What do you do at the CIC?
I am CIC’s conference program coordinator. As such, I work cohesively (and constantly!) with the conference organizing committees from the Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition and the Canadian Chemical Engineering Conference to deliver an exceptional experience for attendees. It’s an exciting opportunity to work closely with leaders in the field and help shape the future of chemistry in Canada. My role requires me to have a bird’s eye view of the entire event and ensure we have consistency within the program. As part of that role, I lead the abstract submission, registration, and program schedule.
In addition to my conference responsibilities, I coordinate the CIC’s charity arm, the Chemical Education Fund. This administrative work ensures we are able to fund some of the educational activities, awards, and research that directly benefits the next generation of chemical science professionals, as well as Canadian society.
How has your background led up to this work?
I’ve been a member of the Canadian Society for Chemistry for the past three years and during my master’s degree in chemistry education research, I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the CCCE twice. As an education researcher, I am motivated by opportunities that promote innovation and development in chemistry, here in Canada as well as globally. My current post falls under the heading “I never expected to be working where I am” and I am thrilled to be able to bring my passion for education to a venue that provides learning and growth for everyone. I know this first-hand, since during my graduate studies the conference represented a major opportunity to meet members of our community. I was able to discuss my research with leaders in the field and that experience was invaluable. I am also pleased to bring a strong data-analytics approach to this work so that we can make evidence-based decisions about what our delegates enjoy and what we can offer to make their experience even better.
What else should people know about CIC?
The CIC has such a strong focus on promoting opportunities for students. I took this for granted when I was a graduate student attending the conference, but now I realize just how many moving parts go into this kind of ambitious programming. Above all, these are events brought to you by a committee of students looking out for the interests of students. This strategy represents the true key to the success of our conferences.