Abstract:
The importance of mental health is often overlooked in academia. Our aim with this webinar panel is to provide a safe space for the discussion on destigmatizing mental health in academia, particularly the chemistry community. Panelists will share their personal stories pertaining to mental health, with perspectives from different stages in their academic journey. The session will conclude with an interactive Q&A, providing participants with a safe space to engage with panelists.
Bios:
Tricia Carmichael, PhD (University of Windsor)
Tricia Breen Carmichael is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Windsor. She received her Ph.D. in 1996 from the University of Windsor, held postdoctoral positions at MIT and Harvard University, and then joined the IBM T.J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, New York as a Research Staff Member in organic electronics. She currently leads an interdisciplinary research program on stretchable and wearable electronic devices and printed electronics, with highlights that include new textile-based wearable electronics (e-textiles), wearable electroluminescent fabrics, soft and stretchable light-emitting devices, and the first transparent butyl rubber for next-generation stretchable electronics. She is the Editor-in-Chief of the journal Flexible and Printed Electronics (Institute of Physics) and the Director of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion for the Canadian Society for Chemistry. Dr. Carmichael has received many awards over her career, and is most proud of those for her EDI work, including the Mary Lou Dietz Equity Leadership Award for demonstrating leadership through contributions to creating an equity culture on campus, the University of Windsor Office of Human Rights, Equity and Accessibility OHREA Award, the University of Windsor Impact Award for co-organizing the first LGBTQ+ in STEM conference in Canada, and the Rotary Peace Chain Link Award.
Shira Joudan, PhD (University of Alberta)
Dr. Shira Joudan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Alberta. Her environmental analytical chemistry research group studies the environmental fate of organic contaminants, including halogenated chemicals like per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
Shira’s research group is specifically interested in how chemical reactions in the environment impact how contaminants are transported and potentially accumulate. The group innovates chromatography and mass spectrometry-based analytical methods to apply to environmental samples and lab experiments. Ultimately, their research helps inform policy and hopefully helps to design chemicals that provide functionality without environmental harm. Shira grew up in Winnipeg, obtained her BSc from Carleton University, her PhD from the University of Toronto, and held a postdoctoral research position at York University in Toronto. Outside of research and teaching, she is a columnist for Nature Chemistry, where she writes about being a pre-tenure faculty member, and enjoys exploring cities, live music, and spending time with friends.
William Fahy, MSc (University of Toronto)
Will Fahy is a PhD candidate in environmental chemistry at the University of Toronto studying in the Mabury and Abbatt groups. His research investigates how environmental contaminants react in indoor spaces and photochemically-active surface waters, with a focus on identifying transformation products and evaluating potential human health implications. Will received his BSc and MSc in Chemistry from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US, and is originally from Maine, where he continues to be involved in local environmental science policy and science communication.