I am in my final year of study in the biological sciences program at the University of Guelph. After my bachelor’s degree, I hope to pursue a master’s degree in education and become a high school math and sciences teacher. Our current education model for biology places an immense emphasis on memorizing extensive amounts of details, facts, and information. Previous major scientific discoveries have shown that the STEM field and society-at-large needs individuals who can problem-solve, innovate, and challenge the status quo. This starts with our students understanding the applications, motivations, and purposes behind learning. I would like to involve students in active learning by increasing hands-on learning experiences, community involvement, and problem-solving activities.

I am interested in the field of science pedagogy. I hope to learn and understand engaging methods of teaching biology and math to teenagers. I want to learn ways we can use science and math to help students gain soft and hard skills that allow them to be engaged and emphatic participants in society. I am inspired by Bill Nye’s ability to utilize humor, home experiments, parodies, and gadgets to engage and entertain students about important science concepts. I admire his ability to use rhetoric and charisma to highlight important environmental and health issues to people of all ages.

Youth should not be experiencing fewer engagement opportunities and support just because of financial and geographic boundaries. My goal is to be able to provide students with equal access to after school programming and extracurriculars related to the STEM field. I am an organizational team leader for Frontier College’s Number Ninjas program. Through gamification, storytelling, experiments, and music videos, we aim to show students in Guelph and Waterloo that math can be exciting, engaging, and have real-life applications. In the summer of 2019, we were able to expand this initiative to isolated First Nation communities in Northern Ontario such as Moose Factory and Mattagami.

My love for learning and exploring does not stop at school but applies to my hobbies and interests as well! I love experimenting in the kitchen and trying new recipes. Specifically, I enjoy altering dishes and baked goods by adding more nutrient-dense foods and removing animal-based products. This is to ensure all my family and friends, regardless of their food sensitivities/ intolerances and diets, can enjoy the food I make.