What do you do at the CIC?
I am the CIC’s Program Coordinator. I work with the conference organizing committee of the Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition and the Canadian Chemical Engineering Conference to develop and deliver an exceptional scientific program for their conferences. I also directly work with the CIC, CSC and CSChE subject divisions to coordinate outreach to members, and coordinate the CIC ViRTUAL seminar series.
In addition, I assist with coordination of the charity arm of the CIC, the Chemical Education Fund (CEF). The CEF works to fund educational activities, awards, and research.
How has your background led up to this work?
I’ve always had an interest in and passion for science, specifically chemistry. I began my academic journey at the University of Ottawa with an Honours Bachelor of Science with a specialization in chemistry. After which, I earned a Master of Science in Chemistry from Queen’s University. Outside of academia, I have gained experience in executive search by working for a firm with a specialization in the Indigenous executive market. My academic experience in chemistry and my corporate experience in EDI executive search have combined perfectly to prepare me for the exciting work at CIC.
What else should people know about CIC?
After starting my role at the CIC, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the CIC is comprised of a passionate and cohesive team. The team strives for open communication internally and externally. Their main goal is to ensure that the membership is receiving the best conference experience. The conferences take a lot of time and effort (blood, sweat and tears) but they are absolutely worth it!