"Everywhere we look in nature, we observe diversity. Perhaps that is why it feels so odd when diversity is absent in our workplace. Let’s work to bring diversity to all sectors and layers of society and reshape our worldinto a better place."
- Dr. Annemieke Farenhorst, NSERC Chair for Women in Science and Engineering Prairie Region
The Prairie NSERC Chair for Women in Science and Engineering
Enhancing Opportunities for Girls and Women
The Prairie NSERC Chair for Women in Science and Engineering enhances opportunities for girls and women to participate and grow in science and engineering careers.
Opportunities for Youth
- The Verna J. Kirkness Science & Engineering Education Program: Indigenous grade 11 students work on projects in university research labs of their choosing. 59 girls from 30 communities across Canada participated in the program in 2017, and the program keeps growing.
- WISE Kid-Netic Make Your Move: Grade 8 girls are teamed up with professional engineers as mentors to solve an engineering challenge. Each year, 60 girls and 20 professional engineers participate in the event.
- WISE Kid-Netic Energy Girls Club: For girls in grades 3–8, Girls Club is about having fun and fostering mentoring relationships while exploring a different area of science and engineering every Saturday during the school year. Our enrollment fills up each year, and will be expanded for 2018–2019 to welcome 40 participants.
Opportunities for University Students
- ICAN-WISE Scholarship Program: A research scholarship that creates opportunities for female undergraduate students from the Prairies to study with their woman role model for a summer.
- Agriculture and Engineering Women Mentorship Programs: University students in engineering and agriculture connect with professionals in their field of study in a year-long series of formal and informal gatherings.
Opportunities for Professionals
- Women Leadership Program: Leadership and skill-development workshops hosted at universities across the Prairies.
- Celebrating Women in Science and Engineering: We have created 80+ profiles featuring academic role models across the Prairies and their advice to students in their field.
- Workplace Survey: Focusing on science and engineering units, an in-depth evaluation of how professionals at universities in Canada experience their workplace environment.
Many thanks to our partners: University of Manitoba, Verna J. Kirkness Education Foundation, University of Saskatchewan, Province of Manitoba (Agriculture), Manitoba Pork Council, Engineers Geoscientists Manitoba, University of Alberta, University of Calgary, University of Regina, and Iris Meck Communication Inc.
