When did your love of STEM begin?

My love of science dates back as far as I can remember, but really began with my science fair projects. Between grades 7 and 12 I competed in local, national and international science fairs with my research that ranged from studying the effect of climate change on plants to developing a novel bio herbicide and even a new antimalarial drug.
I absolutely LOVED science as a child. Before I even began my science fair projects in grade seven, I was passionate about science. As a kid, I would constantly check out books from the library that were too advanced for my reading skills but were on scientific topics I was interested in: astronomy, climate change, marine biology and biodiversity. My favourite presents I ever received were a telescope and a microscope which I used whenever I got the chance. I would spend hours in my backyard observing birds, tadpoles and other common wildlife that I found fascinating. Since then, my specific scientific interests have changed but I continue to be fascinated by nature and take every chance I can to explore my local flora and fauna.

What did you love most about study in your field of STEM?

What I love most about STEM is getting to ask fundamental questions about the world we live in and then experimenting to find the answer. For as long as I can remember I have asked questions about everything and I enjoy that STEM allows me to finally answer some of those questions. Every day is a little bit different, but ultimately we are trying to understand nature and the universe and find solutions to some of the biggest problems facing society. It is a really exciting and dynamic environment to be a part of and I can't imagine a career doing anything else!

What advice would you give to young women considering a career in STEM?

For any young women looking to pursue a career in STEM, I would give them two pieces of advice.

1) Keep asking questions

2) Find the people in your life who are your champions. It will be difficult to hear people criticize or question your choices in your career and so it's important to instead focus on the voices in your life who champion your pursuits and interests. As any great scientist would say, this goes hand-in-hand with asking lots of questions and remaining insatiably curious about the world around you.

Together, you can continue to ask important questions and seek out their answers while feeling encouraged and supported by the champions in your life.