Girls Talk Tech – Making the leap from High School to CSI

Christa Ford is going back to high school this fall; a statement that might seem odd to some given the fact that Ford herself graduated class of ‘97. A Business Development Chemist at Teck Metals Ltd., Ford is taking part in “Quantum Leaps: Girls Talk Tech” a conference for female students hosted by the Kootenay Association for Science & Technology (KAST) at Selkirk College on October 22.

The conference, which is geared towards girls in Grades 9-12 aims to demonstrate that courses in the field of science and technology are interesting, relevant and can open doors to exciting and well–paying careers for women. KAST Project Coordinator Terry Van Horn says “We believe talking to successful women in the industry will encourage these young women to broaden their career possibilities through studying STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, and math).”

Ford couldn’t agree more. “Having this chance to talk directly with the girls allows me to share my excitement for my job at Teck.  An opportunity to talk directly with women in the field of science and to learn what it’s really all about is invaluable and helped me choose a career in science. This gives me a chance to give back to our community; encouraging girls to consider a career in science that I know they could find rewarding.”

According to GirlsInc.org and Statistics Canada, despite the fact that girls are on par with boys in math and science proficiency scores females continue to be under-represented in STEM careers. This comes as no surprise when you consider conclusions that were drawn in a recent survey conducted by the Applied Science Technologists & Technicians of British Columbia (ASTTBC). Results released this summer indicate that the majority of ASTTBC’s female membership feel  that the K-12 school system does not encourage a career in Science & Technology and more specifically, 76.4% responded they didn’t feel girls receive enough information in school to enable them to chose a career in technology/science.

Elina Alimkulov from the RCMP National Forensic Services who will also be attending this year’s Quantum Leaps Conference says “I am delighted to have been invited to speak about my education and career as a woman in the field of Science and Technology.  In high school, I had planned out my life as an architect, until I discovered that I really enjoyed and was good at science, biology in particular.  Science and Technology is such a diverse field, that young girls in school likely know a small fraction of the many rewarding career paths that can stem from a science or physics class in high school.”

KAST is looking to make some inroads this fall by hosting the Quantum Leaps conference. In partnership with the Society for Canadian Women in Science & Technology (SCWIST), this free conference will feature panellists from across BC including keynote speaker Larissa Vingilis-Jaremko. Vingilis-Jaremko founded the Canadian Association for Girls in Science (CAGIS) at age nine and remains the organization’s president despite juggling a University Education.  Additionally, students attending Quantum Leaps will have an opportunity to partake in a question answer period with local professionals, network with like-minded peers and gain valuable insight into how much fun science can be. Says Alimkulov “I hope that during the Quantum Leaps Conference, we can help to bring new ideas, awareness, and direction towards the many exciting opportunities available to these girls, and hopefully spark some new interest for this tremendous area of study.” For more information or to register for the Quantum Leaps conference, please visit www.kast.com.

KAST is a registered non-profit society whose members live and work throughout the West Kootenay-Boundary region and represent a broad range of interests in local industry, business, education and government. KAST works to foster a culture that values science, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship as activities vital to maintaining and enhancing the competitiveness of the region.