Best of the WWEST

In this episode, we’re joined by Sophie Pierre.

Sophie has dedicated 30 years to serving on the council of the St. Mary's Indian Band—now known as ʔaq'am—of the Ktunaxa Nation, including 26 years as elected chief.

From 2009 to 2015, she served as the chief commissioner of the B.C. Treaty Commission, a role to which she was appointed by agreement between the Governments of Canada and British Columbia, along with the First Nations Su...

The momentum continues! Even though Rethinking Racialized Language Awareness Day on November 20th has passed, the conversation is far from over.

In this episode, we’re joined by Debbie Chaves, head of copyright and course reserves at Wilfrid Laurier University, who brings her deep expertise on the impact of words that have certain historical contexts, and how libraries are adapting database searches to incorporate mor...

This episode kicks off the Westcoast Women in Engineering Science and Technology's 'Rethinking Racialized Language' campaign, launching on November 20, 2024.

Throughout the month, we’ll hear from panellists challenging colonial language, like the term 'whitepaper', as well as discuss ways to promote inclusive language within academia and beyond. 

Our first panellist to kick off the series is S...

In this episode, we speak with Severine Pinte. 

She is a distinguished winemaker with a Master’s degree in viticulture and oenology from the National School of Agronomy in Montpellier, in southern France. 

With over 26 harvests of experience, she has worked in various wine regions. However, the Okanagan region and climate there have captivated her since 2010.

Severine is now the Executive Winemaker at Le V...

In this episode, we speak with Hallee Fried, who, along with her husband Jeff, co-owns Farmstrong Cider Company, based in Armstrong, British Columbia.

But, her passion for working the land began long before she started cider-making. Agriculture and farming have been a part of her life for as long as she can remember.

In this interview, she shares her story of how and why she got into cider-making, and the labour of love that goes i...

In this episode, we speak with professor of Zoology at the University of British Columbia and the director of the Canadian Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Dr. Diane Srivastava. 

She also runs the Srivastava Community Ecology Lab where her team ...

In this episode, we speak with Canadian social scientist and professor at McMaster University. Dr. Ingrid Wa...

In this episode, we speak with former wildland firefighter Jen Beverly. She is currently an associate professor at the University of Alberta and leads the Wildfire Analytics research team, where she teaches and conducts research on wildfire science and management.

Jen talks about what drew her to firefighting and wildfire research in our conversation. She also discusses how climate change impacts researche...

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 mark...

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. 

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To celebrate International Women's Month, we speak with Dr. Deborah Saucier, the President of the Vancouver Island University and a renowned researcher.

A proud member of the Métis Nation of Alberta, Dr. Saucier shares her journey to academic leadership.

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For a special episode this month, we continue our conversation with the women at the Canadian Association of Girls in Science. 

We speak with Diya Kalia, a member and teen ambassador for the organization, about how she's empowering the next generation of girls in STEM. 

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STEM is full of opportunities for women passionate about making a difference. But recent studies have shown that women are sorely underrepresented in leadership positions, resulting in limited access to mentorship.

This episode we speak with Larissa Vingilis-Jaremko about how her passion for breaking stereotypes has transformed a local initiative into a nationwide movement.

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According to UN data from 2021, women in the international space industry represent just 20 percent of the workforce. That number has stayed around the same for the past 30 years.

This episode we speak with Dr. Parshati Patel about her career as an astrophysicist turned STEM educator and the challenges she faces along the way. 

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Four marine biologists are taking on the World's Toughest Row, a challenge that sets sail across the Atlantic Oceean from the Canary Islands to Antigua. 

The team is on a mission to raise $500,000 USD for marine science and conservation, including an organization based in B.C. 

This episode we speak with the Salty Science Crew's members, Chantale Bégin, Noelle Helder, Isabelle Côté and Lauren Shea, as they set off on their 3000 ...

From a global pandemic to an ongoing climate crisis, science journalism has become a staple in our lives. But the threat and spread of misinformation has created a gap between the public and scientists.

So how can science and journalism work in conjunction to mend this divide?

This episode we speak with Amorina Kingdon about her work and the challenges she's faced as a science writer and journalist.

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According to Statistics Canada, women make up less than 25 per cent of people working in STEM careers. As women continue to break down barriers that once held them back from pursuing STEM, it is becoming more important than ever to address diverse backgrounds and identities in research and industry.

So how are some of these women navigating their careers and what can we do to create more equitable workplaces?

This episode we speak ...

Often the assumption is that STEM scientists are mostly white and male, and it's not hard to see why. The media keeps reinforcing this image, and the fact that women, people of color, and other minority groups are seriously underrepresented in STEM doesn't help either.

This episode we speak with Dr. Stacey Smith? about her experiencing in STEM breaking stereotypes and making the industry more inclusive. 

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With wildfire season taking over several parts of the country, the need for proper management and restoration is becoming even more crucial.

This episode Sarah Dickson-Hoyle, a post-doctoral researcher at UBC working iwth the Secwepemcúl’ecw Restoration and Stewardship Society, joins us to talk about the importance of collaborating and working with Indigenous people for wildfire preparation, management, and restoration.  

Listen to...