Inspiring Future Women in Science

Stay tuned for information regarding Inspiring Future Women in Science 2024.  

Cylita Guy - Data Scientist, AssuranceIQ

Dr. Cylita Guy is a Toronto based ecologist, data scientist, and science communicator. She completed her PhD at the University of Toronto where she studied bats as carriers of viruses. Dr. Guy now works as a data scientist at AssuranceIQ. As a science communicator, Dr. Guy spent ten years working as a Host at the Ontario Science Centre and has appeared on radio and T.V. She has also published her first children's book - Chasing Bats & Tracking Rats: Urban Ecology, Community Science, and How We Share Our Cities - with Annick Press. In her downtime, you can find your friendly neighbourhood batgirl chasing her next big outdoor adventure.

Ghazal Geshnizjani - Faculty in the Department of Applied Mathematics and Waterloo Centre for Astrophysics, University of Waterloo and Affiliate and Visiting Fellow, Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics

I was born and raised in the historic city of Isfahan, Iran. I obtained my BSc’s degree from Physics department at Sharif university, Tehran, Iran in 1999. Shortly after that I moved to the United States for graduate studies and received my PhD in physics from Brown University, Rhode Island, US in 2005, followed by postdoctoral fellowships at University of Wisconsin-Madison, Perimeter Institute and being a research scientist at University at Buffalo. As an academic I am technically a theoretical/mathematical physicist. My research interests are tackling different aspects of cosmology such as investigating initial conditions of the universe and big bang, evolution and fate of the universe, models of dark energy and corrections to Einstein's theory of relativity.  I also teach Mathematics and Physics to undergraduate and graduate students at University of Waterloo and Perimeter Institute. 

When I was in school, I realized I enjoy solving math problems and the analytical thinking that goes behind it. That gave me the initial boost and motivated me to pursue mathematics further. My interest gradually turned to theoretical physics, where I found it to be the place where analytical thinking/math skills and nature meet each other. I found it very exciting that we can describe and formulate laws of nature in this elegant language and then test our ideas.  I believe life is a journey of constant learning about ourselves, about others and about nature. So I try to make the best out of what it offers me, learn from it and let my curiosity and experience guide me to the next steps. 

Some of my interests outside sciences are spending time with my family, gardening and being in nature, playing competitive badminton (even though I am not that good at it!), stimulating conversations with friends, and good food from around the world! 

Melanie Anderson - Director, Cryptographic Security and Systems Development, Communications Security Establishment

Melanie Anderson is the Director of Cryptographic Security and Systems Development, part of the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security at the Communications Security Establishment. Melanie and her team are responsible for Canadian Communications Security (COMSEC) policy and compliance, evaluating the security of cryptographic products, providing cryptographic advice and guidance including preparations for the quantum threat to Cryptography, and modernizing the Government of Canada’s classified infrastructure. Melanie is an Executive Champion of the Women in Cyber and Intelligence (WICI) group at CSE and is passionate about mentoring, promoting the well-being and interests of women, and encouraging girls and young women to pursue careers in STEM.

Melanie holds a Bachelor of Computer Science from the University of New Brunswick and completed the Senior Executive Fellows Program through the Harvard Kennedy School in 2020. 

In addition to her career in Information Technology, Melanie is an avid singer and musician. She performs locally as a professional opera singer and spent many years teaching piano and voice. She is fluent in French and Italian and enjoys playing basketball, golf and travelling. She is based in Ottawa, Ontario with her partner, two cats and a corgi.

Shannon Tymosko - Electrical Apprentice, IBEW Local 105

Shannon Tymosko is a 3rd year Electrical Apprentice and proud sister of the IBEW Local 105; Hamilton. She is also a Skilled Trades Ambassador, Motivational Speaker, and an Advocate for Mental Health. She originally completed a Child and Youth Work diploma where she found a compassion and understanding for people as well as the challenges of mental health.  Being an ambassador has allowed Shannon to combine her passion for people, with her new love for the trades. She uses her voice, story, and platform to encourage, motivate and inspire change in the industry and the minds of the young and old.

Vanessa Takim-Ndifon - Engineering Project Manager, Thermo Fisher Scientific

Vanessa is a licensed professional Chemical Engineer in Ontario. She studied Chemical Engineering at Toronto Metropolitan University and for the past 6 years has specialized in pharmaceutical manufacturing where she has optimized numerous types of manufacturing processes to keep up with the Industry 4.0 revolution. As a Nigerian immigrant to Canada who had to navigate a new country by herself, she has been passionate about empowering students, especially international students, with the tools to succeed before, during and after their university education. Her STEM outreach includes her YouTube channel, Enem's Engineering Envelope, volunteer partnerships with STEM organizations such as herVolution, STEMHub Foundation and Rise in STEM, being featured on a Prime Video TV show, Colossal Machines as a STEM educator, and her business, Head Start 4 All, which focuses on providing early career solutions to a variety of students including STEM students. 

Fazilat Mahmood - Software Engineer, Microsoft

Fazilat Mahmood was born and brought up in Bangladesh. She completed her undergraduate degree in Computer Science and Engineering at Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology. She later moved to Canada and enrolled in a Master's program in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Memorial University of Newfoundland after receiving a scholarship. Fazilat completed her Master's degree and moved to Ontario in 2012. Since then she has worked in different industries including client solutions, banking, and forensic software. She also participated as a mentor at Technovation Girls, Canada. After exploring numerous career opportunities, she has finally landed her dream job at Microsoft.

Karen Chisholme - Climate Change and Sustainability Manager, County of Wellington

Karen Chisholme is the Climate Change and Sustainability Manager for the County of Wellington. She has decades of experience working with multidisciplinary teams to solve big problems and transform our landscapes and communities. Before working in climate change, Karen’s work as an Aquatic Habitat Restoration Project Manager protected the tributaries and nearshore of Lake Ontario. She has also worked as a Planning Ecologist, helping to plan some of the fastest growing communities in Canada. A passionate advocate of active transportation, Karen loves riding to work on her eBike.

Students will have to opportunity for small group discussions with a number of speed mentors from a variety of STEM fields, including: physics, ecology, aerospace engineering, library sciences, kinesiology, optometry, chemistry, and more.