The University of Toronto hosted the eighth annual Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) National Conference earlier this year. The event aimed to empower Canadian female science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) students and professionals who are often underrepresented in STEM fields.
The conference consists of a two-day event each January, with over 500 participants who attend workshops and keynote speaker panels that connect women in STEM.
As a fourth-year immunology and biology student at the University of Toronto, Amna Majeed understands how important empowering women in university STEM programs can be, one reason that led her to become this year’s WISE National conference chair.
“Female high school students would come up and thank me at this event because they never thought that science is something that a girl could do,” said Majeed.
“I think that really stuck with me, and I knew I needed to be a part of WISE to have a greater impact.”
WISE U of T was first established in 1999 but has become one of the largest campus organizations in Canada, with over 1500 members, spreading across many Canadian universities.
This year’s conference theme was “Lead without Limits,” focusing on encouraging women to pursue leadership roles in STEM professions.
“The fact remains that women still fill less leadership positions than men do,” said Majeed.
“We are looking for the answers to the issues that prevent women from breaking that glass ceiling in STEM and achieving these leadership goals.”
More women graduated with degrees in STEM programs than ever before, according to a 2016 study by Statistics Canada.
Yet, women remain underrepresented and underpaid, making up just 22 per cent of the total workforce in STEM fields.
The keynote speakers panel at the conference featured a wide array of successful and inspiring female STEM professionals, including U of T engineering alumna Kristen Facciol, who is an operations engineer with the Canadian Space Agency and NASA.
Facciol was a flight controller, a part of the team that led the first all-female spacewalk for NASA last year.
“I think a lot of female STEM students feel a great barrier between themselves and somebody who’s already in the industry,” said Majeed.
“It was inspiring to hear from a lot of women who had gone through those challenges and experienced successes in a STEM career.”
Majeed described the event as a success, noting that it was the largest to date in attendance.
“We all share the same stories and challenges about what it means to be a woman in STEM,” said Majeed.
“This event is important to bring people together and talk about these issues that prevent women from entering STEM, and it’s a conversation that needs to happen.”
Graphic by Julia Robinson.
