In celebration of International Women’s Day this week, we are honoured to share the words of several of our outstanding female tutors. In addition to being valued members of our team at Tutoring Alliance, they are all powerful women whose individual careers both enrich and further young women in STEM. We are proud to offer tutoring support that not only builds strong knowledge, but also provides our daughters with strong role models, fostering confidence in their own unique abilities.
“Don’t be afraid to try something out even if you think you might not be interested! I grew up assuming I wouldn’t like physics because I thought only really, really smart people could do it, and I didn’t want to be the only girl. In grade 11, I decided to try it anyway because I liked math. Thank goodness I did, because I’m still studying physics ten years later in graduate school. It’s pretty fun, and I’m not the only girl! Sometimes I still feel a bit out of place because I don’t have the same passion for quantum mechanics or fluid dynamics that a lot of my colleagues do, but I’m so glad that I have stuck with it. Physics helped me develop problem-solving skills and I have seen so many cool ways to apply it to other areas like policy or environmental studies. You don’t need to be a genius to find a place in physics, or in science. You just need to be open-minded and ready to try things and be wrong a lot.”
– Laura Saunders, PhD candidate in Atmospheric Physics, University of Toronto
“I have always loved science, but when it came to learning concepts, it didn’t come naturally to me. In high school and university, I had a tutor for all of my science courses because even though the material was exciting, I had a really hard time grasping all of the information. I spent a long time feeling frustrated because what was easy for so many people, was so difficult for me.
It took me a long time to accept that everyone learns differently, and you have to find what works for you – you really can’t compare yourself to anyone else. Asking for help is a good thing, it is a sign of strength, not a sign of weakness. Please never doubt your ability to learn something new, you are so much more capable than you know. You got this!”
– Stephanie Brennan Master of Science, Global Study Associate Manager, AstraZeneca
“Happy International Women’s Day! I am always incredibly grateful for the opportunity to celebrate the voices, experiences and triumphs of women around the world. This year’s theme #ChoosetoChallenge is particularly important and close to my heart. As a Black immigrant to Canada, there were many hurdles on my path to higher education. Now, as a PhD student at the University of Toronto, I think back to the wonderful people in my life who encouraged me to speak up for myself and imagine a future that was much greater than society expected of me. We all have a role to play in ensuring that girls and women are heard, respected and free to choose their own paths. So, we must challenge and call out gender bias and inequality. Challenge societal norms that tells girls and women that they are not enough – that they cannot achieve anything they want to achieve. Challenge our own thoughts and actions, so that we can build towards a future that is truly inclusive.“
– Asma Khalil BKin, Master of Science, PhD candidate University of Toronto
“I would like to take this opportunity to credit my fellow female scientists who have provided tremendous inspiration. I’ve been fortunate to work with many incredible women who have greatly influenced my desire to pursue a career in research and have reinforced my confidence in myself.
To successfully advocate for gender equality, we need to work together. It is reassuring that there is growing support for advancing women in the field. A level of accountability needs to be established when gender equality is encouraged, but not meaningfully translated into action. Working towards this change really motivates me to keep pushing forward and inspiring my fellow females to grow and empower each other.
In my life, I have always strived to pay it forward. I strongly believe that we need to take the time to be present for the next generation, even if just lending a listening ear. For me, there are several people throughout my path in science who have helped me, encouraged me and taught me. I stood and still stand on the shoulders of these strong women.
I would like to share this advice that was given to me by a very famous female scientist and an active feminist: “Believe in yourself. Tell yourself that you are good enough. Don’t compare yourself to others. Instead, compare yourself against what you know you are capable of. Never give up.” “
– Ingita Patel, Master of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Neuroscience Graduate
“Never stop learning. STEM is an ever-changing domain, and new technologies, research and discoveries are being uncovered every day. Gain new knowledge by reading articles from a scientific magazine, joining a STEM club at school, or picking up a programming language. This year, I learned SQL (a language used with databases), and had lots of fun in the process! “
– Michelle Williams-Marzucco, Master of Computer Science
