Community Engagement

2021-present: R Workshop Instructor

University of Toronto, Conferences, R Users Meetup

I love to code. I also love to help others realize that it’s not the for loops that make their blood pressure rise, but the environments in which they were taught for loops. That a supportive environment can make all the difference when it comes to learning these incredibly powerful, multi-disciplinary skills that offer immense value to practically every field. I am grateful to have been given the chance to undergo instructor training through The Carpentries, an organization that teaches “foundational coding and data science skills to researchers worldwide”, and team up with some incredible colleagues to develop coding workshops for researchers at UofT (e.g., as a UofT Coders exec) and beyond.

2018-present: Contributing Writer, “Life in the City”

A blog about urban evolution

In an effort to hone my written science communication skills, I contribute articles to Life in the City, a blog about urban evolution. I’ve searched for the boundary between urban/nonurban (hint: let me know if you find it), explored a relatively uncharted biome associated with urbanization (the “indoor biome”), compiled auditory learning resources on urban evolution, and more. I enjoy blogging as a way to challenge myself by breaking down a complex idea into fundamental parts. I also see it as an opportunity to inspire the public by using accessible language so that they, too, can appreciate the amazing world of urban evolution.

2020-2022: Coordinator, CAGIS Toronto

Canadian Association for Girls in Science

From 2020-2022, I was a coordinator for the Toronto chapter of CAGIS, a club whose mission is to encourage young girls and gender non-conforming youth (age 7-16) to explore the STEM fields with hands-on activities. Since I began volunteering with CAGIS in 2019, I’ve assisted these budding scientists as they’ve built solar-powered cars, searched for fungi in High Park, pondered the logistics of space travel, and constructed mini greenhouses for germinating household seeds and beans. When I became a chapter coordinator in 2020, my role expanded to include organizing virtual events with community partners in academia, industry, and government.