STEM NOMINEES
For outstanding advancement to the field of Science, Technology, Engineering & Math.
Award Presented by:
Kate Van der Zalm, Enbridge
Suzanne Kearns
Suzanne is an author, professor of aviation at UW and the founder of Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Aeronautics. She is an aviation academic with a focus on education and improving pilot performance and is the author of 6 books. She has excelled, as a woman, working in a male dominated field. She has partnered with the UN to launch the careers of aviators in developing countries, teaching thousands of young professionals.
Adele Newton
Adele Newton graduated from Math at the University of Waterloo in 1978, Adele was a rarity in a male-dominated faculty. At a time when women generally weren’t encouraged to study math, Adele began a forty-year mission to change that. Her professional experiences span some of the most reputable academic institutions and companies in Canada, with the majority of her work central to Waterloo Region. A connector, mentor, and trailblazer, Adele has inspired women en masse to consider technical career paths.
Emily Pyke
Emily, who has worked in the trades as a mechanic since she was 17, runs and operates Featuring Inspiring Women and community social media pages to promote women in the trades. A mother to two daughters, Emily is a mentor with Skills Ontario, sharing her personal experiences, training and knowledge to teach young students about the beneficial aspects of entering the automotive trade. She currently works at Heffner Lexus as an automotive mechanic. She has been featured in the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce's magazine, Spectrum, has spoken on Skill Stadium and ShopTalk podcasts, and created a “day in the life” video to help elementary schools promote the trades to students.
Montana Wilson
Montana has over 15 years of experience in the geotechnical and civil engineering. Working in a predominantly male dominated industry, she is working to encourage young women who may be interested in engineering as a career. She believes it is important for women to see women in management roles. She is the Past President of the local Builder’s Association, former board member of ACEC, and regularly volunteers with the Engineers in Residence program to educate high school students. She recently decided to fulfill her dream to own her own engineering firm and opened GRIT Engineering Inc.
Laura Lawlor
A proud Waterloo Region resident, Laura was born and raised in Cambridge and earned her Honours Bachelor of Science from Dalhousie University and a Master of Science in Biology (Paleolimnology) from Queen’s University. Professionally, Laura provides environmental project oversight, where she played a pivotal role in developing a thriving line of work in a male-dominated field. Through her career, she originated as the only biologist in Ontario to the development of a team of 20 scientists under her leadership. Laura is also an active volunteer with The FOod Bank of Waterloo Region and the Provincial Marsh Monitoring Program. She is a force to reckon with.
Angela Pause
Angela Pause works to make STEM learning opportunities accessible to marginalized communities. Whether co-organizing eight TEDxWaterloo events or creating award-winning programs to address STEM learning loss during the pandemic or helping to launch Canada’s first Indigenous and Black STEM PhD fellowship, Angela enthusiastically jumps right in. Angela works to ensure STEM is for everyone.
Margaret Tavares
Margaret is a "Rising Star" in the tech community. Her extensive involvement in local tech events and initiatives allows her to maintain a significant presence in the local technology community. She inspires youth and women to pursue careers in STEM and provides strong mentorship to help them succeed. She continues to volunteer as a guest judge for Conestoga’s IT Capstone projects, host monthly virtual meetups, tech events, podcasts, and speak at various local and non-local tech events to help others.