14 Oct 2019
#STEM4Every1, Blog, Girls in STEM, Media, STEM Spark, Success, WISE

Essential Pathways to Internships with Bahar Mojab: RecruitHer

Born in Shiraz, raised in Toronto Bahar Mojab lived in many cities — NYC and Dubai being some of her favourites. Bahar graduated from a psychology background and has worked in Human Resources, solving everyday human problems in a corporate setting. Now she’s transitioned into UX/UI design to tackle human issues on a greater digital scale. With the support of a great team, she has co-founded RecruitHer, a digital platform to connect women to internships in STEM with companies passionate about increasing diversity and inclusivity in the workplace.

What’s the most important thing you have learned in your career?

Confidence and self-belief. Doubting oneself while especially transitioning into a new career can be difficult for anyone but especially for a woman of colour in the tech world.

Did you have a mentor? If so, how did you find them and how old were you?

Not yet! I find it hard to find mentors that I can relate to and who have been on a similar journey to me and are willing to take on a mentee. I believe this is one area women in STEM can improve on in order to open doorways for mentorship opportunities. However, I am still on the lookout!

What did you want to be when you grew up and why?

I wanted to be an astronaut as I had an obsession with black holes and worm holes ideating of the possibilities of travelling to another galaxy. I think the dream of working in space is something that has captured at some point every young child’s heart – of exploring the unknown and hoping to discover something breathtaking and novel. More

26 Aug 2019
#STEM4Every1, Blog, Science, STEM Spark, WISE

Imposter Syndrome: What is holding you back?

Dr. Roopali Chaudhary is a scientist, entrepreneur and a mental health advocate. Her education was completed in the Indian (in India and the Middle East) and the Canadian schooling systems. She earned her undergraduate degree specializing in Molecular Biology and Molecular Genetics from the University of Toronto. She completed her MSc in Genetics from the University of Waterloo studying embryogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster (fruit flies), and her PhD in Cellular Biology from McMaster University researching inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) mouse model. Her postdoctoral research was in Immunology evaluating the immune memory in food allergies (specifically peanut allergy) at Mcmaster University. Apart from being a scientist, Roopali has founded a not-for-profit named Lotus STEMM, which is a networking and a leadership platform for South Asian women in STEMM fields. Additionally, she owns a custom cake bakery named (C6H12O6)3 i.e.SugarKube, with a passion for science-themed cakes, and “edible” science communication.

What’s the most important thing you have learned in your career?

Never shy away from a learning opportunity. If you are comfortable and know exactly what you have to do, then you’re stagnant. Let discomfort settle in, and learn to embrace it. Discomfort helps you learn more about yourself, and forces you to learn a new skill.

Did you have a mentor? If so, how did you find them and how old were you?

I’ve had many mentors in life. But, my first mentor was my mom; from a young age I saw her taking new challenges head on. Though not a woman in STEM, she is probably the strongest woman I know! More