February 11th marks the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015, the annual eventpromotesfull and equal access and participation of women in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Let's celebrate some of the outstanding women in ݮƵ Science.
Dr. Melanie Campbell
Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy
Dr. Melanie Campbellleads a highly multidisciplinary research group where theystudy ocular development, eye disease, and linear and non-linear optics of the eye. Theyinvestigate the fundamental refractive properties of the eye's components to improve diagnosis and therapy for various ocular conditions.
Leading by example, Campbell was the first woman graduate student in Applied Mathematics at Australian National University. She was also the first person to take maternity leaves as aCSIROPostdoctoral Fellow and as anNSERCUniversity Research Fellow.Having broken new ground, Campbell turned around to support and promote the next generation of female academics.
“Each time I see a hurdle or experience a difficulty … I try to do something so other people won’t face the same situation. I think everyone should keep working toward an inclusive environment with more gender balance.”
At ݮƵ, Campbell pushed for the availability of day care facilities for infants and reserved space for newly arrived faculty members. While working atNSERC, her advocacy for maternity and parental leave forNSERC-fundedstudents and fellows resulted in a policy that supported women’s success in academia. She helped toincreasethe number of female faculty in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and thepercentage of female doctoral students in her lab is 17 per cent higher than the national average.
Fiona Thompson
MSc Student, Department of Chemistry and Institute for Quantum Computing
Fiona Thompson began her journey in science by earning her BSc in chemistry from the University of Victoria, where she studied organic compounds and their potential applications in quantum information. While quantum was not the focus of her research at that time, learning about the work of her peers opened her eyes to the world of quantum, and she felt there was no turning back!
A rich and interdisciplinary research environment with world-class facilities was one of the main factors that drew Thompson to IQC to pursue her master’s degree inchemistrywith a specialization in quantum information. Here, she dedicates much of her time to performing hands-on research inDr. Jonathan Baugh’s lab with superconductor-semiconductor heterostructures for use in topological quantum computing.
“I think my best piece of advice for women and girls interested in science is to take up more space! Apply for that job, even if you don't have every qualification listed; go to your favourite professor's office hours, even if you think you might be wasting their time; and advocate for yourself and your peers, even if society very much tells women to do the opposite. Speaking up always pays off!”
Since joining our community, Thompson has volunteered her time with the manyoutreach programs, introducing and educating audiences from children to teachers about the fascinating world of quantum information. Thompson’s ultimate career goal is to do science communication professionally, and she feels that IQC is the perfect environment for her to accomplish this goal.
Dr.Crystal Senko
Canada Research Chairin Trapped Ion Quantum Computing
Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy andInstitute for Quantum Computing
Dr. Crystal Senko joined theDepartment of Physics and Astronomyand IQC as a professor in 2016, after earning her PhD in physics from the University of Maryland and working as a postdoctoral research scholar in the Center for Ultracold Atoms at Harvard University. At IQC, Senko is the lead investigator of the Trapped Ion Quantum Control lab and is working toward the creation of a trapped-ion quantum computer, which is at the cutting edge of large-scale quantum computing.
Named as a(CRC) in trapped ion quantum computing in 2020, Senko has been recognized by the Government of Canada for her innovation, excellence, and pursuit of knowledge. This funding supports both her individual research goals and the transfer of her knowledge to the next generation of highly skilled quantum experts through her supervision, training, and collaboration efforts.
“I enjoy being exposed to the large variety of skills that are needed for quantum computing research. Our work involves everything from understanding quantum theory to troubleshooting lasers and designing radio frequency circuits. And, in my lab, we can see and manipulate individual atoms – how cool is that?”
Senko was awarded funding through the Government of Ontario'sEarly Researcher Awardsprogram in 2022 which helps new researchers, working at publicly funded Ontario research institutions, build a research team. Her group is currently focused on quantum computation with trapped ions and the dynamics of interacting spin systems in the interest of developing novel techniques to protect sensitive quantum information while other information is being read.
Kimia Mohammadi
PhD Student, Department of Physics and Astronomy and Institute for Quantum Computing
Kimia Mohammadi earned her undergraduate degree in Engineering Physics in Iran and moved to Canada soon after to pursue opportunities for graduate school. While initially she was not intent on studying quantum science, she was immersed in the field when she joined ݮƵ, and her curiosity was piqued by the many relatively unexplored areas in quantum information.
Having been fascinated by space and astronomy growing up, Mohammadi was drawn toDr. Thomas Jennewein’s research group where she investigates free-space quantum communications using quantum optics. Currently, her team is working on theQEYSSat mission(Quantum Encryption and Science Satellite), supported by the.Once the satellite is launched, it will perform free-space quantum key distribution using encoded photons to communicate with optical ground stations.Mohammadi designed and built the customized telescope that will be the ground transmitter and receiver for the University of ݮƵ as her master’s thesis, for which she was awarded the2022 Dean of Science Award.
After graduating with her master’s degree, Mohammadicontinued working with the research group as a research associate and is nowpursuing her PhD at IQC. She has also joined a flight school with the ambition of becoming a licensed pilot!
“Glass ceilings are meant to be shattered, do not hesitate to give them a fearless punch if needed! So, dream big, be confident, be vocal.”
Participating in science outreach has been in important part of Mohammadi’s life since starting university. She has offered her time to organize programs for undergraduate students, work at a children’s science museum, and volunteer for many online and in-person outreach events likeMentoring Night at the University of ݮƵ. Learning from senior mentors and engaging with the enthusiastic student community allows Mohammadi to work toward her personal goal of influencing at least one person to fall in love with science and pursue it passionately in the future.