In recognition of February 11th as the UN’s International Day of Women and Girls in science, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) commend the government of Canada’s continued efforts and support towards the engagement of women and girls in science, and applauds the great contributions made by the many Canadian women working in the sciences.
The further inclusion of women in the sciences holds only benefits for society. With each individual comes a unique perspective and an exponential opportunity for discovery.
Canada has a long history of women pioneers in the sciences including Harriett Brooks, (1876 – 1933) Canada’s first female nuclear physicist, who is widely considered second only to Marie Curie in the field of nuclear science. Ms. Brooks’ achievements were commemorated with the establishment of a new state of the art nuclear research facility named after her at CNL’s Chalk River Laboratories.
CNL is engaging the next generation of female scientists and have recently announced a new partnership with the Foundation for Student Science and Technology, which includes the creation of new publication aimed at encouraging young women to pursue and sustain careers in science, technology and innovation.
We’d like to take this opportunity to introduce you to a few of the current generation of brilliant female scientists making a difference at CNL.
Please find below links to five CNL “60 seconds with scientists” video clips, where you’ll meet some of our scientists and hear what got them interested in science, what they’re working on, what makes their jobs great and some other things too.
Dr. Bronwyn Hyland, Physicist and Program Manager, Small Modular Reactors.
As the Program Manager, Bronwyn leads a small team working towards a big goal: siting a small modular reactor (SMR) on a CNL site by 2026. SMR designs hold great promise as a clean energy solution, and bringing these first-of-a-kind technologies from the design desk to deployment will require a great deal of research and development work, a challenge perfectly suited for Bronwyn and the SMR team at CNL.
Dr. Marilyne Stuart, Senior Research Scientist, Environmental Sciences
Marilyne’s work is focused on building new understanding around the biological effects of radiation and chemicals in the environment. She is also developing and testing biomarkers that can be used to evaluate exposure and assess biota’s health. She is one member of a larger team at the Chalk River Laboratories whose work provides the science that guides decision-making on environmental practices and policy, safety standards and operations.
Dr. Candice Didychuk, Medical Biophysicist/Chemist, Research Scientist Radiobiology and Health
One exciting aspect of CNL’s Long Term Strategy is our exploration of targeted-alpha-therapies. Along with her colleagues, Candice is delivering preclinical work to support the advancement of this new medical treatment, with a focus towards developing mechanisms for efficient delivery of radioactively labeled targeting agents to the specific sites in the body and evaluating their biodistribution and dosimetry.
Larkin Mosscrop Kee, Biologist and Project Leader, Science & Technology Operations
A biologist by training and a project leader by practice, Larkin has traded her hip waders for business attire. Her aptitude and interest in the sciences has provided a solid foundation for her current role, and enabled her to work on exciting projects including a project investigating the use of hydrogen as a fuel for a commuter train system.
Christina Van Drunen, Professional Engineer (Mechanical) and Director of S&T Strategy and Collaboration
Over the past 70 years, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories has grown its capabilities to become a world leader in nuclear science and technology. Alone we are strong, but together we are stronger, and Christina works to build partnerships and collaborations with others in the nuclear sciences. Christina was also critical in the development of CNL’s Long Term Strategy, available for download on www.cnl.ca/strategy