2024 International Day of Women and Girls in Science

February 11 is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. In recognition of this day, the University of Winnipeg is celebrating some of the outstanding women working in science on campus, while also shining a light on the challenges women working in this space often face.

The University of Winnipeg is honored to have these and many other women who have made outstanding contributions to research through their work and studies at UWinnipeg and in the community.

Dr. Srimati Indraratne

Dr. Srimati Indraratne, associate professor of environmental studies and sciences, is a soil scientist whose research focuses on ways to keep soil pollutants out of food systems and water bodies.

“Human health, water quality, everything depends on the quality of the soil,” he said. “Contaminants are absorbed by the plant through the fruits and any vegetables or grains you eat. It enters humans and wildlife through the food chain. That's why we need to stop the transition from soil to food.”

Before moving to Winnipeg in 2015, Dr. Indraratne was a university professor in Sri Lanka and said he regularly traveled around the country to characterize soils. According to her, such field activity may be one of the reasons why women are underrepresented in soil science.

“Especially when you're young,” he said. “You're raising your children, your career is at its peak, and you can't give up. You really need support.'

Dr. Indraratne said it's important to recognize the additional family responsibilities many women in science have and work to accommodate and provide alternatives — something she says is happening at UWinnipeg.

“If there are periods when fieldwork is too challenging, students can opt for carefully designed lab studies,” he said. “They can conduct simulation studies in laboratories. Many of my students do the same. They can still go into greenhouses under controlled conditions, or they can go out into the field. They have options.”

Jessica de Court

Jessica de Court, a third-year physics student, moved to Winnipeg from British Columbia to study medical physics at the University of Winnipeg and dance with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.

Through his research, he is working to improve prostate cancer treatments known as brachytherapy. de Court's research has been presented at the Canadian Undergraduate Medical Physics Conference, the Manitoba Medical Physics Student Summer Symposium, and the Canadian Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics in Montreal this January.

She said it was interesting to meet more women in physics at events like this, as she is the only female third-year physics student at UWinnipeg.

“There are days when I wish I had a girl group,” de Court said. “There aren't many men in physics and there aren't many women in physics.”

He hopes to eventually work with medical imaging machines and hopes his work will help create more inclusive imaging for physicists.

“In kindergarten, you hear the word scientist and the first thing that comes to mind is someone who looks like Albert Einstein,” de Court said. “But what do you think of when you hear 'women in physics'? We really don't know. If we can change that, we can have more women in physics.”

Dr. Melanie Martin

Dr. Melanie Martin is a professor of physics at UWinnipeg and co-director of the Brain Imaging and Metabolic Research Laboratory at the University of Winnipeg.

Dr. Martin is a long-time advocate for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI).

“Research has shown time and time again that having a diverse group of people working on problems leads to better results,” he said. “EDI also leads to friendly and supportive work environments.”

Dr. Martin believes that having more women in science will lead to more research on women's issues, “fields that have traditionally been ignored by men.”

“Women's health issues are under-researched and under-funded, and many women suffer,” she said.

Dr. Martin is currently researching multiple sclerosis, which he says affects four times as many women as men, and Alzheimer's disease, which affects women more often than men. She also supervises several women in her lab who she considers talented, resourceful and hardworking scientists.

“It's great to see them succeed,” Dr. Martin said. “As I watch them develop their scientific skills and become independent researchers, I know that our future, led by talented scientists like those in my lab, will be amazing.”

Meet scientists at the University of Winnipeg Brain Imaging and Metabolic Research Laboratory

Melissa Anderson

Melissa Anderson is a biomedical engineering PhD student working to help make magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) images better and better for diagnosis and quantitative analysis.

Anderson is an advocate and leader in the UWinnipeg community who supports other women in science while balancing family responsibilities.

“Women deserve credit for doing science, but they know they're entering a male-dominated field,” she said. “I am proud to be the mother of four children who are excelling in science in a space that was not meant for me.”

Anderson wants to see more representation of women in science.

“You're like everyone else in this space,” he said.

Anderson is the first in his family to earn a master's degree and is the first person working toward a PhD.

“I love science because it helps me find out why things are the way they are,” he said. “In addition to helping people, trying to cure disease or teaching/mentoring others.”

Madison Chisholm

Madison Chisholm has been a student at UWinnipeg since 2012. He started at the College as a high school student and is currently working on a Master of Science degree in Bioscience, Technology and Public Policy.

“Over the past few years, I've been fortunate to work on projects at the University of Winnipeg's Brain Imaging and Metabolic Research Laboratory,” he said. “I pursued a career in science because I love problem solving.”

Chisholm calls herself a first-generation university student. He was the first in his family to attend and graduate from post-secondary education, something he said he was proud of.

She believes women in science should be celebrated for the unique perspectives they bring to their research.

“I believe that increased diversity in science expands the pool of talented researchers,” he said, “bringing new perspectives, talents and creativity when approaching scientific problems.”

Emma Friesen

Undergraduate student Emma Friesen plans to graduate with a bachelor's degree in June 2024. Honors in Biochemistry with a minor in Mathematics.

She was a member of the Wesmen women's soccer team with Academic All-Canadian status from 2019-2023 and received two undergraduate student research awards from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

“Scientific research in medicine excites me,” Friesen said. “My goal is to go to medical school and work on a PhD in medicine to combine my love of medicine and research at the same time.”

According to Friesen, being a woman in STEM isn't always easy.

“Some people in science think you don't belong or you're not smart enough to be there,” he said. “But you have to take their disapproval as something to prove them wrong and show them that you deserve to be right there.”

After graduation, Friesen will attend graduate school at the University of British Columbia to pursue a Master of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Oncology.

Cheryl Herrera

Cheryl Herrera is a Senior Research Fellow in the Brain Imaging and Metabolism Research Laboratory. He completed his undergraduate studies at UWinnipeg and returned here to complete his doctorate (2018-2020) after graduate studies at the University of Manitoba.

“My research has been the development and application of digital imaging techniques (MRI, PET) to understand changes in anatomy and function associated with disease and disorders,” he said.

As a first-generation Canadian Filipino, Herrera said she faced family pressure to follow the career path her parents knew best.

“Being the scientist that I was now is not something they understand,” he said. “I think being a student at UW and meeting my peers and professors in the physics department helped me decide that's what I wanted to do.”

Herrera said she is happy that women in science are gradually gaining ground.

“When I grow up, I want there to be more people like me doing interesting things in science,” he said. “I hope I can be that for someone else — a mentor to a person of color and a woman like myself.”

Yuji Ren

Yuzhe Ren, a graduate student in biological sciences, is engaged in research and development in the field of intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI). It works to help resolve complications encountered during neurosurgical procedures.

Ren said he is fascinated by the complexity of the human brain and the desire to unravel the mysteries of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.

“What I'm particularly interested in is the interdisciplinary nature of neuroscience research,” he said. “It involves bringing together different scientific disciplines, such as genetics, biochemistry and neuroimaging, to take a comprehensive look at the complexity of neurodegenerative diseases.”

Ren expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to learn and grow under the guidance of Dr. Martin and his team members. She also values ​​collaboration between researchers from all backgrounds and the sustainability of women in science.

“Gender should never be a hindrance in our collective quest to understand the unknown,” he said, “but rather a celebration of the diverse perspectives that contribute to the richness of scientific inquiry.”