The Women in STEM Coalition: Unlocking success with courage, resilience, and challenge

August 24, 2022 - Defence Stories

Caption

Sophie Martel, LGen Allen, MGen Tremblay, and Christiana Cavazzoni at the Women in STEM Coalition event.

On June 29, the Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Coalition (formerly the IM Group Women in STEM) hosted “Sharing Our Journey,” a panel discussion featuring exemplary women with defence backgrounds. Vice Chief of the Defence Staff (VCDS), LGen Frances J. Allen; Chief Materiel Program, MGen Nancy Tremblay; Acting Associate Assistant Deputy Minister (Information Management) and lead of the Women in STEM Coalition, Sophie Martel; and Chief Digital/Data Officer at Supply Ontario and former Associate Assistant Deputy Minister (Information Management), Christiana Cavazzoni, exchanged their experiences as women in STEM through passionate conversation, and three themes emerged as keys to their success.

COURAGE

Courage was a main point of discussion for all panelists. Whether it was the courage to speak up and be assertive, the courage to step aside and listen to others when needed, or the courage to be wrong, the overall sentiment on courage was unanimous - it is a necessary, albeit difficult, part of the job. Christiana shared, “There’s a lot of stigma around courage, especially in women, as they try to be more assertive and more outgoing.” Despite this, the panelists made it clear that having courage as a woman in STEM enables growth, adaptability, and the confidence to lead in various situations.

RESILIENCE

While it takes courage to face challenges, it takes resilience to overcome them. The four panelists noted that resilience is essential for success as women in STEM. According to Sophie, resilience is like a muscle – it takes work to develop and maintain, but once it’s built, it provides the strength to bounce back from criticism and precarious scenarios. This ability is essential for both personal and career development.

CHALLENGE

Lastly, all panelists agreed that challenge was an inevitable aspect of STEM careers. LGen Allen noted, “We need to be prepared to fail if we want to innovate, and yet we have such a low tolerance for failure.” As women in constantly evolving fields, the challenges may seem insurmountable, but they are not impossible to overcome. Challenges help lead transformation, and the bigger the challenge, the bigger the opportunity.

MGen Tremblay made clear, “If you want to progress, either in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), public service, or private sector, your character will be extremely important.” Though women are currently underrepresented in STEM fields, building character through courage, resilience, and facing challenge head on will enable you for success, as it has for these incredible women.

If you were unable to watch the Live Event, you can watch the recording (you are now leaving the Government of Canada website. For internal audiences only) . You can find more information about the Women in STEM Coalition.