Brand new Canadian citizen Suzanne Karajaberlian would never have guessed, years ago, how far her passion for geology would take her. All she knew was that a good education would provide her with a ticket to a better life, doing something interesting, probably somewhere else.
Back then, her parents never questioned her decision to go into a STEM field. They valued education and hoped it would secure a better, safer, future for all of their children.
Suzanne was born in Beirut, Lebanon and grew up there during the 80’s, the civil war years. Geology, to her, wasn’t merely an intriguing field; it was an area of endeavor that would present her with many different career options. As she explained, “Geology isn’t just about rocks and earthquakes. It’s about the universe and its evolution.”
It never once crossed her mind that geology was a ‘male’ field, at least until she got to university to find that there were only 6 women in her class of 20.
After earning her degree, she chose to go to graduate school in the United States, at Binghamton University, but not before tweaking her specialization. Her new area of study was to be environmental geology.
“Environmental Geology is even vaster than traditional geology, and I was excited about the opportunity to explore the intersection of geology and the environment,” she explained.
What particularly sparked her interest in the environment were the pollution problems she witnessed in Lebanon.
“There was no recycling, no sewage treatment, and a constant degradation of cedar forests. Lebanon is also situated by the Mediterranean Sea which has been plagued by pollution,” she said.
Upon completing her graduate studies, Suzanne found work with the Corning Incorporated, working on green glass. “After all, glass is mostly sand.”
After seven years working in the corporate sector, she decided a change was in the air. “It was time for me to look for more mission-oriented work.”
Suzanne’s graduate studies focused on pollution around the Great Lakes, specifically Lake Michigan, caused by coal-fired power plants. She then brought her expertise north to Canada and found a position with the Summerhill Group, an energy efficiency company, while acquiring a better understanding of this country’s environmental landscape. Her statistics and project management background allowed her move up quickly in the company during her five years there.
For almost a year, now, Suzanne has been working at Environmental Defence, a national environmental charity that works with government, industry, and the public at-large to help make a greener and more prosperous Canada. As Managing Director, she helps make sure that all the organization’s strategies, policies, and finances come together for a long term vision.
Through research, education and public engagement, Environmental Defence works to limit people’s exposure to toxic chemicals; to curb urban sprawl by growing Ontario’s Greenbelt; to protect the Great Lakes, watersheds, beaches and other environmentally-sensitive areas; and to reduce climate change by transitioning Canada to a clean economy.
Even if Suzanne isn’t an expert in any one area, her solid science background has allowed her to quickly become familiar with any new issue being addressed by Environmental Defence. Her STEM background has also proven useful in another way. As she explains: “In the science sector, results matter. Similarly, Environmental Defence is an outcome-oriented organization, which made it an easy transition to being on the team.”
When asked if young women today should consider going into geology and environmental advocacy, she immediately replied “Yes.”
“I have always been a proponent of more women going into STEM,” she said. “If a young woman has a passion for science and technology, and a desire to make a difference, environmental advocacy is a great place to be. It’s a big, broad and growing field with lots of opportunities.”