The Friday Files - news to inform and inspire
International Day of the Girl in Science. As we celebrate Women in Science, we realise that our spotlight scholar, Canada-UK Post Doctoral Fellow, Dr. Nikki Weckman, is part of a very small group. With a degree in engineering, she is one of only 15% of women who graduated in engineering, and one of only 9% of women who are employed in engineering in the UK. Globally, she is also one of only 30% of researchers who are female. A very small club, one that she is committed to helping grow!
Nikki holds a PhD in Engineering from the University of Cambridge (2018) where she researched the design of microelectromechanical systems to be used as environmental and biosensors. She previously studied Chemical Engineering at McGill University (MEng, 2013) and Nanotechnology Engineering at the University of Waterloo (BASc, 2011). Her recent research focuses on the development of nanopore sensors for use as biosensors, with a particular emphasis on the translation of her research to real world medical diagnostic applications.
During her Fellowship year, Dr. Weckman shared with us, "diverse mindsets are critical to solving the global science and engineering challenges society faces. Motivated by this I sat on the management committee to organise Shaping Horizons, a high-level summit and action program to discuss global challenges and ignite collaborative sustainability projects between the UK and Latin America. I am also actively committed to discussing my research with the broader community and promoting greater diversity in students pursuing STEM careers, particularly in the engineering field."
Support from the Canada-UK Foundation enabled Dr. Weckman to gain experience in managing multi-stakeholder public policy and citizen science impact projects. Through the Canada-UK Post-Doctoral Fellowship, she also built entrepreneurship skills and successfully launched NeutroCheck, a startup developing a medical device to improve the care and quality of life for chemotherapy patients.
More recently, Dr. Weckman has started a new role as Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the prestigious Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University.
As STEMLearnings latest findings points out, "there are still challenges in the education system in ensuring the participation of women across STEM. As such, it is imperative that employers and education providers develop a strategic response which can diversify educational paths and increase the availability of high-quality STEM careers." We are delighted to be part of this important work and invite you to join us in congratulating Dr. Weckman on her achievements.
Canada-UK Colloquium (CUKC) Launches Nuclear Report. In 2020, the CUKC convened experts, political leaders, civil servants, and industry representatives to discuss the nuclear agenda, with the goal of sharing best practice, promoting constructive policy dialogue between Canada and the UK, and making policy recommendations. Their goal was to advance mutual understanding on clean energy sources and suggest tangible future steps for innovation and collaboration on nuclear power and the global nuclear landscape.
Both Canada and the UK are committed to a transition to a low-carbon and low-pollution economy, which, it has been argued, cannot be accomplished without proper consideration of the nuclear option. Nuclear energy currently provides some 10% of the world's electricity and is the world's second largest source of low-carbon power. As an important carbon-free source of power, and the only one offering large scale continuous generation, it has a key role to play in combating global climate change.
You are invited to join CUKC to hear more about this important report on February 18 at 1pm GMT. Remarks will be given by contributing experts, welcomed by both the British and Canadian High Commissioners, and the Canadian and UK chairs, Dr. Mel Cappe and Mr. Anthony Cary respectively. To join their virtual conference for the launch report, please register here.
When Ordinary Resonates Deeply. On February 13, Saskatoon’s Remai Modern museum opens the exhibition Thelma Pepper: Ordinary Women. A Retrospective. A photographer who only began making work at 60, Pepper had a 40-year career after raising 4 children (she passed away in December last year at 100). She created a notable body of work of intimate portraits and stunning landscapes.
Thelma Pepper, Thankfulness, 1985. Photo: Saskatchewan Network for Art Collecting
The portraits featured in the exhibition reveal the resilience of prairie women, highlighting the ordinary in particularly honest photographs. Pepper said, “I wish to honour these ‘ordinary women’ of Saskatchewan who… are often regarded as unimportant, separate from our society, their knowledge out of date and their interests irrelevant to what is happening now.” Her landscape photos created alongside her portraiture also speak to a deep love and connection with the land. Besides her focus on rural communities and moments with “ordinary” pioneer women, Pepper continued photographing while in nursing homes, capturing the lives of seniors at the Sherbrooke Community Centre in Saskatoon.
While the Remai will have 2 screenings of A Year at Sherbrooke from the National Film Board of Canada, those further afield can access the documentary via the NFB website. The film follows Pepper along with younger artist Jeff Nachtigall as they work with residents of a long-term care facility in Saskatoon, with Pepper taking portraits and Nachtigall helping them make art – the power of art inspiring all stages of life.
Through the record of art, Pepper created a body of work that, while it records ordinary life, resonates more universally. For those wanting to read more, a book on Thelma Pepper’s life by Amy Jo Ehman was also just published by MacIntyre Purcell, excerpts of which can be seen on the author’s website.
Thelma Pepper, Where Grace Found Freedom, 1989. Photo: Remai Modern
Dr. Thomas Symons, Leader in Canadian Studies Dies, Aged 91. As we come toward the 50th anniversary of Canadian Studies, we mourn the loss of pioneer, Dr. Thomas Symons. As one of Canada's preeminent educational and cultural statesmen, Dr. Symons led a national commission on Canadian Studies, the outcome of which "To Know Ourselves," set the stage for Canadian Studies and inspired generations of scholarship. Founder of Trent University in Peterborough, and an enormously well-respected academic and mentor to many, Symons is credited with creating Canada's first Indigenous Studies and Canadian Studies programmes during his time as Chancellor of Trent University. The family has asked that remembrances be sent to the Symons Trust for Canadian Studies at Trent University.
FIELD TRIP Brings Collaboration Home. Gathering together 46 Canadian art institutions, FIELD TRIP: Art Across Canada serves as an online platform spotlighting contemporary art in Canada. For those who may be overwhelmed by the boom of digital content available on the vast world wide web, this site came together as a unified front for contemporary art including performances, interviews, talks, exhibitions, and tours.
Brought together by early 2020 necessity, and spearheaded by Contemporary Calgary, the initial dozen collaborators quickly swelled to almost 50. They also endeavoured to support content contributed by Canadian artists. It is a wonderful show of the power of collaboration amongst institutions, pooling resources to help each other out. Almost one year later, Curator of Contemporary Calgary, Ryan Doherty, remains steadfast in developing the platform and its collaborative spirit.
Marie-Eve Martel, Hétérotrophie cachée détail intérieur, 2017. Photo courtesy the artist
There is now an amazing archive of projects, exhibitions and events to discover, with new content still being added. The most recent Field Trips still available for engagement include a VR walkthrough of an otherworldly exhibition from Marie-Eve Martel, a studio tour and artist talk with Senegalese artist Omar Ba, and a durational performance with eight power tools by Toronto-based multidisciplinary artist Jon Sasaki.
Doherty hopes FIELD TRIP will continue to evolve, seeing potential for growth as an educational resource and to expand to include other cultural spheres. While museum curators and directors had been linked before, the curator from Contemporary Calgary observes that this new platform has activated a new network between institutions through public programmes and communications departments. Indeed, it seems this online venture signals a new way forward of inter-organizational synergy within the cultural scene in Canada
Canadian Fashion: Culture & Commerce. We are pleased to share news sent to us by The High Commission of Canada in the United Kingdom, who have joined up with the Toronto Fashion Incubator (TFI), the Department of Canadian Heritage, and the Canadian Apparel Federation to launch Showroom Canada, a digital, wholesale showroom featuring Canadian designers.
Launching on February 16, ahead of London Fashion Week, Showroom Canada harnesses new digital technology to bring world-class fashion to a global audience of 200,000 retailers. Participating designers feature our vibrant Canadian diversity, commitment to the environment and innovation. Showroom Canada registration details, for qualified participants only, are available register here.
In our spotlight this week, we welcome Professor John Bridgeman, CBE, TD, DL. John, an Oxfordshire resident, is a senior career executive who currently has a very broad portfolio as a non-executive director, following distinguished service in the corporate, academic and military sectors. John has been a great friend of Canada since his years in Montreal as a senior executive at Alcan Group, including several years as CEO in the UK. He also served on the Monopolies and Mergers Commission and as Director General of Fair Trading for the UK, and is currently an independent consultant working in the areas of competitive strategy, competition policy, better regulation, consumer affairs, and good governance.
A Graduate in Chemistry from University College Swansea, he was made an Honorary Fellow of the University of Wales in 1997. He held various professorial roles at Keele University, and at University of Surrey, specialising in management. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate at Sheffield Hallam University for services to management education in 1996.
John has held innumerable board roles in the charitable sector including as a Chair of our own Canada-UK Foundation, President of the Canada-UK Chamber of Commerce, Treasurer at Canada-UK Colloquium, and trustee with the Canada Memorial Foundation. He has been a speaker on regulatory issues at past Canada-UK Colloquia. Currently he is Honorary Colonel of the Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hassars, Vice-President of the Trading Standards Institute, Chairman (Audit) at Warwickshire Country Council, Chairman Banbury Sunshine Centre, and Committee Chairman of the British Horseracing Pension Fund. John is also currently facilitating a dynamic group of trustees and alumni working on some exciting new programming to support Canada-UK Foundation and Canada Memorial Foundation alumni. John continues to inspires us, and provides ample evidence, "if you want to get something done, ask a busy person."