We hope the start of summer is going great for everyone!
Welcome to the second edition of the "Wise Notes" news bulletin put together by WISE NL to communicate all the great things going on in the world of Women and Science and Engineering Newfoundland and Labrador, and in the WISE NL community!
|
|
Recent Events
- The May Speaker Series Event was a huge success with Katy Warren, MUN fourth-year electrical engineering student and winner of Season 2 of CBC's Canada's Smartest Person's talk on "What Does “Smart†Mean? Applying Multiple Intelligences in an Engineering Setting."
- On May 26th the closing event of the WISE NL Mentorship Program took place in conjunction with the Speaker Series Event.
- May 3 to 6th was the CCWESTT Conference in Ottawa where many of our members and board members were in attendance. Congratulations to everyone that presented! A special congratulations to WISE NL President Myda Egrmajer for joining the CCWESTT Board of Directors as a Director at Large!
- On May 25th, WISE GSS together with Professional Engineers and Geoscientists Newfoundland & Labrador (PEGNL) held an informative session open to all Engineering and Earth Science graduate students. During this session, everyone got to know the requirements to become a member and the steps to fulfill these requirements; there was also a time for Q&A. WISE GSS would like to thank PEGNL as well as all attendees for this successful event.
- On June 14th, the Speaker Series Event was a different style, and included a tour around the Johnson Geo Centre. Robbie Hicks, Earth Science Instructor at Memorial University lead a presentation and tour titled "From Grains of Sand to a Map: Looking at the geologic past of the Avalon Peninsula." This event was thoroughly enjoyed by all that attended!
|
|
On April 21st, the WISE NL community celebrated the life of F. Mary Williams through "New Traditions - Extending a Legacy: Building on the Vision and Values of F. Mary Williams". Friends and colleagues from across Canada, including two prior NSERC Chairs who were able be here in person, offered their reflections, lessons learned from Mary, and thoughts building on her legacy. This was a beautiful event and we would like to thank everyone who attended and participated in this evening.
Photo by: Randy Dawe
|
|
|
|
WISE GSS event in collaboration with Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Newfoundland and Labrador on May 25th.
|
|
|
Upcoming Events
- The WISE Undergraduate Society will be one of the hosts in the first Global Leadership Conference, a multi society initiative to allow students to networking and further develop their leadership skills, taking place this weekend, June 25 and 26!
- On July 16th, WISE will be hosting a BBQ in Bowring Park! All members welcome, details to follow!
- WISE Graduate Student Society will be hosting a tour to Bull Arm on August 11th. Everyone will get to know the ongoing work on the Hebron project GBS. The tour is open to all WISE GSS members and left spaces will be made available for non-members.
|
|
|
"Note-able" Moments
This past month two representatives, Clara Decan and Ashley Osmond, from the Women in Science and Engineering Undergraduate Society, attended the 16th Biennial CCWESTT Conference held in Ottawa. They had the opportunity to present on behalf of the society on The Importance of Networking and Mentoring for Women in STEM fields and had excellent feedback from those who attended the session. Clara and Ashley were fortunate enough to connect with several other WISE Undergraduate Societies from across Canada and greatly look forward to collaborating with them in the future.
|
|
|
|
WISE NL has voluntarily undergone a review process since April, 2016 which has been led by Facilitator Susan Hollett of Hollett & Sons and the WinSETT Centre. This process has been undertaken as our organization grows and as the environment that we work in changes. Thanks to Susan’s exceptional facilitation skills, and the participation of our board and group members, the sessions have been very rewarding. The objectives of reviewing our mission and vision statement, as well as re-defining our priorities as an organization have been met, and we look forward to putting the final results to action beginning in the Fall of 2016.
|
|
Summer Student Employment Program 2016
As the weather gets warmer and the days get longer the SSEP team has been hard at work preparing for the 27th year of the Student Summer Employment Program. This summer we are excited to have 42 participants from across Newfoundland and Labrador including Indian Bay, Buchans, St. Anthony, York Harbor and Happy Valley Goose Bay.
We are also pleased to welcome two new summer coordinators Erin Fitzgerald and Maria Halleran both of whom are SSEP graduates to the SSEP team. Erin is currently studying Engineering and hopes to help other girls realize their love and passion for science and engineering fields, through the exposure SSEP provides. Maria is currently studying Science with plans to study developmental psychology and hopes to help this years participants realize that their future aspirations in the Science and Engineering Fields have no boundaries. Just like she did, during her experience as a WISE SSEP student.
Together the SSEP team has been planning a number of tours including the Ocean Sciences Center and Health Sciences Center and social events like the always popular Boat Trip and WISE US Dessert and Career Choices Night.
The summer will culminate with our Final Presentation Day, this event is not only a chance for our SSEP participants to share their experiences but is also an opportunity to recognize some of the many people who help to make the Student Summer Employment Program possible.
|
|
|
SSEP Spotlight: Mackenzie Grace
Mackenzie Grace of Trepassy was awarded with the Shulich Leader Award for Science and will be entering Memorial University this fall to study Biochemistry. During SSEP Mackenzie worked as a Behavioural Neuroscience Research Assistant and worked in a lab that was studying the production of a specific protein in the brain when fear or stress is felt. Mackenzie credits the program with helping her to learn more about science as well as narrow down her interests and field of study.
“Through the information and advice given to us by the various presenters last summer, I was able to pinpoint what it was that I really wanted to do. In addition, I learned that I had a passion for research that I never would've found had it not been for my placement.†- Mackenzie Grace
|
|
|
SSEP Spotlight: Julie Young
Julie Young of St. Albans was awarded the Shulich Leader award for Engineering and will be entering Memorial University this fall, Julie completed her SSEP placement in St. Albans with the Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association as a Shoreline Clean-Up Research Assistant and will be working with NAIA again this summer.
Julie credits her SSEP experience with helping to open her eyes to the job possibilities that exist in Science and Engineering and says that it greatly influenced her future plans to study engineering.
“I was always unsure of which career path I wanted to pursue, but when I walked
into the robotics room with Emily while I was job shadowing
her, I knew right away that was what I wanted to do for the rest of my
life. I was really intrigued by everything shown to me during SSEP. I
truly think if it wasn't for SSEP I wouldn't have discovered my interest in engineering.†- Julie Young
|
|
|
SSEP Spotlight: Taylor Manning
Another 2015 SSEP graduate Taylor Manning was also recently recognized through Junior Achievement with the Peter Mansbridge Positive Change award. Taylor plans on studying biomedical engineering at the University of Guelph and says that her SSEP experience is something that she will never forget, not only because it led her to some great friendships but also because it helped her to take something she was passionate about and see how it applied in real life.
“SSEP changed my opinion on engineering, something that I wasn’t interested in before the summer started. It impacted me to choose an education that fits all 3 science fields I am passionate
about, Biology, medical sciences and engineering.†- Taylor Manning
|
|
|
|
|
|
