On Oct. 17, women faculty whose research or teaching aligns with science, technology, engineering, and/or mathematics (STEM) will gather for the first faculty meetup aimed at cultivating mentorship and networking opportunities among women in STEM at York University.
This event is part of a new series of faculty meetups for women STEM scholars centred around peer mentoring and career advancement. The purpose of the initiative is to create a space for women in STEM to build strong networks and offer mutual support, fostering collaboration and shared success.
“Being in a room with women who share common experiences in STEM is incredibly valuable – not only for the camaraderie but also for gaining new perspectives,” says Jane Goodyer, dean of Lassonde School of Engineering. “During my time as dean, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside talented women colleagues and witnessing the meaningful contributions they’ve made. This event is an exciting opportunity for us to come together, widen our networks, and explore new ideas for interdisciplinary research and programming. Our shared identity as women in STEM can truly help us support one another and drive forward innovative initiatives.”
The meetup is co-sponsored by the Lassonde School of Engineering and the Office of Faculty Affairs in the Division of Equity, People & Culture. It will take place at the Bergeron Centre for Engineering Excellence.
This gathering is timely and reflective of York’s growing leadership in the field, as many of the University’s most prominent research achievements in STEM are led by women.
Assistant Professor Laleh Seyyed-Kalantari, from Lassonde’s Electrical Engineering & Computer Science Department, is one of nine global recipients presented with the Google Research Scholar award to advance her work on Artificial Intelligence technology in health-care settings. Professor Sapna Sharma from the Department of Biology in the Faculty of Science is the inaugural director of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research Global Water Academy and was named one of Canada's top 10 women water scientists.
Additionally, later this month, Associate Professor Maleknaz Nayebi, also from Lassonde’s Electrical Engineering & Computer Science Department, will chair the annual Canadian Celebration of Women in Computing Conference in Toronto on Oct. 25 and 26.
Nonetheless, despite these significant accomplishments, women scholars at York continue to be under-represented and face challenges in gaining full recognition for their contributions.
“We have to look for progress toward gender equity, not only in numbers, but also in influence and visibility,” says Laina Bay-Cheng, vice-president of equity, people and culture. “These meetups are a way to help women STEM scholars find each other, strengthen their networks, and support each other’s progress in their research agendas and careers.”
All self-identifying women faculty members whose scholarship relates to STEM are welcome to register and join. The next meetup, co-hosted by the Faculty of Science, will take place in the Winter term. Details will be announced through the Faculty Affairs monthly newsletter.