Best of the WWEST

In this episode, we speak with Natalia Bussard, who is the program manager for Simon Fraser University's Science Co-op program.

Her team is responsible for helping students find paid work experience in various scientific fields.

In our conversation, she talks about what students can expect as they prepare to enter the workforce. She also offers us some insight into navigating today’s challenging job market.

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Visit wwest-cwse.ca to learn more about WWEST and to listen to other available episodes.

This episode we speak with Bonnie Douglas, who is the project manager at the Canadian Coalition of Women in Engineering, Science, Trades and Technology, or CCWESTT.

She shares how her curiosity about sour cream led her to food engineering and how she now advocates for a diverse STEM workforce in her current role.

Listen to the Best of the WWEST on Spotify, Apple, Google, Amazon, iHeart, Gaana, and Castbox

Visit wwest-cwse.ca to learn more about WWEST and to listen to other available episodes.

In this episode, Dr. Naheda Sahtout and Dr. Nicole Brown sit with us to discuss the experiences of individuals with disabilities in STEM and academia, and how we can make STEM more accessible for disabled individuals in the workplace, lab, and classroom!

Dr. Naheda Sahtout (Ph.D) is an award-winning academic, researcher, scientist, and leader. Naheda completed her B.Sc. (Honours) in Biology from the University of Waterloo, M.Sc. in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Guelph, and Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Saskatchewan. She is currently a Science Analyst in the Office of the Chief Science Operating Officer with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Naheda developed a strong interest in STEM outreach and finding innovative and creative ways of bringing STEM to rural and Indigenous communities during her graduate programs. She also found her passion in enhancing graduate education, and as a student leader worked hard to strengthening the student-supervisory relationship, finding more resources for graduate students, increasing the networking opportunities for graduate students with non-academic partners, and working on initiatives that prepare graduate students for non-academic careers. Aside from all her efforts on campus, she also finds time to volunteer in the community and spent much of her time in Saskatoon helping refugees and newcomers with the Saskatoon Open Door Society. Currently, she is the Managing director of the Muslim Achieving Excellence Scholarships Fund program, a national program dedicated to supporting excellence in youth. Having herself tackled an academic journey with a visual impairment; she is passionate about advocating for inclusivity, diversity, equality and accessibility in science. She is committed to redefining the landscape and finding ways to support women and girls succeed. She continues to dedicate her time to these matters, whether it is in the workplace or at a global level. Her unique background and first-hand experience navigating academia, combined with her fierce and enthusiastic nature, have given her the tools to be an excellent advocate for the matters that are close to her heart.

Dr. Nicole Brown is a writer, social researcher, and associate professor working on the cusp of research/practice/teaching. She is Director of Social Research & Practice and Education Ltd and Associate Professor at University College London. Nicole’s creative and research work relate to physical and material representations of experiences, the generation of knowledge, the use of metaphors, and more generally, research methods and approaches to explore identity and body work. Her books include Lived Experiences of Ableism in Academia: Strategies for Inclusion in Higher Education, Ableism in Academia: Theorising Experiences of Disabilities and Chronic Illnesses in Higher Education , Embodied Inquiry: Research Methods, and Making the Most of Your Research Journal. Her next books are Creativity in Education: International Perspectives and Photovoice, Reimagined. Nicole's creative nonfiction has been published in the Journal of Participatory Research Methods, So Fi Zine and The AutoEthnographer. Nicole shares her work at https://www.nicole-brown.co.uk and she tweets as @ncjbrown and @AbleismAcademia

Listen to the Best of the WWEST on Spotify, Apple, Google, Amazon, iHeart, Gaana, and Castbox

Visit wwest-cwse.ca to learn more about WWEST and to listen to other available episodes.

(Please excuse any audio hiccups in this remotely recorded interview.)

Ben Britton is an Associate Professor in Materials Engineering at UBC, teaches on the Manufacturing Engineering programme and holds a visiting Readership at Imperial College London. Ben leads a research group looking at characterising the performance and manufacturing of materials used in high risk high value applications, as well as materials used to support us achieving a low carbon future. In addition to his technical work, Ben works to agitate for improved equity in STEM, including a focus on LGBTQ+ issues.

For full shownotes, transcription, and land acknowledgement visit http://i.sfu.ca/BuhvRT

• Cech, E.A. and Waidzunas, T.J., "Systemic inequalities for LGBTQ professionals in STEM"
• Dr. Britton on Wikipedia
• Experimental Micromechanical Characterisation Research Group
• Institute of Physics, "Exploring the workplace for LGBT+ physical scientists" report
• LGBT STEM Day
• "No Sexuality, Please, We're Scientists" (talk, Imperial College London)
• Responses from members of 21 STEM professional societies - a Twitter thread
• Safer Spaces

Hosted by: Vanessa Hennessey Theme Music: “Positive and Fun” by Scott HolmesProduced by: Vanessa Hennessey

Maggie MacPhee is a grade 7-12 mathematics teacher in Nova Scotia. Maggie studied Mathematics at Mount Allison University before completing her Education degree at St Francis Xavier. Maggie’s favourite math topics are graph theory, board games, and social justice through mathematics.

For full shownotes, transcription, and land acknowledgement visit http://i.sfu.ca/OcXpdQ

• Building Thinking Classrooms
• The Crest of the Peacock: Non-European Roots of Mathematics (book)
• High School Mathematics Lessons to Explore, Understand, and Respond to Social Injustice (book)
• Infinite Powers: How Calculus Reveals the Secrets of the Universe (book)
• Maggie on Twitter
• Minister's Island
• Mount Allison University
• Mount Saint Vincent University
• Saint Francis Xavier University
• Settlers of Catan (board game)

Hosted by: Vanessa Hennessey Theme Music: “Positive and Fun” by Scott HolmesProduced by: Vanessa Hennessey