Best Of The Wwest

In our third episode of the miniseries by the WWEST Associate Chair program hosted at iSTAND at the University of British Columbia Okanagan (UBCO), host Maxine (iSTAND Communications and Resource Design Assistant) reverse engineers the diversity in STEM conversation. She speaks to two men in female-dominated fields to explore how these fields can support greater gender diversity, and the benefits thereof. In particular, this episode explores nursing and social work and the parallelisms between these fields and STEM. Within these fields, the historical context of gendered professions is slowly, but surely, changing. You'll also hear about mentorship, the vulnerability these fields expose, and how men can find their footing when navigating gender expectations. Dr. Jennifer Jakobi, WWEST Associate Chair, introduces us to our guests in the beginning of this episode as well. (Please excuse any audio hiccups in this remotely recorded interview.) iSTAND is the Integrative STEM Team Advancing Networks of Diversity,

Folks, we have finally done it. We finally interviewed WWEST Chair Dr. Lesley Shannon on Best of the WWEST! Danniele and Lesley dive into many things, including coping during the pandemic and how it is affecting not only women in STEM, but women everywhere; Lesley’s experience in university studying Computer Engineering, and even some fun things in the Lightning Round. You don’t want to miss this episode and learn all about the person behind everything at WWEST. Dr. Lesley Shannon P.Eng is a Professor and Chair for the Computer Engineering Option in the School of Engineering Science at Simon Fraser University. Dr. Shannon studies computer systems design. She works in a rapidly growing field that combines custom computing hardware and software to design and implement application-specific computer systems for applications in a wide range of areas including robotics, machine learning, aerospace and biomedical systems, multimedia applications, and cloud computing. For a full transcription of this episode, click

Jennifer Flanagan is an inspirational leader for girls and women in STEM, and in this episode, you are sure to be just that - inspired! She joins WWEST manager and podcast host Danniele to give insights into how it benefits all of us to support women, girls, and Indigenous communities in STEM; how she founded Actua, an organization that inspires future innovators; and she asks and explores the important question "How does a context and environment need to change to be more welcoming and accepting of girls and women?" (Please excuse any audio hiccups in this remotely recorded interview.) Jennifer Flanagan is the co-founder, President and CEO of Actua. Actua is a national charitable organization that engages Canadian youth in transformational experiences in STEM and contributes significantly to future innovation in Canada. Jennifer leads this national network of university-based organizations across Canada that deliver interactive STEM programs annually engaging 225,000 youth in 500 communities. (Please excuse

Anne Simonen joins Best of the WWEST host and WWEST manager Danniele in this episode and is keeping it real by telling us about her journey from being a student who wasn't strong in math to a civil engineering technologist who is supporting really important projects in wastewater treatment. She explains why civil engineering and water treatment are super relevant right now, how making big mistakes don't have to cost your career and are great learning experiences, and gives us a glimpse into her life outside of work in the lightning round. (Please excuse any audio hiccups in this remotely recorded interview.) Anne Simonen is a civil engineering technologist at KWL in Nelson, BC. She mostly works on projects that help get safe drinking water to people’s houses, and the wastewater that goes down drains be safely disposed of, but her favourite part of work is working with contracts and construction. WWEST and Best of the WWEST would like to thank the Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of BC (ASTTBC) f

Working in technology, construction, and engineering often is portrayed in just one way, but Rebecca Sorbara is here to tell us that there are many rewarding non-conventional careers in these fields. She joins Danniele, WWEST manager and Best of the WWEST host, to get nerdy about building science. Everyone comes into contact with buildings every day, and Rebecca explains why her passion for keeping buildings dry and keeping walls doing what they do best is so important. Plus, she tells us all about sustainability and answers the question “what is a passive house?” (Please excuse any audio hiccups in this remotely recorded interview.) Rebecca Sorbara is the Director of Building Science at McCuaig and Associates Engineering. She leads a team of engineering professionals and oversees the development and implementation of organizational quality control processes. Rebecca is an Applied Science Technologist with 18 years of experience in building science and project management. WWEST and Best of the WWEST would li

How does Sheryl Cumming, Professional Engineer with the Metro Vancouver Regional District’s Planning and Environment Department “pay it back” into the world with her work? For starters, she is a mentor to other women in STEM and leads by example. In this episode, she tells host Danniele how she transitioned from the Philippines into her schooling in Canada, leading to a career she pursues with passion. She also shares advice with future generations of STEM professionals and gives us a glimpse into the local and regional work she is a part of to make sure those in the Lower Mainland can adapt to climate change successfully. (Please excuse any audio hiccups in this remotely recorded interview.) Sheryl Cumming works as a professional engineer at Metro Vancouver Regional District’s Planning and Environment Department in the Air Quality and Climate Change Division. Her experiences combined led her to her current work, trying to save the world (or at the very least, help prepare the region) through her role in the

In our first Best of the WWEST episode in partnership with ASTTBC (Applied Science Technologists & Technicians of British Columbia) and the Advancing Women in Engineering and Technology project, Best of the WWEST host Danniele welcomes Erin Karaim to the podcast. Erin tells us all about what it’s like to be a draftsperson - the ins and outs of her education and her career creating technical drawings for engineering projects. You’ll hear why being a technologist/technician is a very rewarding career option in STEM. But don’t worry, it's not all about work - you’ll also learn fun facts about Erin in the lightning round. (Please excuse any audio hiccups in this remotely recorded interview.) Erin Karaim is a civil engineering technician at WSP in the sectors of Architecture and Construction, Engineering, and Technology. Erin completed a 1-year drafting certificationin Computer Aided Design and Drafting at Kwantlen College in Surrey, BC. Her work varies from pipe plans and profiles, to road design and ditchin

In our second episode of the miniseries by the WWEST Associate Chair program hosted at iSTAND at the University of British Columbia Okanagan (UBCO), host Maxine (iSTAND Communications and Resource Design Assistant) speaks with a panel of experts on Indigenizing STEM education. This discussion is an eye-opening glimpse into the lives of Indigenous women in STEM and integrating the new Truth and Reconciliation mandates in education in Canada. You’ll also hear about developing curriculum in schools for Kenyan indigenous populations, decolonizing classrooms, teaching indigenous perspectives embedded in school courses, and so much more. Dr. Jennifer Jakobi, WWEST Associate Chair, introduces us to the panelists in the beginning of this episode as well. (Please excuse any audio hiccups in this remotely recorded interview.) iSTAND is the Integrative STEM Team Advancing Networks of Diversity, which is creating a network to recruit, support, and increase underrepresented persons in Science, Technology, Engineering, an

Yuka Takemon joins Best of the WWEST host Danniele in a socially-distanced interview to talk all about bioinformatics and why research in the field can give quick rewards. Yuka also dives into her identity as a member of the LGBTQIA and STEM communities and the importance of being visible in both. Plus, she reveals how she kicks stress to the curb and other fun facts during the lightning round! (Please excuse any audio hiccups in this remotely recorded interview.) Yuka Takemon is a PhD Student in the Genome Science and Technology program at the University of British Columbia. Yuka is also a member of Marra Lab at Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, BC Cancer, where she conducts her research. Hosted by: Danniele Livengood (@livengood) Theme Music: “Positive and Fun” by Scott HolmesProduced by: Vanessa Hennessey Please consider leaving us a review on iTunes or Stitcher! For more from Westcoast Women in Engineering, Science and Technology, you can follow us on Twitter at @WWEST_SFU, on Facebook at @W

This time on the podcast, Danniele introduces us to a very special guest - her wife, Claris. Danniele asks Claris about her work as a the Consultancy Director of Silverstring Media, a small video game studio in Vancouver, BC. You'll hear video game recommendations (perfect for social distancing), Claris' view on the importance of storytelling not just in video games but in society at large, and so much more. Plus, you'll get a taste of the music Claris has produced in quarantine! Stay safe everyone, and don't forget to wash your hands! Claris Cyarron is the co-founder of Silverstring Media, a small videogame studio in Vancouver, BC that also offers narrative consulting and expertise for hire. Claris is a storyteller, multi-disciplinary designer, and an ever-aspiring adventurer. Relevant Links: Cosmo D Cribbage with Grandpas Dark Souls The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Nathalie Lawhead Off-Peak Silverstring Media   Hosted by: Danniele Livengood (@livengood) Theme Music: “Positive and Fun” by Scott Hol

Mitzi Dean, MLA for Esquimalt-Metchosin and British Columbia Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity, has 3 main priorities: Tackling gender-based violence, getting rid of systemic barriers, and economic and political empowerment of girls and women. In this episode with WWEST manager and podcast host Danniele, PS Dean tells us why women in STEM are important to the BC government (because they very much are), how her favourite part of her job is meeting so many amazing women, and gives us a glimpse into her journey being elected an MLA and appointed Parliamentary Secretary. Mitzi Dean was elected as MLA for Esquimalt-Metchosin in 2017, and was appointed the Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity in February 2018. Parliamentary Secretary Dean grew up in southeast England and has spent the last 30 years helping the most vulnerable people in our community. Relevant Links: Girl, Woman, Other (book by Bernardine Evaristo) Mitzi Dean on Facebook Mitzi Dean at the Legislative Assembly Mitzi Dean on Twitter WWE

In this episode, WWEST manager and Best of the WWEST host Danniele speaks to Lieutenant Commander Calley Gray, Marine Systems Engineer Officer in the Royal Canadian Navy. She gives us all a rare glimpse into what it's like to be a woman in the Navy and the amazing and big strides the Armed Forces have taken to create a more diverse and equal landscape. LCdr Gray also gets nerdy about naval architecture in the best way, tells us fascinating stories of the work the Navy does to make the world a better place, and how her time in the Royal Military College of Canada shaped her into the Lieutenant Commander she is today. Lieutenant Commander Calley Gray is a Marine Systems Engineering Officer in the Royal Canadian Navy and she specializes in Naval Architecture. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Royal Military College of Canada and a double Master’s degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture. Relevant Links: Canadian Forces S

Which career allows you to marry environmentalism and data science? Being a quality manager at an engineering firm! Louise Wilkinson is our guest on the podcast for this episode, and she shares how she ended up in her dream job after working full time while in university. You’ll also hear how her initial choice of career was drastically different from where she ended up, how her fur baby is her best support; and she gives us hope for a present and future where companies are focusing on the environmental impacts of their work. Louise Wilkinson has 20 years of industry experience predominantly in laboratory operations and quality assurance, and is now working in corporate sustainability as well as quality assurance - focusing on utilizing her research skills, and love of excel to calculate corporate greenhouse gas emissions for a multi-national firm. She has worked in a variety of industries throughout her career; from polymers to pharmaceutical, food and supplements, animal feed and cosmetics, to healthcare a

In this episode of Best of the WWEST, podcast host and WWEST manager Danniele will introduce you to the 7 women who are featured in WWEST's new photography project, "In Plain Sight." This project is a photojournalistic look at the lives and careers of women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields, where they are often overlooked. Women are underrepresented in these fields and are rarely seen in the media as STEM professionals. Deanna Flinn, of Free Admission Photography, has captured the aspects of these women's lives that are not often seen as congruent with a career in a STEM field. For this episode, these 7 featured women speak about family, community, advocacy, collaboration, and mentorship. Featured in the exhibition and in this episode are Lianna Mah, P.Eng.; Leigh Joseph (Stayawat), Dr. Sheryl Staub-French, P.Eng.; Edoye Porbeni, Dr. Tammara Soma, Humaira Ahmed, and Christin Wiedemann. Find their bios at WWEST's website. Due to COVID-19, this exhibition at Science World was cut shor

This episode marks the first in a miniseries by the WWEST Associate Chair program hosted at iSTAND at the University of British Columbia Okanagan (UBCO). iSTAND is the Integrative STEM Team Advancing Networks of Diversity, which is creating a network to recruit, support, and increase underrepresented persons in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). You can learn more about their program here and about the WWEST Associate Chair program here. In this episode, iSTAND Communications and Resource Design Assistant Maxine van Zyl and WWEST Associate Chair Dr. Jennifer Jakobi introduce us to 3 women in STEM in the Okanagan. These women demonstrate diverse lived experiences of being underrepresented people in STEM. The guests interviewed cover themes of evolution from scientist to academic, how to explore career options and development, and how cultural experiences and personal awareness can lead to growth. Featured on this episode are Dr. Deborah Buszard, Deputy Vice Chancellor and Principal of

Leila Abutaleb joins WWEST manager and podcast host Danniele to get nerdy about digital communication. She shares her journey starting as a contractor to a full time employee managing a communications team and how technology has always been the underpinning in her career. You'll also hear her very relatable story of how stress forced her to refocus and realign with her goals and how this experience changed her career for the better. Leila Abutaleb is a digital communications manager at BC Hydro. Leila studied Communications at Simon Fraser University and is Nielsen Norman UX certified. She works with developers, designers, and engineers to improve user experience on the web, E-mail, and social channels. Hosted by: Danniele Livengood (@livengood) Theme Music: “Positive and Fun” by Scott HolmesProduced by: Vanessa Hennessey Please consider leaving us a review on iTunes or Stitcher! For more from Westcoast Women in Engineering, Science and Technology, you can follow us on Twitter at @WWEST_SFU, on Facebook at @

Girls to the Power of Math is a girl-to-girl math mentorship program, and it was all born out of research into whether gender influences confidence in math for elementary students. This program was started by Alexa Bailey, and she's our guest for this episode. She tells host Danniele about what it's like to be a girl with an interest in STEM in high school, what she hopes to accomplish with Girls to the Power of Math, and shares her frustration at the bias she has experienced as a girl even at school. If you want some extra inspiration, you're going to love this episode. Alexa Bailey is a grade 9 student with a love of math, who decided to do some research into whether gender influences confidence in math for elementary students from kindergarten to grade 7. Once she identified this confidence gap, she was determined to help find a solution. Alexa started the Girls to the Power of Math program, which provides girl to girl math mentorship that includes fun, creative, and interactive activities to boost girls’

WWEST manager and Best of the WWEST host Danniele talks to Mary-Jane Piggott, Senior Water Resources Engineer, about why she came to Canada from Australia, how the arts can intersect with STEM, and how her job lets her travel to really cool places. Plus, you’ll find out where you can see the evidence of a water resources engineer’s work in everyday life and Mary-Jane offers some really great advice for STEM students and professionals. Mary-Jane Piggott is the North America Regional Manager of the Mining and Environment Group at Klohn Crippen Berger or KCB. Mary-Jane is a Senior Water Resources Engineer who specialises in stormwater management with 20 years’ experience in Australia, Canada, the USA and South America in investigation, design and project management of mining, civil and water resource projects. She manages the North America region of KCB’s Mining Environmental Group and enjoys being part of a team of experienced scientists and engineers. Outside of work she enjoys camping, photography and spendi

This time, WWEST manager and podcast host Danniele speaks with Dr. Sharona Gordon, a professor at the University of Washington’s School of Medicine who is making waves with her various projects, including Below the Water Line, whose mission is to combat sexual harassment in academia. Dr. Gordon also explains her fascinating research into chronic pain, and her passion for everything she does is palpable in this episode. You don’t want to miss it. Dr. Sharona Gordon is a professor of Physiology & Biophysics at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Dr. Gordon has a deep understanding of the environment and challenges in academic science. She has chaired the Board of Scientific Councilors of the National Heart, Lung, Blood Institute of the National Institute of Health; serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of General Physiology, chaired the program for the Biophysical Society Meeting, an international scientific conference with over 10,000 attendees; and founded Below the Waterline, a grassroot

We've heard it time and time again: Don't read the comments. Except today, WWEST manager Danniele speaks with Dr. Maite Taboada, a professor in linguistics at Simon Fraser University, who actually takes time out of her day to read and study those very comments online. In this episode you'll hear all about her work with Informed Opinions on the Gender Gap Tracker, a tool that tracks in real time the number of women and men quoted in major news platforms, plus Maite's journey that took her to computational linguistics at SFU. Maite Taboada is a Professor in the Department of Linguistics at Simon Fraser University. Her research combines discourse analysis and computational linguistics, with an emphasis on discourse relations and sentiment analysis. For a full transcription of this episode, click here. Relevant Links: Discourse Processing Lab Gender Gap Tracker Informed Opinions Maite's Publications Hosted by: Danniele Livengood (@livengood) Theme Music: “Positive and Fun” by Scott HolmesProduced by: Vanessa H