room for flexibility.

SPEAKERS

S﻿ophie Warwick
Sophie Warwick, Co-Founder of the Thoughtful Co, has spent her career in structural engineering consulting where she designs multi-use and residential buildings, from early conception to project completion. In 2018, she Co-Founded Women in Consulting Engineering (WCE), a non-profit organization to support and empower women in engineering. At The Thoughtful Co, she specializes in developing in-house gender equity policies and chairing Employee Resource Groups and advocacy groups. Additionally, she uses her data analysis expertise from her engineering background to define targets and track growth and retention.

J﻿illian Climie
Jillian Climie, Co-Founder of The Thoughtful Co, has spent her career advising and leading teams in executive compensation and corporate governance, both as a consultant, and in-house at two global retailers. Most recently at Lululemon, she led the global equity compensation and executive compensation programs. After taking a pause, she realized she wanted more of three things in her professional life: thoroughness, passion and freedom. She Co-Founded The Thoughtful Co so she can leverage her niche and technical experience, coupled with her passion for gender equity, to empower women to get paid what they deserve.

A﻿bout the Thoughtful Co:
We support women in understanding and negotiating their compensation, and advise employers on policies to improve gender equity in the workplace. Using our team’s deep expertise in compensation, we empower women to feel confident in asking for the compensation they deserve. Compensation includes salary, bonus, stock options, restricted share units, benefits, role scope, vacation, severance, RRSP/401Ks/ESPPs, non-competes, allowances, flexible work arrangements, parental leave and more.
Please reach out to us if you’re interested in learning more about our services, or just to chat!
Email: contact@thethoughtfulco.net, Website: www.thethoughtfulco.net, Instagram: @thethoughtful.co, Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/the-thoughtful-co

Photo and Video Consent
By registering for the event, you understand that the session may be video recorded and/ or photos will be taken for use in SCWIST digital communication platforms, including but not limited to the SCWIST website, e-newsletter, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and others. You, therefore, are providing consent for your image and voice to be used by SCWIST for free and in perpetuity.
If you do not want your image to be captured in video or photographically, please ensure that your camera is off during the session.
Questions and Feedback
For questions about the event, or to sign up as a speaker, please contact the Communications and Events team, by email at marketing_events@scwist.ca.

Women in STEM Virtual Career Fair
2023-05-26 08:30 - 15:30 (America/Vancouver)
Join us for an interactive career fair focused on connecting employers and recruiters in STEM to Canadian women and underrepresented groups.

S﻿CWIST 4TH ANNUAL WOMEN IN STEM CAREER FAIR
Are you looking for a new job opportunity? Or want to learn about ways to leverage your professional skills in today’s job market?
The Society for Canadian Women in Science and Technology (SCWIST) is hosting its 4th annual career fair, dedicated to supporting women, the LGBTQ+ community, racialized communities, new immigrants, individuals with disabilities, and other under-represented groups to accelerate their career development!
Come join us in a full-day event on May 26th to network with potential employers, get career coaching support on your resume, or listen to fascinating keynotes on overcoming barriers in the professional world! Registration is FREE!

P﻿ARTICIPANTS
SCWIST is offering a full-day interactive program for job seekers and individuals looking to pivot their careers to explore a variety of new employment and career opportunities during our Women in STEM Virtual Career Fair.
This year’s job fair programming will be geared toward early-career professionals seeking internship and/or employment opportunities and for established professionals interested in transitioning to leadership roles. Participants will get the chance to connect with HR managers, employers and recruiters as well as to meet with career coaches.
Women from all backgrounds, education levels and career stages are welcome to join.
Workshop details and attending companies coming soon!

The Women in STEM Career Fair is hosted on the Whova Platform, and registration on Whova is required to attend the event. We highly encourage you to register early and learn about the speakers, career coaches and exhibitors we have lined up for you!

EXHIBITORS AND SPONSORS
Package 1: Career Fair Exhibitor Booth
T﻿his package can be purchased directly through Eventbrite by selecting the ‘Get Tickets’ option.

Not-for-profit organization: Free
Corporate Earlybird (until April 26, 2023, 11:59pm PDT): $175 (+ fees)
Corporate (April 27, 2023, onwards): $375 (+ fees)

Package 2: Career Fair Exhibitor Booth + Job Ad: $450 (+ fees)

Host a virtual booth at our Career Fair and share an upcoming opportunity on our SCWIST Job Board.

Package 3: Career Fair Exhibitor Booth: $550 (+ fees)

Host a virtual booth at our Career Fair and a 15-minute speaking time slot in our program to highlight your organization’s work and upcoming opportunities. 3 slots are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Package 4: Career Fair Exhibitor Booth + Job Ad + Event Sponsor: $3200 (+ fees)

Put your company in the spotlight. Support our event as an official sponsor! Your company will host a virtual booth and share an upcoming opportunity on our SCWIST Job Board, PLUS you’ll get your logo on our conference platform and promotional materials with hyperlinks directly to your website, specific mention of your company as a sponsor in a single post deployed on all SCWIST social media platforms and a feature article interviewing a key woman from your company to be posted on the SCWIST blog.

I﻿f you have any questions about the packages, please reach out to businessdev@scwist.ca.

Quantum Leaps - Environmental Science, Medicine and Education Counselling
2023-05-25 17:00 - 18:00 (America/Vancouver)
This is a career conference event for high school girls to interact with women professionals in STEM and learn about science careers.

Since 1981, SCWIST has made great strides in promoting and empowering women in STEM. When you register, please consider adding a small donation to support our programs so all interested women and girls can see where a future in STEM can take them.

SCWIST Quantum Leaps is a virtual career conference uniquely designed for girls from grade 8-12 interested in or curious to explore careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). This conference gives girls a glimpse into what women in STEM fields do in their careers.
During these events, girls can meet professionals who have been successful in their STEM fields and meet other like-minded girls who have similar aspirations and interests. This event will help them know more about the STEM fields they are interested in and discover new STEM fields. Quantum Leaps also aims to aid students in the transition between high school and higher education.
This particular Quantum Leaps event will focus on women professionals working in careers related to teaching, education counselling, geospatial mapping, laboratory technologists and data visualization. Did they have a fixed plan for what they would like to do five years after high school? How do they ease into changing their career focus? Did they know that they wanted to pursue these careers in high school? Girls will get the opportunity to interact with these women to get the answers they need at the event.

AGENDA

5:00-5:20: Speaker 1 and Q&A session
5:20-5:40: Speaker 2 and Q&A session
5:40 – 6:00: Speaker 3 and Q&A session

SPEAKERS

Ekaterina Daviel
Ekaterina is a Data Visualization Specialist with Eclipse Geomatics Ltd. based in Smithers, BC where she works on a variety of mapping, geospatial analysis, and information management projects including the Skeena Knowledge Trust. Examples of Ekaterina’s work include an interactive dashboard of water temperature monitoring in the Upper Bulkley River Watershed, Wild Salmon Policy indicator analysis for the Kispiox Timber Supply Area, and an infrastructure map of Northwestern BC.

Jessica Lovnicki
Jessica has experience as an Academic Specialist. She will be applying to teacher’s education programs this fall. Since November 2019, she has offered administrative support to 39 students by logging their private school and university applications. She has also provided career and educational counseling to help students decide which path to pursue by providing options that offer the opportunity for fulfillment and success. As a Supported Learning Group leader at University of Guelph, she collaborated with the Faculty of Science to create presentation material to help educate faculty on the role of facilitated learning in a students’ continual education.

Lindsay Primeau
Lindsay is a medical laboratory technologist. She is trained to work in laboratories (hospitals, research, etc). Some of the work includes testing blood and urine samples, growing cultures to see if a patient has an infection, blood typing and distributing blood products to patients for surgeries and emergencies. There are 6 major disciplines: clinical biochemistry, hematology and hemostasis, transfusion science, histology, clinical microbiology and molecular biology. She works in a histology lab, where she prepares microscope slides from tissue samples taken from the human body, so doctors can look at it under a microscope to diagnose disease. Though they hidden away from patient view, technologists play a critical role in health care. Not all heroes wear capes – some wear lab coats!

Overcome Your Resistance and Embrace Virtual Networking
2023-05-23 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Vancouver)
SCWIST and iWIST have come together to bring you an opportunity to meet women in STEM and brush up on your networking skills.

Networking is not only a great way to find new job opportunities, it’s a great way to make connections with new friends and professionals who will be able to support you throughout your career journey.
Join us for an interactive and informative workshop that help you get started in networking. Professional Career Coach Sue Maitland will lead you through a short talk on how to introduce yourself before we launch into breakout rooms so you can practice your newfound skills and make connections with women in STEM from across Canada.

AGENDA

12:00pm: Introductions
12:05pm: How to Introduce Yourself with Sue Maitland
12:15pm: 5-minutes fo participants to craft their introduction
12:20pm: Breakout Rooms (x2)
12:55pm: Wrap up

SPEAKER

Sue Maitland, Professional Certified Coach (PCC)
After decades in the world of IT, in roles including programmer, project manager, recruiter, resource manager and sales executive, Sue followed her passion and trained to become a professional life coach. Accredited through the International Coach Federation at the PCC level, Sue specializes in helping other people make professional and personal transitions. She does this through presentations, online workshops and 1-on-1 coaching.
Her flagship workshop What’s Important to Me Now has helped 100’s of people get clarity on their top priorities for this phase of their life and the accompanying group mastermind helps motivate them to take action to live a life aligned with these priorities. Sue especially enjoys working with women in IT and is a sponsor of iWIST (Island Women in Science & Technology), offering a complimentary coaching session to all new members. Her Networking for Success workshop has proved invaluable to many people in career transition and her Self-Care workshop helps busy professionals put more balance in their lives.
suemaitland.com

A﻿bout SCWIST
SCWIST is a not-for-profit society that specializes in improving the presence and influence of women and girls in STEM in Canada. SCWIST promotes participation and advancement through education, networking, mentorship, collaborative partnerships and advocacy.
scwist.ca

A﻿bout iWIST
iWIST brings together women* and allies in science, technology, engineering, and math in West Coast island communities. Founded in 2011 as Island Women in Technology, the group’s mission was to offer a positive and supportive environment where women who worked in STEM could connect and build a community.
iwist.ca

SCWIST-Québec : Rejoignez-nous! / Join us!
2023-05-11 17:30 - 18:30 (America/Toronto)
Rejoignez notre équipe! La SCWIST-Québec recherche des bénévoles.
Join our team! SCWIST-Quebec invites volunteers.

Depuis plus de 40 ans, la SCWIST a amélioré la présence et l’influence des femmes et des filles en STIM (sciences, technologie, ingénierie et mathématiques) au Canada. Vous pouvez dès à présence avoir votre propre impact!
La SCWIST est une société créée et dirigée par des bénévoles. La SCWIST-Québec est une division québécoise de la SCWIST. Nos bénévoles jouent un rôle essentiel dans la prestation des programmes de la SCWIST afin de réaliser notre mission et notre vision. Nous sommes très reconnaissants pour leur temps, leurs talents, leur passion et leur engagement. En retour, nous offrons à nos bénévoles des opportunités de développer des compétences, d’élargir les liens de réseautage et de créer des expériences qui resteront avec eux pour toujours.
Une philosophie est au cœur de notre bénévolat – nous associons chaque bénévole au rôle qui lui convient le mieux. Alors, faites-nous savoir : quelles compétences pouvez-vous apporter à la SCWIST-Québec et quelle expérience aimeriez-vous acquérir ?
Rejoignez-nous par Zoom le jeudi 11 mai de 17h30 à 18h30 (heure de Montréal) pour rencontrer les membres de la SCWIST- Québec et poser toutes vos questions!
_____________________________________________________________________

For over 40 years, SCWIST (The Society for Canadian Women in Science and Technology) specializes in improving the presence and influence of women and girls in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) in Canada. Now you can make your impact!
SCWIST is a society created and driven by volunteers. SCWIST-Québec is a Quebec-based regional hub of SCWIST. Our volunteers play the essential role in delivering of the SCWIST programs to achieve our mission and vision. We are very grateful for their time, talents, passion and commitment. In return, we provide our volunteers with opportunities to develop skills, expand networking connections and create experiences that will stay with them forever.
One philosophy is at the heart of our volunteering – we match each volunteer with the role that’s best for her (or him). So, let us know: what skills can you bring to SCWIST-Québec and what experience would you like to gain?
Join us on Zoom on Thursday, May 11 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. (Montreal time) to meet the SCWIST-Quebec members and ask all your questions!

Photo and Video Consent
By registering for the event, you understand that the session may be video recorded and/ or photos will be taken for use in SCWIST digital communication platforms, including but not limited to the SCWIST website, e-newsletter, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and others. You therefore are providing consent for your image and voice to be used by SCWIST for free and in perpetuity.
If you do not want your image to be captured in video or photographically, please ensure that your camera is off during the session.
Questions and Feedback
For questions about the event, or to sign up as a speaker, please contact the Communications and Events team, by email at marketing_events@scwist.ca and quebec@scwist.ca.

Networking+ Night: Boost Your Professional Presence
2023-05-09 18:00 - 21:00 (America/Vancouver) | SFU Ventures Lab, 555 W Hastings St #1100, 11th floor, Vancouver, BC, V6B 4N6, Canada
Have fun networking while you improve your resume, get a new headshot and learn about the career paths of leading women in STEM.

SCWIST is excited to invite you to Networking+ Night: Boost Your Corporate Presence. Meet other professional women in STEM while you freshen up your resume, get a professional headshot for your LinkedIn profile and hear about the career paths of leading women in STEM.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to enhance your job search skills and connect with other job seekers in the community. We look forward to seeing you there!
Snacks and refreshments will be provided.
Tickets
Tickets are $15 for SCWIST members / $30 for non-members. If you would like to attend this event but the ticket cost is a barrier, please reach out to commsevents@scwist.ca.

Panel Discussion
Enjoy a 30-minute discussion where professional women in STEM discuss their career paths and take questions from the audience.
S﻿peakers

H﻿asnaa Fatehi, PhD, RAC – RA/QA Principal Consultant at QARALOGIC
Hasnaa is a MedTech regulations specialist and an emerging artist (performance/visual). She thinks a lot about rules and their origins, allowing her art practice to influence her regulatory work and her regulatory work to inform her art practice. Hasnaa’s secret mission is to rewrite your/our imagination of Muslim women.

C﻿hantel Kowalchuk, PhD – Associate Medical Director at ApotheCom
Chantel is a PhD neuroscientist turned medical communicator. She currently works as an Associate Medical Director at ApotheCom, a medical communications agency, where she leads a team of writers to help pharma and biotech companies communicate their complex medical findings in an accessible way to healthcare providers and patients.

Alison Müller, PhD – Communications & Social Media Officer
Dr. Alison Müller left her academic past to pursue a career in science communication after realizing she enjoyed sharing the wonders of medical research with others far more than babysitting persnickety cells. She is a member of the Communications team for government non-profits: 1) the Canadian HIV Clinical Trials Research Network (CTN) and; 2) the Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences (CHÉOS) based out of St. Paul’s Hospital. She also enjoys providing others with the opportunity to share their science in a less structured environment and is currently the Programming Chair of Science Slam Canada which holds both in-person science communication events in Vancouver and virtual science communication events Canada-wide.

Resume Review and Touch-Up
Get your resume reviewed by Elena Giorgetti, Professional Certified Coach. Elena specializes in career transitions, emotional intelligence and mental health coaching.
Pre-registration for the resume touch-up workshops is required as spots are limited. When purchasing your ticket to the event, simply add a Resume Review ticket during your preferred timeslot. Available times are:

6﻿:00-6:30pm
6﻿:30-7:00pm
7﻿:00-7:30pm
7﻿:30-8:00pm
8﻿:00-8:30pm

Professional Headshots
Get a professional headshot by David Karuhije! Photos will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis throughout the evening and emailed out to participants after the event.

Understanding Stock Options & Restricted Stock Units
2023-05-02 17:00 - 18:00 (America/Vancouver) | SFU VentureLabs, 555 West Hastings Street, #Suite #1100, Vancouver, BC, V6B 4N6, Canada
Join us in the next workshop in the SCWIST x The Thoughtful Co series to learn about stock options and restricted stock units.

Since 1981, SCWIST has made great strides in promoting and empowering women in STEM. When you register, please consider adding a small donation to support our programs so all interested women and girls can see where a future in STEM can take them.

T﻿his event is part of a series of workshops with SCWIST x The Thoughtful Co.
Check out the other available workshops:

Compensation Negotiation 101. April 18th, 2023. 12pm-1pm PST (Virtual)
Interview & Performance Review Prep: Identifying Your Unique Strengths. June 6, 2023. 12pm-1pm PST (Virtual)

UNDERSTANDING STOCK OPTIONS AND RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS

This workshop will teach you the fundamentals of stock options and restricted stock units (RSUs), and give you the knowledge and tools to confidently negotiate your equity compensation. Led by Jillian Climie, Co-Founder of The Thoughtful Co, it will teach you how stock options and RSUs work, the key questions to ask around them, and what areas are most negotiable. Jillian has spent her career in executive compensation, most recently leading the equity compensation and executive compensation teams at Lululemon. Key takeaways from this workshop include:

Stock options 101: what they are, how they work, and key terms.
Restricted stock units 101: what they are, how they work, and key terms.
Important questions to ask about your equity before signing on.
The gender pay gap in equity compensation.
Why equity compensation is so important (hint: long-term wealth creation, and more negotiable).

L﻿ight refreshments will be served. T﻿his event can be attended in person or online.

SPEAKER

J﻿illian Climie
Jillian Climie, Co-Founder of The Thoughtful Co, has spent her career advising and leading teams in executive compensation and corporate governance, both as a consultant, and in-house at two global retailers. Most recently at Lululemon, she led the global equity compensation and executive compensation programs. After taking a pause, she realized she wanted more of three things in her professional life: thoroughness, passion and freedom. She Co-Founded The Thoughtful Co so she can leverage her niche and technical experience, coupled with her passion for gender equity, to empower women to get paid what they deserve.

A﻿bout the Thoughtful Co:
We support women in understanding and negotiating their compensation, and advise employers on policies to improve gender equity in the workplace. Using our team’s deep expertise in compensation, we empower women to feel confident in asking for the compensation they deserve. Compensation includes salary, bonus, stock options, restricted share units, benefits, role scope, vacation, severance, RRSP/401Ks/ESPPs, non-competes, allowances, flexible work arrangements, parental leave and more.
Please reach out to us if you’re interested in learning more about our services, or just to chat!
Email: contact@thethoughtfulco.net, Website: www.thethoughtfulco.net, Instagram: @thethoughtful.co, Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/the-thoughtful-co

Photo and Video Consent
By registering for the event, you understand that the session may be video recorded and/ or photos will be taken for use in SCWIST digital communication platforms, including but not limited to the SCWIST website, e-newsletter, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and others. You, therefore, are providing consent for your image and voice to be used by SCWIST for free and in perpetuity.
If you do not want your image to be captured in video or photographically, please ensure that your camera is off during the session.
Questions and Feedback
For questions about the event, or to sign up as a speaker, please contact the Communications and Events team, by email at marketing_events@scwist.ca.

Quantum Leaps: Genetics, Software Engineering and Business Intelligence
2023-04-26 17:00 - 18:00 (America/Vancouver)
This is a career conference event for high school girls to interact with women professionals in STEM and learn about science careers.

Since 1981, SCWIST has made great strides in promoting and empowering women in STEM. When you register, please consider adding a small donation to support our programs so all interested women and girls can see where a future in STEM can take them.

SCWIST Quantum Leaps is a virtual career conference uniquely designed for girls from grade 8-12 interested in or curious to explore careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). This conference gives girls a glimpse into what people in STEM fields do in their careers.
During these events, girls can meet professionals who have been successful in their STEM fields and meet other like-minded girls who have similar aspirations and interests. This event will help them know more about the STEM fields they are interested in and discover new STEM fields. Quantum Leaps also aims to aid students in the transition between high school and higher education.
This particular Quantum Leaps event will focus on women professionals working in careers related to software engineering, bioinformatics and business intelligence development. Did they have a fixed plan for what they would like to do five years after high school? How do they ease into changing their career focus? Did they know that they wanted to pursue these careers in high school? Girls will get the opportunity to interact with these women to get the answers they need at the event.

AGENDA

5:00-5:20: Speaker 1 and Q&A session
5:20-5:40: Speaker 2 and Q&A session
5:40-6:00: Speaker 3 and Q&A session
6:00: Conclusion and Feedback

SPEAKERS

Mackenzie Wilke
MacKenzie earned a MSc in Computational Biology and a BSc (Hons) in Genetics from the University of Manitoba. Today, she is a computational biologist with the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg which is part of the Public Health Agency of Canada. She works in the Antimicrobial Resistance and Nosocomial Infections Division where she applies bioinformatic skills to genomic datasets so that antimicrobial resistance can be predicted across Canada.

Madhuri Ravindra Mohan
Madhuri is a Software Engineer based in Toronto and works for a firm called Okta Inc. She works on an authentication and authorization platform called Auth0. Their product helps in building the login boxes that lets people get into apps/websites with options such as passwords, OTPs, and social connections. Her work requires her to put security first, ensuring that logins are easy for the good folks but not for the malicious ones.

Lilia Pakhomova
Lilia is a Business Intelligence (BI) developer with 23 years of experience doing the entire scope of BI. Currently she is working for a wealth management company. Her past experience includes working at other financial institutions, a communication and broadcasting company and a games development company. She has experience working with Microsoft, Amazon and Google analytics platforms.

Photo and Video Consent
By registering for the event, you understand that the session may be video recorded and/ or photos will be taken for use in SCWIST digital communication platforms, including but not limited to the SCWIST website, e-newsletter, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and others. You, therefore, are providing consent for your image and voice to be used by SCWIST for free and in perpetuity.
If you do not want your image to be captured in video or photographically, please ensure that your camera is off during the session.
Questions and Feedback
For questions about the event, or to sign up as a speaker, please contact the Communications and Events team, by email at marketing_events@scwist.ca.

Compensation Negotiation 101
2023-04-18 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Vancouver)
Join us in the next workshop in the SCWIST x The Thoughtful Co series to learn about compensation negotiation.

Since 1981, SCWIST has made great strides in promoting and empowering women in STEM. When you register, please consider adding a small donation to support our programs so all interested women and girls can see where a future in STEM can take them.

T﻿his is the second event in a series of workshops with SCWIST x The Thoughtful Co.
Check out the other available workshops below. If you register for three events, you’ll receive free admission to the fourth:

Implementing & Maintaining Women’s Employee Resource Groups. March 28th, 2023 5pm-6pm PST (In-Person)
Understanding Stock Options & Restricted Stock Units. May 2nd, 2023 5pm-6pm PST (In-person)
Interview & Performance Review Prep: Identifying Your Unique Strengths. June 6, 2023 12pm-1pm PST (Virtual)

*E﻿mail commsevents@scwist.ca when you have registered for three events to be added to the fourth event for free.

COMPENSATION NEGOTIATION 101

This workshop will enable you to feel confident in asking for the compensation you deserve. We cover everything from how to navigate asking your manager for more money, to what you should be looking for before signing a new employment contract. We leave time for group discussion and Q&A to ensure all your questions are answered. This workshop is led by Jillian Climie, who has spent her career in executive compenworksation, most recently leading the equity compensation and executive compensation teams at Lululemon. Key takeaways from this workshop include:

What pieces of compensation & benefits are appropriate to push on (hint: beyond salary).
How compensation decisions are made within employers.
What you should and shouldn’t use as rationale for a pay increase.
The biases women face in negotiations, and how to work around them.
When you should be bringing up compensation, and how to frame the ask.

SPEAKER

J﻿illian Climie
Jillian Climie, Co-Founder of The Thoughtful Co, has spent her career advising and leading teams in executive compensation and corporate governance, both as a consultant, and in-house at two global retailers. Most recently at Lululemon, she led the global equity compensation and executive compensation programs. After taking a pause, she realized she wanted more of three things in her professional life: thoroughness, passion and freedom. She Co-Founded The Thoughtful Co so she can leverage her niche and technical experience, coupled with her passion for gender equity, to empower women to get paid what they deserve.

A﻿bout the Thoughtful Co:
We support women in understanding and negotiating their compensation, and advise employers on policies to improve gender equity in the workplace. Using our team’s deep expertise in compensation, we empower women to feel confident in asking for the compensation they deserve. Compensation includes salary, bonus, stock options, restricted share units, benefits, role scope, vacation, severance, RRSP/401Ks/ESPPs, non-competes, allowances, flexible work arrangements, parental leave and more.
Please reach out to us if you’re interested in learning more about our services, or just to chat!
Email: contact@thethoughtfulco.net, Website: www.thethoughtfulco.net, Instagram: @thethoughtful.co, Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/the-thoughtful-co

Photo and Video Consent
By registering for the event, you understand that the session may be video recorded and/ or photos will be taken for use in SCWIST digital communication platforms, including but not limited to the SCWIST website, e-newsletter, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and others. You, therefore, are providing consent for your image and voice to be used by SCWIST for free and in perpetuity.
If you do not want your image to be captured in video or photographically, please ensure that your camera is off during the session.
Questions and Feedback
For questions about the event, or to sign up as a speaker, please contact the Communications and Events team, by email at marketing_events@scwist.ca.

Indigenous Peoples and Technoscience
2023-04-13 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Edmonton)
Join Dr. Kim TallBear to learn about the connections between science and technology, the broader dynamics of colonialism, and more.

Since 1981, SCWIST has made great strides in promoting and empowering women in STEM. When you register, please consider adding a small donation to support our programs so all interested women and girls can see where a future in STEM can take them.

Join Dr. Kim TallBear from the University of Alberta to learn about the intricate connections between science and technology fields, broader dynamics of colonialism, and increasing demands for Indigenous governance of science and technology.

SPEAKER

Kimberly TallBear, PhD, MCP, BA
Dr. Kim TallBear, author of Native American DNA: Tribal Belonging and the False Promise of Genetic Science (2013), is a Professor in the Faculty of Native Studies, University of Alberta. She is also the Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Peoples, Technoscience, and Society. In addition to studying genome science disruptions to Indigenous self-definitions and the ongoing and historical colonial ethics of genomic and other physical sciences, Dr. TallBear studies colonial disruptions to Indigenous sexual relations. She also studies and promotes Indigenous scientific and cultural challenges to settler-colonial study and objectification of Indigenous populations.
She is a regular panelist on the weekly podcast, Media Indigena. You can follow her research group at https://indigenoussts.com/, on Twitter @KimTallBear, and her monthly posts on the Substack newsletter, Unsettle: Indigenous affairs, cultural politics & (de)colonization.

Photo and Video Consent

By registering for the event, you understand that the session may be video recorded and/ or photos will be taken for use in SCWIST digital communication platforms, including but not limited to the SCWIST website, e-newsletter, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and others. You, therefore, are providing consent for your image and voice to be used by SCWIST for free and in perpetuity.
If you do not want your image to be captured in video or photographically, please ensure that your camera is off during the session.

Questions and Feedback

For questions about the event, or to sign up as a speaker, please contact the Communications and Events team, by email at marketing_events@scwist.ca.

SCWIST Quantum Leaps: Vaccine Development and Engineering
2023-04-12 17:00 - 18:00 (America/Vancouver)
This is a career conference event for high school girls to interact with women professionals in STEM and learn about science careers.

Since 1981, SCWIST has made great strides in promoting and empowering women in STEM. When you register, please consider adding a small donation to support our programs so all interested women and girls can see where a future in STEM can take them.

SCWIST Quantum Leaps is a virtual career conference uniquely designed for grade 8-12 girls interested in or curious to explore careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). This conference gives girls a glimpse into what people in STEM fields do in their careers.
During these events, girls can meet professionals who have been successful in their STEM fields and meet other like-minded girls who have similar aspirations and interests. This event will help them know more about the STEM fields they are interested in and discover new STEM fields. Quantum Leaps also aims to aid students in the transition between high school and higher education.
This particular Quantum Leaps event will focus on women professionals working in careers related to tech, and chemistry. Did they have a fixed plan for what they would like to do five years after high school? How do they ease into changing their career focus? Did they know that they wanted to pursue these careers in high school? Girls will get the opportunity to interact with these women to get the answers they need at the event.

A﻿GENDA

5:00-5:05: Introduction
5:05-5:30: Speaker 1 and Q&A session
5:30-5:55: Speaker 2 and Q&A session
5:55-6:00: Conclusion and Feedback

SPEAKERS

Dr. Brittany Pequegnat
Brittany has a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Guelph, ON, where she specialized in bacterial polysaccharide conjugate vaccines for gastrointestinal disorders. After completing her PhD she became a postdoctoral fellow at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School in Boston MA, studying glycobiology and human stem cells. She then joined the start-up company Affinivax in Cambridge MA as a Scientist, where she worked on the development of Pneumococcal based vaccines.
Currently, Brittany works at Sanofi Pasteur in Toronto, where she started as the bulk antigen subject matter expert for Tetanus Toxoid vaccine manufacturing and is now the Deputy Director in Manufacturing Technology for Upstream Flu vaccine manufacturing.

A﻿dan Azem
Adan is a PhD candidate in electrical and computer engineering and an NSERC CREATE quantum computing scholar at the University of British Columbia. Recently, she completed an internship at Xanadu Quantum Technologies Inc. working with the low-temperature devices team. Previously, she worked as a process engineer at Intel for one year.
She earned an MSc in chemistry from the Weizmann Institute of Science and a BSc in chemical engineering from Technion.

Photo and Video Consent
By registering for the event, you understand that the session may be video recorded and/ or photos will be taken for use in SCWIST digital communication platforms, including but not limited to the SCWIST website, e-newsletter, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and others. You, therefore, are providing consent for your image and voice to be used by SCWIST for free and in perpetuity.
If you do not want your image to be captured in video or photographically, please ensure that your camera is off during the session.
Questions and Feedback
For questions about the event, or to sign up as a speaker, please contact the Communications and Events team, by email at marketing_events@scwist.ca.

SCWIST Quantum Leaps - Accessible Technology and Environment Conservation
2023-03-28 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Vancouver)
This virtual career conference gives grade 8-12 girls interested in STEM, a glimpse into what people in these fields do in their careers.

Since 1981, SCWIST has made great strides in promoting and empowering women in STEM. When you register, please consider adding a small donation to support our programs so all interested women and girls can see where a future in STEM can take them.

SCWIST Quantum Leaps is a virtual career conference uniquely designed for grade 8-12 girls interested in or curious to explore careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). This conference gives girls a glimpse into what people in STEM fields do in their careers.
In this event on March 28, you can meet SCWIST youth scholarship awardees. High school girls used their scholarships for science projects and inventions that won awards at various events and competitions, in Canada as well as in other countries. Some of these girls were the first females in their family to seriously pursue their dreams in STEM fields. At this event, they will talk about their invention, experiences interacting with other girls and women in science, experiences at various events and how they used their scholarships to bring their inventions into the spotlight.
One invention is an optimal mouse shoe pad that helps people with upper limb disabilities to use and access the computer with more efficiency and confidence. This innovation fits into a variety of popular footwear to help people of all abilities to utilize technology. Another project involved discovering a species of freshwater zooplankton that can be used to treat and prevent algae blooms. This can combat the negative effects of algae on water quality, ecosystem diversity, the cost to fishing and tourism industries.
At the event, you will get the opportunity to interact with these girls, learn about their projects and find out about particular science fields.

SPEAKERS

M﻿eihuan Yu
Meihuan is a grade 11 student at Markville Secondary School and the inventor of the Computer Operating Assistance System Technology (COAST). COAST technology transforms a regular optical mouse to allow people with upper limb motor disabilities to access computer technologies. Whether it be Nikes or dress shoes, this innovation fits into a variety of popular footwear to ensure that people of all abilities can strive to utilise optical mouse functions. With the support of SCWIST’s Youth Skills Development scholarship, her invention won 4 awards at the International Invention Innovation including the gold medal and Best Young Inventor Award. Furthermore, COAST received media coverage from many outlets including the National Observer. She is motivated to pitch her invention to charities and prosthetic companies in hopes of making COAST accessible to the disabled community. Innovation is an agent for change and COAST aspires to be a meeting spot for technology and advocacy.

A﻿nnabelle Rayson
Annabelle has discovered that Daphnia magna are the best species of freshwater zooplankton to biomanipulate in order to treat and prevent algae blooms. Harmful algae blooms are plaguing aquatic ecosystems around the world. They impact water quality, ecosystem diversity, cause dead zones, and cost the fishing and tourism industries millions of dollars. Biomanipulation is when an ecosystem is manipulated to create a desired effect. However, very little is known about the species’ distinct genotypes which could allow for more effective, successful, and sustainable biomanipulation of the species and algae bloom treatment and prevention. Annabelle compared the abilities of four genetically distinct genotypes of Daphnia magna to consume algae to see which one would be better to biomanipulate to protect freshwater ecosystems.
With her project, in 2022, she competed in the Lambton County Science Fair (her regional science fair) where she won the Best in Fair Award and qualified for the Canada-Wide Science Fair (national science fair).

In May 2022, she participated in the Canada-Wide Science Fair where she won the following awards:
– The Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society and the Weather Network Award (Special Award)
– The Canadian Stockholm Junior Water Prize (Special Award)
– The Beaty Centre for Species Discovery Award (Special Award)
– Excellence Award – Gold (Senior Division)
– Challenge Award – Environment and Climate Change
– Best Senior Discovery Project (Platinum)
– Best Project Award – Discovery (Crystal)

In August 2022, she represented Canada in Stockholm Sweden at the Stockholm Junior Water Prize where she won the Stockholm Junior Water Prize, the highest accolade for youth water science in the world.
In September 2022, she represented Canada in the Netherlands at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists (the largest science fair in the European Union with invited guest countries) where she won third prize overall.

Photo and Video Consent
By registering for the event, you understand that the session may be video recorded and/ or photos will be taken for use in SCWIST digital communication platforms, including but not limited to the SCWIST website, e-newsletter, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and others. You, therefore, are providing consent for your image and voice to be used by SCWIST for free and in perpetuity.
If you do not want your image to be captured in video or photographically, please ensure that your camera is off during the session.
Questions and Feedback
For questions about the event, or to sign up as a speaker, please contact the Communications and Events team, by email at marketing_events@scwist.ca.

Implementing & Maintaining Women’s Employee Resource Groups
2023-03-28 17:00 - 18:00 (America/Vancouver) | SFU Ventures Lab, 555 W Hastings St #1100, 11th floor, Vancouver, BC, V6B 4N6, Canada
Join us in the 1st event of the SCWIST x The Thoughtful Co series to learn about developing and maintaining Employee Resource Groups (ERGs).

Since 1981, SCWIST has made great strides in promoting and empowering women in STEM. When you register, please consider adding a small donation to support our programs so all interested women and girls can see where a future in STEM can take them.

T﻿his is the first event in a series of workshops with SCWIST x The Thoughtful Co.
Check out the other available workshops below. If you register for three events, you’ll receive free admission to the fourth:

Compensation Negotiation 101. April 18th, 2023 12pm-1pm PST (Virtual)
Understanding Stock Options & Restricted Stock Units. May 2nd, 2023 5pm-6pm PST (In-person)
Interview & Performance Review Prep: Identifying Your Unique Strengths. June 6, 2023 12pm-1pm PST (Virtual)

*E﻿mail commsevents@scwist.ca when you have registered for three events to be added to the fourth event for free.

IMPLEMENTING AND MAINTAINING WOMEN’S RESOURCE GROUPS

This workshop will help you develop and maintain successful Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) that effectively improve gender equity in the workplace. ERGs are critical in building a sense of community and belonging, identifying areas for improvement, and developing company-specific policies that suit your culture and organizational goals. We leave time for group discussion and Q&A to ensure all your questions are answered. This workshop is led by Sophie Warwick, who has spent her career in structural engineering and specializes in developing in-house gender equity policies and chairing ERGs and advocacy groups. Key takeaways from this workshop include:

Understanding & communicating the value of advocacy and support groups.
How to develop an engaging group structure that can be maintained long-term.
Selecting and coaching the right group champions.
Appreciating intersectionality and how different groups may work together.
Setting up an annual calendar and enrolling key senior leaders.

L﻿ight refreshments will be served.

SPEAKER

S﻿ophie Warwick
Sophie Warwick, Co-Founder of the Thoughtful Co, has spent her career in structural engineering consulting where she designs multi-use and residential buildings, from early conception to project completion. In 2018, she Co-Founded Women in Consulting Engineering (WCE), a non-profit organization to support and empower women in engineering. At The Thoughtful Co, she specializes in developing in-house gender equity policies and chairing Employee Resource Groups and advocacy groups. Additionally, she uses her data analysis expertise from her engineering background to define targets and track growth and retention.

A﻿bout the Thoughtful Co:
We support women in understanding and negotiating their compensation, and advise employers on policies to improve gender equity in the workplace. Using our team’s deep expertise in compensation, we empower women to feel confident in asking for the compensation they deserve. Compensation includes salary, bonus, stock options, restricted share units, benefits, role scope, vacation, severance, RRSP/401Ks/ESPPs, non-competes, allowances, flexible work arrangements, parental leave and more.
Please reach out to us if you’re interested in learning more about our services, or just to chat!
Email: contact@thethoughtfulco.net, Website: www.thethoughtfulco.net, Instagram: @thethoughtful.co, Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/the-thoughtful-co

Photo and Video Consent
By registering for the event, you understand that the session may be video recorded and/ or photos will be taken for use in SCWIST digital communication platforms, including but not limited to the SCWIST website, e-newsletter, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and others. You, therefore, are providing consent for your image and voice to be used by SCWIST for free and in perpetuity.
If you do not want your image to be captured in video or photographically, please ensure that your camera is off during the session.
Questions and Feedback
For questions about the event, or to sign up as a speaker, please contact the Communications and Events team, by email at marketing_events@scwist.ca.

Brown Bag: Science-Based Strength Training as the Ultimate Office Ergonomic
2023-03-22 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Vancouver)
A hands-on workshop leveraging exercise science and strength training to counteract the toll of sedentary desk work on your body.

Since 1981, SCWIST has made great strides in promoting and empowering women in STEM. When you register, please consider adding a small donation to support our programs so all interested women and girls can see where a future in STEM can take them.

Science and technology are a big part of your work, so how do you leverage science and technology to counteract the toll of sedentary desk work on your body? In this hands-on workshop, busy STEM professionals will learn what to prioritize in their exercise routine to improve posture and reduce pain. You will also gain practical strategies on how to include strength training in your life, even if it is just one minute at a time.

Have confidence to exercise regularly.
Get stronger so you can perform better in your everyday life.
Know how to keep your body feeling good without medication.
Be able to work without the distraction of pain.

Come prepared to use your brain and work those muscles!

SPEAKER

S﻿ilvia Hua
After working as a kinesiologist for 4 years helping hundreds of workers return to work after injury, Silvia realized that many of the injuries she treated were due to a lack of strength and poor posture. She switched to personal training to help people become more proactive with their health. As a recent data science graduate, Silvia is now seeking her next opportunity in tech to create better health and fitness apps and devices.

MUST READ: Participant Agreement
By signing up for this virtual event, I agree that:

I am participating at my own risk.
I will listen to my body and stop anything that does not feel right.
Participation is voluntary.
Neither Silvia Hua nor any other participant will be held responsible for any negative outcomes that may arise as a result of my participation.
I am able to safely participate in physical activity.
I will ask Silvia Hua questions if unsure how to proceed with an activity safely.

Photo and Video Consent
By registering for the event, you understand that the session may be video recorded and/ or photos will be taken for use in SCWIST digital communication platforms, including but not limited to the SCWIST website, e-newsletter, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and others. You, therefore, are providing consent for your image and voice to be used by SCWIST for free and in perpetuity.
If you do not want your image to be captured in video or photographically, please ensure that your camera is off during the session.
Questions and Feedback
For questions about the event, or to sign up as a speaker, please contact the Communications and Events team, by email at marketing_events@scwist.ca.

2023 Wonder Women Networking Evening
2023-03-15 16:30 - 18:30 (America/Vancouver)
Grow your professional network: meet and mingle with fellow students, professionals, and STEM leaders in Canada!

SCWIST and Science World are excited to once again host the Wonder Women Networking Evening. This networking event has been going on for more than 30 years, and this is our third year hosting it online for women across Canada.
Designed specifically for university students, early career professionals, and those considering a career change, you’ll connect with some incredible “Wonder Women” in STEM who are successful in their fields and passionate about sharing their expertise with the next generation of STEM professionals.

“Networking is not about just connecting people. It’s about connecting people with people, people with ideas, and people with opportunities.” – Michele Jannae

We’ll be meeting on Zoom, and using breakout rooms for a few rounds of networking between attendees and Wonder Women mentors. Each room will be hosted by two Wonder Women in the same or similar fields, and attendees will be assigned to rooms based on the fields they are interested in. You’re free to select as many topics as you like from our list, but please note that we can only use 2-3 of them to assign you to 2-3 different rooms. You’ll also receive the “WWNE Field Guide” ahead of time to learn about the various Wonder Women mentors.
Not sure how to network, and virtually? Not to worry – just show up with a question or two, ready to listen, but we’ll start the night off with some networking “how-tos” and provide some tips along the way.
This event was created for those who identify as women in STEM fields, due to a lack of networking opportunities for women. To further our goal of supporting those under-represented in STEM, we invite participants and mentors who identify as trans, genderqueer, non-binary, two-spirit, or gender questioning as long as the framing of the event as a women’s networking space does not feel incongruent with your identity.
Don’t miss this lively evening of networking and fun—register to save your spot today!
_______________________________________________________________________________
EVENT PARTNERS
Science World – Science World is a charitable non-profit and science centre based in Vancouver, BC that engages learners across the province in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art & design and math). Visitors to their iconic geodesic dome explore interactive, hands-on exhibits and galleries that nurture their process of discovery and inspire connection with their natural, physical and built environments. Participants in their outreach programs—students, teachers and families in every region of BC—access the experience of Science World through virtual visits from scientists, livestream science shows, and weekly after school STEAM mentorship. At Science World, they inspire the next generation of problem solvers, world changers and nerds.
Learn More: scienceworld.ca

STEM Streams – This event is sponsored by STEM Streams, a program by SCWIST offering free pre-employment and skills development training program. STEM Streams is designed to empower women who identify as: racialized, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQ+, living with disabilities, and those returning to the workforce.
Learn more: scwist.ca/stemstreams
_______________________________________________________________________________

JOIN SCWIST!
Register to be a member and take advantage of many benefits including free or discounted event tickets, access to professional development and mentorship programs, volunteer opportunities including community outreach, expanding your professional network with women in STEM. More information here.

REFUND POLICY
No refunds on donations.

PHOTO AND VIDEO CONSENT
By registering for the event, you understand that the session may be video recorded and/ or photos will be taken for use in SCWIST digital communication platforms, including but not limited to: the SCWIST website, e-newsletter, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and others. You therefore are providing consent for your image and voice to be used by SCWIST for free and in perpetuity.
If you do not want your image to be captured in video or photographically, please ensure that your camera is off during the session.

EVENT SPONSORSHIP
Sponsor a single event or a series!
We host a variety of different events, and can tailor a package according to your objectives and budget.

QUESTIONS AND FEEDBACK
Contact us at events_coordinator@scwist.ca

SCWIST Quantum Leaps - Cryptocurrency, vaccine development and engineering
2023-03-02 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Vancouver)
SCWIST Quantum Leaps – Cryptocurrency, vaccine development and engineering

Since 1981, SCWIST has made great strides in promoting and empowering women in STEM. When you register, please consider adding a small donation to support our programs so all interested women and girls can see where a future in STEM can take them.

SCWIST Quantum Leaps is a virtual career conference uniquely designed for grade 8-12 girls interested in or curious to explore careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). This conference gives girls a glimpse into what people in STEM fields do in their careers.

During these events, girls can meet professionals who have been successful in their STEM fields and meet other like-minded girls who have similar aspirations and interests. This event will help them know more about the STEM fields they are interested in and discover new STEM fields. Quantum Leaps also aims to aid students in the transition between high school and higher education.

This particular Quantum Leaps event will focus on women professionals working in tech, chemistry and business fields. Did they have a fixed plan for what they would like to do five years after high school? How do they ease into changing their career focus? Did they know that they wanted to pursue these careers in high school? Girls will get the opportunity to interact with these women to get the answers they need at the event.

SPEAKERS

Dr. Brittany Pequegnat
Brittany has a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Guelph, ON, where she specialized in bacterial polysaccharide conjugate vaccines for gastrointestinal disorders. After completing her PhD she became a postdoctoral fellow at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School in Boston MA, studying glycobiology and human stem cells. She then joined the start-up company Affinivax in Cambridge MA as a Scientist, where she worked on the development of Pneumococcal based vaccines.
Currently, Brittany works at Sanofi Pasteur in Toronto, where she started as the bulk antigen subject matter expert for Tetanus Toxoid vaccine manufacturing and is now the Deputy Director in Manufacturing Technology for Upstream Flu vaccine manufacturing.

A﻿shley Wright
Ashley Wright is a business coach and cryptocurrency educator from Toronto, Canada. She has many years of experience in Marketing and Direct Sales. She has been featured by global media platforms and is the Top Woman of Colour Crypto Educator in Canada. She is the founder of The Crypto Strategy Alchemy, a 7-week program that teaches individuals how to invest, trade and earn Crypto. She also founded Crypto Babes, a community for women with over 20,000 members who want to learn, work and build in Web3.

A﻿dan Azem
Adan is a PhD candidate in electrical and computer engineering and an NSERC CREATE quantum computing scholar at the University of British Columbia. Recently, she completed an internship at Xanadu Quantum Technologies Inc. working with the low-temperature devices team. Previously, she worked as a process engineer at Intel for one year.
She earned an MSc in chemistry from the Weizmann Institute of Science and a BSc in chemical engineering from Technion.

Photo and Video Consent
By registering for the event, you understand that the session may be video recorded and/ or photos will be taken for use in SCWIST digital communication platforms, including but not limited to the SCWIST website, e-newsletter, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and others. You, therefore, are providing consent for your image and voice to be used by SCWIST for free and in perpetuity.
If you do not want your image to be captured in video or photographically, please ensure that your camera is off during the session.
Questions and Feedback
For questions about the event, or to sign up as a speaker, please contact the Communications and Events team, by email at marketing_events@scwist.ca.

Overcome Your Objections and Leverage the Benefits of Networking
2023-02-28 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Vancouver)
Join us at this next event in our Brown Bag series to hear from Sue Maitland about the importance of networking.

Since 1981, SCWIST has made great strides in promoting and empowering women in STEM. When you register, please consider adding a small donation to support our programs so all interested women and girls can see where a future in STEM can take them.

Networking is an essential skill in today’s fast paced and ever-changing world. It can make a huge difference to the opportunities you uncover and the support and success you experience in your career. Sadly, many people have an aversion to networking and our workshop leader, Professional Life Coach, Sue Maitland, was one of them. Now she’s a passionate advocate for the benefits of networking and even developed a workshop Networking for Success to help others embrace making powerful connections through networking. Sue will share her first traumatic experience with networking and you’ll learn how she was able to recover from it and learn to love to network.
In this event you’ll:

Uncover the barriers that stop us from networking
Re-frame your perception of networking
Understand the benefits of a strong and supportive network

Join us and commit to growing your network in the coming months. You’ll see positive outcomes in your professional and personal life.

SPEAKER

Sue Maitland PCC
After decades in the world of IT, in roles including programmer, project manager, recruiter, resource manager and sales executive, Sue followed her passion and trained to become a professional life coach. Accredited through the International Coach Federation at the PCC level, Sue specializes in helping other people make professional and personal transitions. She does this through presentations, online workshops and 1-on-1 coaching.
Her flagship workshop What’s Important to Me Now has helped 100’s of people get clarity on their top priorities for this phase of their life and the accompanying group mastermind helps motivate them to take action to live a life aligned with these priorities. Sue especially enjoys working with women in IT and is a sponsor of iWIST (Island Women in Science & Technology), offering a complimentary coaching session to all new members. Her Networking for Success workshop has proved invaluable to many people in career transition and her Self-Care workshop helps busy professionals put more balance in their lives.

Photo and Video Consent
By registering for the event, you understand that the session may be video recorded and/ or photos will be taken for use in SCWIST digital communication platforms, including but not limited to the SCWIST website, e-newsletter, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and others. You, therefore, are providing consent for your image and voice to be used by SCWIST for free and in perpetuity.
If you do not want your image to be captured in video or photographically, please ensure that your camera is off during the session.
Questions and Feedback
For questions about the event, or to sign up as a speaker, please contact the Communications and Events team, by email at marketing_events@scwist.ca.

Defense is a place for STEM women: A panel discussion
2023-01-24 15:30 - 17:00 (America/Vancouver) | SFU VentureLabs, 555 West Hastings Street, #Suite #1100, Vancouver, BC, V6B 4N6, Canada
Join our speakers as they highlight the challenges and accomplishments of being STEM women in the area of National Defense.

Since 1981, SCWIST has made great strides in promoting and empowering women in STEM. When you register, please consider adding a small donation to support our programs so all interested women and girls can see where a future in STEM can take them.

SCWIST and the Department of National Defense have partnered to bring you an exciting panel presentation and discussion about STEM careers in National Defense. Have you always wondered about where STEM fits within the area of defense? Or are you curious about where a STEM career can lead you within defense? Join us on this exciting panel discussion, co-moderated by Ms. Avneet Sandhu and SCWIST’s president, Dr. Poh Tan.

SPEAKERS

C﻿aptain Kalina Yurick
Captain Kalina Yurick joined the military in 2011 and attended the Royal Military College of Canada to earn her degree in Aeronautical Engineering. Throughout her time at school, Kalina fenced for the RMC varsity team. Some highlights included captaining for her last two years and representing Canada at the World Military games in South Korea.
After school Kalina began her flight training in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. She completed her Phase 3 training on the CT-140 Harvard II and transitioned to Qualified Flight Instructor at the school for her first posting. Kalina earned her Masters of Science in Aeronautics education throughout her instructor tour.
Kalina’s current posting is with 407 Long Range Patrol Squadron in Comox, British Columbia. She currently flies the CP-140 Aurora, which is a platform used for anti-submarine warfare and surveillance.
Kalina’s husband is also a pilot at 407 Squadron, where they are fortunate to work and fly together. They tackle the challenges of maintaining a healthy work-life balance as a team while progressing through their careers.

Lieutenant-Colonel Melissa Reyes
Lieutenant-Colonel Melissa Reyes has served over thirty-three years as a Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) officer, and is now specializing in space-related capabilities and tasks for the CAF. Her various military experiences, around the world and Canada, have given her a sound knowledge of satellites and space systems, operations, and management.
Among her many assignments, Melissa has worked at the Canadian Space Agency, 12th Space Warning Squadron Greenland, North American Aerospace Defense (NORAD) Headquarters, and Kandahar Air Field (Afghanistan). She is presently employed as the Section Head for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Space Systems, within the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Melissa received her Master of Sciences Degree, specializing in Remote Sensing, from the University of Colorado (2008), and completed the International Space University / Space Studies Program (2012). Melissa has been involved in various Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) initiatives and employment equity groups throughout her career and is honoured to be part of this event for the Society for Canadian Women in Science and Technology.

Lieutenant Commander Calley Gray
Lieutenant Commander Gray has served 18 years in the Royal Canadian Navy as a Marine Systems Engineer. She has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Royal Military College of Canada and a double masters from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture.
LCdr Gray spent 4 years serving onboard various Canadian Patrol Frigates culminating in her appointment as Head of the Marine Systems Engineering Department on HMCS WINNIPEG. She deployed with the Canadian Navy to South America and South-East Asia, participating in detection and monitoring operations to facilitate the interdiction of illicit drug trafficking. Her naval deployments also included conducting training, exercises and engagements with foreign navies and other international security partners, and providing security for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics.
As a strong advocate for women in engineering, she championed institutional change within the naval engineering occupation by helping to remove barriers for women’s career progression. In December 2020, she deployed to Iraq as the Gender Advisor for NATO Mission Iraq. During her 9 month deployment, she contributed to advancements in Iraq’s Second National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security by working with international experts and the Iraqi Ministry of Defence to open various educational and professional development opportunities to women.
Now back in Canada, LCdr Gray is the Gender Advisor for Chief Professional Conduct and Culture which has been stood up to lead a fundamental transformation in the way in which system misconduct (sexual misconduct, hateful conduct, systemic barriers, harassment, violence, discrimination, employment inequity, unconscious biases, and abuse of power in the workplace) is understood and addressed in the Canadian Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces.

Dr. Poh Tan, SCWIST President (co-moderator)
Poh is an entrepreneur, stem cell scientist, educator, 2x TEDx speaker, and mother of two boys. With a Ph.D in stem cell biology, Poh is currently completing a second PhD with a focus in science education. She is the founder and CEO of STEMedge Academy where she creates programs to support high school students develop research capacity in STEM. She returns to the Board of Directors as SCWIST’s President.

Ms. Avneet Sandhu (co-moderator)
Ms. Avneet Sandhu works as a communications officer for the Department of National Defence and is responsible for assisting with diversity and inclusion files. She supports the Advisory Council on Diversity to Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy Maritime Forces Pacific Formation (MARPAC) and Joint Task Force Pacific (JTFP), and the Advisory Group on Intersectionality to the Commander of Military Personnel Generation.
Avneet also supports announcements and engagements for senior officers and connects women-led organizations, university faculty, and students with the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces. Avneet graduated from Simon Fraser University in 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies and a minor in Education. Avneet is an incoming JD candidate and is the co-founder, vice-president, and director of external relations for She Connects – a nationwide mentorship program for girls in high school.

Photo and Video Consent
By registering for the event, you understand that the session may be video recorded and/ or photos will be taken for use in SCWIST digital communication platforms, including but not limited to the SCWIST website, e-newsletter, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and others. You, therefore, are providing consent for your image and voice to be used by SCWIST for free and in perpetuity.
If you do not want your image to be captured in video or photographically, please ensure that your camera is off during the session.
Questions and Feedback
For questions about the event, or to sign up as a speaker, please contact the Communications and Events team, by email at marketing_events@scwist.ca.
