Friends of FOS
At TMU’s Faculty of Science, meaningful academic experiences and ground-breaking research are enabled through a collaborative effort involving numerous community champions.
Creating opportunities for students to grow and excel
Roslyn Bern, president of the Leacross Foundation (left), Roxana Bayat, Computer Science ‘92 (right)
The ability of TMU’s Faculty of Science (FOS) to develop future generations of impactful scientists is directly shaped by our robust network of supporters who champion our education and research endeavours.
One such champion is Roslyn Bern, president of the Leacross Foundation, which funds learning and development programs that enable women and children to thrive. In 2022, the foundation provided a generous gift to the faculty to establish the Women in STEM Internship Program at iBEST.
The annual four-month position for third-year female-identifying undergraduate students provides access to hands-on research experience and one-on-one mentoring at the Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science and Technology, or iBEST, which is located at the Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science at St. Michael’s Hospital.
“It’s important to offer practical training experiences for women in STEM, so they can gain a better understanding of what they’re good at and make informed decisions about their future,” Bern says.
Such opportunities are vital in a domain still plagued by a gender gap: according to a 2023 report by the World Economic Forum, women today make up just over 29% of the global STEM workforce, while in Canada, that number is less than 25%. When women have more opportunities to apply their learning in a lab, Bern says, they become more empowered to determine and pursue their career goals.
“They develop a broader outlook of their field and gain professional connections, which gives them a voice, confidence and preparation for their path after school,” Bern says. “This is how we change the work culture to be more inclusive of women.”
During her research internship last year, biomedical sciences student Madeleine Driscoll studied the healing process of fibrotic wounds, which occur when scar tissue thickens and hardens due to chronic inflammation. Working under the guidance of two research teams, her investigations involved culturing the cells of a pig kidney and placing them in a device called a microfluidic chip to examine how signalling proteins called cytokines impact wound progression.
Driscoll says TMU Science professor Darius Rackus, her principal supervisor in the lab, supported her in the process of developing a solid research question and sound experiment protocols, as well as collaborating effectively with other researchers.
“I got a really good look at the hands-on side of research in a lab, which helped confirm that I’m on the right path,” says Driscoll. She found the investigation subject so compelling that she made it the focus of the research thesis project for her program. “I’m excited to pursue further research with clinical applications that can make people’s lives better.”
Improving people’s lives is also a motivator for Faculty of Science alumna and member of the FOS Mentorship Program Roxana Bayat, though in her case, it involves providing students with an edge as they prepare for their eventual careers in information technology. A 30-year IT professional who has held multiple leadership roles in the financial sector, Bayat is delighted to mentor learners at the institution where she earned her bachelor’s degree in computer science in 1992.
“When I started working in the field, I was kind of lost regarding the avenue to take to build my career. It took me a long time to understand the importance of having mentors,” says Bayat, who is the senior director of developer advocacy & QEX at RBC. “I’m grateful to be able to give back in this way and be a guide for students who are about to start their journey.”
Since 2022, Bayat has worked with three computer science students, meeting with them periodically in person or online to offer her insider insights on building and maintaining a professional network, learning about job opportunities, developing a robust LinkedIn profile and understanding the culture of IT work settings.
Since its inception in 2020, the Faculty of Science Mentorship Program has attracted the engagement of 50 mentors.
Knowing first-hand the distinct challenges women face in the field, where she says gender inequality persists at the senior leadership level, Bayat is particularly invested in helping female computer science students navigate and excel in their careers.
“When you start having to balance your family life with your career, it becomes very tricky for women compared to men, so mentorship at an early stage can be very helpful,” says Bayat, who was honoured with the G. Raymond Chang Outstanding Volunteer Award in May 2024. “It gives me a huge sense of satisfaction if I can simplify even one step in a student’s career journey.”
Learn more about philanthropic giving at the Faculty of Science to support student success in the classroom and beyond.
1 Global Gender Gap Report 2023 (external link)
2 Government of Canada, Women in STEM (external link)
Shaping a future for the thinkers and tinkerers
Rodney Yip (Computer Science ‘82) received a 2023 Alumni Achievement Award for his exceptional contributions to the university. Notable projects include the Indigenous Medicine Garden atop the Daphne Cockwell Health Sciences Complex and the Computational Public Safety Lab within the Department of Computer Science. A thinker and tinkerer by nature, Yip hopes to continue working on projects that propel TMU into the future.