WES PROGRAM - HELPING WOMEN CHANGE THE WORLD

Each year, the Women in Engineering and Science program (WES) places 25 young women from across Canada with professional mentors who are in research positions. The WES program was set up by the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) in answer to the continuing dilemma of under-representation of women in the fields of science and engineering. 

Each university in Canada is allowed to nominate up to three candidates from the second year engineering and science programs. Winners are then selected by a committee of NRC researchers, whose choice is based not only on the academic qualifications of the candidates, but also leadership qualities, communication skills, and personal aptitudes. WES students become NRC employees for two years, and are encouraged to be "goodwill ambassadors" for the program at job fairs, schools, and demonstrations. 

Two of the 2001 winners are from Simon Fraser University. Victoria Lee and Jessica Kennedy are both biochemistry majors who are interested in medical research. Miss Kennedy worked with mentor Dr. Lakshmi Krishnan over the summer developing vaccines and studying immune responses. 

"I find the field in which I am working pre dominantly immunology, is fascinating," says Ms. Kennedy. "Hopefully my work this summer will contribute to the advent of a safer vaccine. It is incredible to think that at 19 years of age I can be part of this project that, if successful, can be used world-wide to prevent disease." 

Ms. Lee is also interested in work which will provide answers to health problems. She spent her summer working with Dr. Cynthia Elias on insect cell-BEVS (bacculovirus expression vector system) for recombitant gene expression. "Companies are increasingly using cell cultures as a more uniform method of testing drugs and other compounds of interest," says Ms. Lee. "The improvement of this method will ultimately improve the work w h i c h utilizes cell stru c t u re for pharmaceutical and research purposes." 

WES students earn $10,000 during their first summer or work term, and increased amounts for the second and optional third terms. But according to Ms. Lee, the young women chosen for this program earn much more than money.

"The WES program offers students an unbelievable opportunity to acquire training which is not offered in the classroom. Where else can a second year undergraduate with no prior experience in the field enter into a position where she is surrounded by experts who train and advise her?" 

Besides providing great networking possibilities, the program provides a taste of the real world of the professional scientist or engineer, and helps young women like Miss Kennedy clarify their career outlooks. "Through discussions with Dr. Krishnan and other researchers I have a clearer picture of what research is like and especially the steps I need to take in order to land a research position.... Through the WES program I hope to gain a better feel for research so I can better determine if this is the area I wish to pursue." 

The statistics for women entering science and engineering university programs are grim. Both Ms. Lee and Ms. Kennedy had doubts about entering the biochemistry program. In fact, Ms. Lee was planning through most of her high school years to pursue a fine arts program. "I was never told that I could fare well in the sciences," she says. 

Ms. Kennedy had similar apprehensions when entering university. "The statistics and h o rror stories I h e a rd about the impossibilities of making it through a science program certainly intimidated me. Now that I am working through it, I find I am enjoying my education and doing fine. If you like the subjects you are studying you will do well, and if you are struggling a bit, there are ample resources to help." These young women both hope to make a difference in the world through their scientific work, but also recognize the importance of contributing to science through mentorship in programs such as WES. "Throughout my career, I wish to provide answers to problems whose solutions can make a positive difference in human health," says Ms. Lee. "As well, I would like to offer my services to young women aspiring in the sciences."