Canadian Black Scientists

Online: Free Film screening of The Space Race - The untold story of Black Astronauts
2024-02-18 16:00 - 18:30 (America/Toronto) | Onlline Screening Room
The Canadian Black Scientists Network national office is pleased to present National Geographic’s documentary THE SPACE RACE
THE SPACE RACE uncovers the little-known stories of the first Black pilots, engineers and scientists who became astronauts.
All are welcome!

Join a VIRTUAL SCREENING, hosted by the Canadian Black Scientists Network National Office

February 18, 2024. 4pm – 6:30pm ET

Agenda:

3: 50pm – 4:10pm. ET Attendee login
4:10pm – 4:20pm. ET Introduction to the film & the Canadian Black Scientists Network
4:20pm -5:50 pm. ET Film screening: The Space Race
5:50 – 6:10. ET Q&A with Professor Maydianne Andrade
6:10 – 6:30pm ET. Audience Q&A

Registration is free.
Donations to the network would be appreciated and will support our Youth Science Fair & other programming.

THE SPACE RACE weaves together the stories of Black astronauts seeking to break the bonds of social injustice to reach for the stars, including Guion Bluford, Ed Dwight and Charles Bolden, among many others. In THE SPACE RACE, directors Diego Hurtado de Mendoza (The Redeem Team) and Lisa Cortés (Little Richard: I Am Everything) profile the pioneering Black pilots, scientists and engineers who joined NASA to serve their country in space, even as their country failed to achieve equality for them back on Earth. From 1963, when the assassination of JFK thwarted Captain Ed Dwight’s quest to reach the moon, to 2020, when the echoes of the civil unrest sparked by the killing of George Floyd reached the International Space Station, the story of African Americans at NASA is a tale of world events colliding with the aspirations of uncommon men. The bright dreams of Afrofuturism become reality in THE SPACE RACE, turning science fiction into science fact and forever redefining what “the right stuff” looks like, giving us new heroes to celebrate and a hidden history to discover. View the trailer here.
The Space Race premieres Sunday, March 10 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on National Geographic and streaming on STACKTV.
Additional In-person Screenings. Registration is required as seating is limited:

February 17, 2024. In partnership with Imhotep’s Legacy Academy in Halifax, NS REGISTER.
February 21, 2024. In partnership with the CBSN National Office & University of Toronto Scarborough in Scarborough, ON.
February 24, 2024. In partnership with CBSN-BC & Douglas College in New Westminster, BC. REGISTER
February 27, 2024. In partnership with CBSN-Saskatchewan & University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, SK.
March 1, 2024. In partnership with CBSN-ON & McMaster University in Hamilton, ON.

Halifax, NS: Free Film screening of The Space Race - The untold story of Black Astronauts
2024-02-17 15:00 - 17:30 (America/Halifax) | Irving Oil Auditorium, Richard Murray Design Building, 5257 Morris Street, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
The Canadian Black Scientists Network & Imhotep’s Legacy Academy are pleased to present a screening of National Geographic’s documentary The Space Race
THE SPACE RACE uncovers the little-known stories of the first Black pilots, engineers and scientists who became astronauts.
All are welcome!

February 17, 2024. 3:00pm- 5:30pm AST
Irving Oil Auditorium in the Richard Murray Design Building,
Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS .

Registration is free. Donations to the Canadian Black Scientists Network would be appreciated to support the Youth Science Fair & other programming.

THE SPACE RACE weaves together the stories of Black astronauts seeking to break the bonds of social injustice to reach for the stars, including Guion Bluford, Ed Dwight and Charles Bolden, among many others. In THE SPACE RACE, directors Diego Hurtado de Mendoza (The Redeem Team) and Lisa Cortés (Little Richard: I Am Everything) profile the pioneering Black pilots, scientists and engineers who joined NASA to serve their country in space, even as their country failed to achieve equality for them back on Earth. From 1963, when the assassination of JFK thwarted Captain Ed Dwight’s quest to reach the moon, to 2020, when the echoes of the civil unrest sparked by the killing of George Floyd reached the International Space Station, the story of African Americans at NASA is a tale of world events colliding with the aspirations of uncommon men. The bright dreams of Afrofuturism become reality in THE SPACE RACE, turning science fiction into science fact and forever redefining what “the right stuff” looks like, giving us new heroes to celebrate and a hidden history to discover. View the trailer here.
The Space Race premieres Sunday, March 10 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on National Geographic and streaming on STACKTV.

Additional In-person screenings:

February 21, 2024. In partnership with the CBSN National Office & University of Toronto Scarborough in Scarborough, ON.
February 24, 2024. In partnership with CBSN-BC & Douglas College in New Westminster, BC.
February 27, 2024. In partnership with CBSN-Saskatchewan & University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, SK.
March 1, 2024. In partnership with CBSN-ON & McMaster University in Hamilton, ON.

VIRTUAL SCREENING hosted by the National Network Office

February 18, 2024. Registration coming soon

CBSN Career Chats: Developing a Research Program and the Importance of Leadership Skills for Scientists
2024-02-14 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Toronto) | AB
CBSN Members are invited to join the second Career Chat of 2024
Wednesday February 14, 4pm ET
Topic:
Developing a Research Program and the Importance of Leadership Skills for Scientists
with Dr George Mutwiri, DVM, PhD
Dr. George Mutwiri joined University of Saskatchewan in 1997. He is currently the Executive Director/Dean, and Professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Saskatchewan. He is also a senior Scientist at the Vaccine & Infectious Disease Organization-International Vaccine Center (VIDO-InterVac). Dr. Mutwiri graduated with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Nairobi, Kenya, and a PhD from University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada. He subsequently completed postdoctoral training at the University of California in San Diego, USA.
Dr. Mutwiri’s research interests are in research and development of vaccines against infectious diseases. He has led several international vaccine-related research projects Most of his time was previous spent on vaccine R & D, but more recently has become involved in promoting vaccine confidence, and on exploring factors influencing vaccine uptake and hesitancy. He has over 170 publications, book chapters and conference abstracts, and has served in editorial boards of several peer-reviewed journals. As principal investigator, co-principal investigator, or collaborator, he has attracted more than $18 million in research funding. Dr. Mutwiri has international collaborations in the USA, China, Kenya, and Rwanda. In his leadership role, he is committed to helping SPH faculty establish externally funded research programs at USask.
Dr. Mutwiri has taught several graduate courses and currently teaches a course on Leadership in Public Health. He has supervised many postdoctoral fellows, PhD and Master of Science students, and he has advised many Master of Public Health students and served as a mentor to many other students.
Dr. Mutwiri’s passion for education is based on his lived experience: that education changed his live. He believes that it has potential to change or improve others’ lives in different ways. He enjoys every opportunity to help people, especially from his black community, in providing advise and/or inspiration drawing from his lived experiences.

Please contact the CBSN Project Administrator if you are a member looking for the registration link, or sign into the CBSN ‘connections’ channel on Slack
Register once and we will remind you each month.
Watch the calendar for future session topic announcements!

September 13. CRC & Professor Jennifer Adams (U Calgary): Preparing a faculty dossier.
October 11. Professor Adango Miadonye (Cape Breton University): Flourishing in Academia-Part I.
November 8. Mark Casselman & Nickiesha Linton (Digital Health Canada): Exploring Professional Careers – Digital Health in Canada.
December 13. Angelo Nwigwe & Christopher Dixon (Mitacs): Career transition skills and networking & Postdoctoral fellowships and industry positions.
January 10. Professor Maydianne Andrade (U of T): Paving a Pathway to Leadership.
February 14. Dr George Mutwiri, DVM, PhD (USask): Developing a Research Program and the Importance of Leadership Skills for Scientists.
March 13
April 10

Panel de Carrière STIMM: Tous sont les bienvenus!
2024-01-27 14:00 - 15:00 (America/Toronto) | AB
Vous êtes curieux des carrières dans les domaines des sciences, de la technologie, de l’ingénierie, des mathématiques ou de la médecine/santé (STIMM) ?
Vous voulez soutenir les aspirations de vos élèves en matière de STIMM? Rejoignez le Réseau canadien des scientifiques noirs pour une table ronde informative sur les carrières, les défis, et les réussites des professionnels noirs des STIMM au Canada.
Panelistes:

Bénilde Mizero, MSc: Doctorant en chimie environmentale, Université McGill, Montréal (PhD Candidate in Environmental Chemistry at McGill University, Montreal)
Dr. Erique Lukong, PhD: Professeur au département de biochimie, de microbiologie, et d’immunologie, et doyen adjoint des études supérieures à l’Université de Saskatchewan, Saskatoon (Professor in Biochemistry and Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies at University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon)
Dr. Alvine Belle, PhD: Professeure adjointe au département de génie électrique et d’informatique à l’Université de York, Toronto (Assistant Professor in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at York University, Toronto)
Danielle Nadin, MSc: Rédactrice médicale et conceptrice de solutions d’apprentissage senior chez Metrix, Montréal (Senior Medical Writer and Learning Solutions Designer at Metrix Group, Montreal)

Tous sont les bienvenus!

Merci d’avoir partagé cette affiche.

BE-STEMM Seminar: Charting the Path: Assessing the Impact of Midwifery Services at an Urban Community Health Centre
2024-01-17 16:00 - 17:15 (America/Toronto) | Zoom, Canada
Join us for our first seminar of 2024.
January 17, 4pm ET
Phylicia Crichlow
Research Analyst at Black Health Equity Lab

Bio:
Phylicia Crichlow earned her Master’s in Social Work with a specialization in Mental Health and Health from the University of Toronto. She is a Social Worker, Health Equity Advocate, and Community-Based Researcher. She is a Research Analyst with the Black Health Equity Lab, housed at the University of Toronto Scarborough, a social science research lab that works with and for Black communities. Here, Phylicia is a qualitative researcher that supports projects focused on analyzing the experiences of Black communities within Canadian systems. Phylicia is passionate about using research as an advocacy tool to build racially and culturally attuned programming that provides an intersectional and responsive approach to address the social determinants of health. Her aim is to challenge health inequities, transgenerational trauma, anti-Black racism, and its impacts through her work in research, mental health counselling, and community development.
Charting the Path: Assessing the Impact of Midwifery Services at an Urban Community Health Centre
Despite the lack of Black maternal health data in Canada, studies have shown that 8.9 per cent of Black women experience pre-term births, compared to 5.9 per cent of their White counterparts (McKinnon et al., 2016). In collaboration with The Midwives’ Clinic of East York in 2017, Women’s Health in Women’s Hands Community Health Centre introduced midwifery care to address the healthcare needs of racialized and predominantly uninsured women and trans individuals in the Greater Toronto Area. The Mentored Midwifery Research study is an evaluation of the prenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum care of the midwifery services at an urban community health centre, including a retrospective chart review and a qualitative analysis of client experiences. This research aims to monitor ongoing program success while advancing midwifery services and the development of maternal and reproductive health policies, ultimately enhancing access and quality of care for equity-seeking groups.
References
McKinnon, B., Yang, S., Kramer, M. S., Bushnik, T., Sheppard, A. J., & Kaufman, J. S. (2016). Comparison of black–white disparities in preterm birth between Canada and the United States. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 188(1), E19–E26. https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.150464
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Our monthly online seminar series, features STEMM scholarship from across disciplines, aimed at a general STEMM audience.
All are welcome!

4pm ET
Third Wednesday of every month
September 2024 through April 2024.

Register once and we will remind you each month.

Watch this space for seminar speaker announcements!

February 21
March 20
April 17

The CBSN/RCSN gratefully acknowledges the University of Toronto Scarborough and its support as the Network Host Institution, and the Academic Program Committee of the Network for the BE-STEMM Seminar Series.

CBSN Career Chats: Planning a Pathway to Leadership
2024-01-10 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Toronto) | AB
CBSN Members are invited to join this first Career Chat of 2024
Wednesday January 10, 4pm ET
Topic: Planning a Pathway to Leadership
with Professor Maydianne Andrade, PhD, FRCGS
Many people in STEMM describe how they ‘ended up’ in leadership roles despite not having any training to prepare them to be a good leader. However, deconstructing the career paths of successful leaders often reveals commonalities in the acquisition of skills and knowledge that reflect the literature on leadership development across sectors (business, academia, government). Join Professor Maydianne Andrade for an overview of ways to think about paving your own path to leadership, including a broad consideration of acquiring and demonstrating leadership competencies, tips on the ‘nitty gritty’ of the day-to-day approaches of an effective leader, and the realities of Leading While Black (where the challenges are made abundantly clear by the recent treatment of former Harvard president Claudine Gay).
Leadership takes many different forms and manifests at different scales, so everyone can benefit from understanding the ‘unwritten rules’ for success. Whether you know you are interested in leadership, or whether you would just like to keep your options open, fee free to join this conversation!
Want to prepare for this session? Consider downloading and completing this leadership self-assessment for your own personal consideration.
This questionnaire asks you to rate yourself on 20 different questions on a scale of 1 to 5 and provides some insight into your interests, strengths and areas for improvement if you are interested in a leadership role.

Please contact the CBSN Project Administrator if you are a member looking for the registration link, or sign into the CBSN ‘connections’ channel on Slack
Register once and we will remind you each month.
Watch the calendar for future session topic announcements!

September 13. CRC & Professor Jennifer Adams (U Calgary): Preparing a faculty dossier.
October 11. Professor Adango Miadonye (Cape Breton University): Flourishing in Academia-Part I.
November 8. Mark Casselman & Nickiesha Linton (Digital Health Canada): Exploring Professional Careers – Digital Health in Canada.
December 13. Angelo Nwigwe & Christopher Dixon (Mitacs): Career transition skills and networking & Postdoctoral fellowships and industry positions.
January 10. Professor Maydianne Andrade (U of T): Paving a Pathway to Leadership
February 14
March 13
April 10

CBSN Career Chats: 2nd Wednesday of Every Month
2024-01-10 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Toronto) | AB
Please contact the CBSN Project Administrator if you are a member looking for the registration link!
CBSN Career Chats (or C3) is a monthly, drop-in discussion series providing an opportunity for people exploring different career options to chat with experienced professionals for career insight, advice, and answers to their questions.

Second Wednesday of each month
September 2023 to April 2024
4pm ET

Each session will have a focus derived from member suggestions, although organic questions and conversations are expected and encouraged!
Share ideas for focal topics or your offer to lead a session and share professional insights on this form.
This series is open to CBSN Members and to contributors who will be invited by the program committee.
Register once and we will remind you each month.
Watch the calendar for future session topic announcements!

September 13. CRC & Professor Jennifer Adams (U Calgary): Preparing a faculty dossier.
October 11. Professor Adango Miadonye (Cape Breton University): Flourishing in Academia-Part I.
November 8. Mark Casselman & Nickiesha Linton (Digital Health Canada): Exploring Professional Careers – Digital Health in Canada.
December 13. Angelo Nwigwe & Christopher Dixon (Mitacs): Career transition skills and networking & Postdoctoral fellowships and industry positions.
January 10. Professor Maydianne Andrade (U of T): Paving a Pathway to Leadership
February 14
March 13
April 10

CBSN Career Chats: Career transition skills and networking & Postdoctoral fellowships and industry positions
2023-12-13 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Toronto) | AB
All CBSN Members are invited to join us for the next CBSN Career Chat
December 13, 2023
4pm ET
Topics:

Career transition skills and networking
Postdoctoral fellowships and industry positions

with
Angelo Nwigwe & Christopher Dixon
Mitacs

Bio:
Angelo Nwigwe, is an accomplished Senior Advisor of Business Development at Mitacs. He plays a pivotal role in assisting organizations overcome their business challenges, leveraging his extensive expertise in the field. His academic journey began at one of the oldest universities in the world – the University of Bologna in Italy – where he studied Biomedical Engineering before transitioning to Biomedical Sciences at the renowned University of Aberdeen in Scotland. He went on to earn a Master’s degree in Biomedical Technology from the University of Calgary. Based in Calgary for over a decade, Angelo has made a significant impact by helping hundreds of innovative companies achieve their goals. Furthermore, he shares his knowledge as an instructor at Mount Royal University’s Bissett School of Business. Committed to mentorship and young adults, Angelo serves on the Medicine Alumni Advisory Council and as a Mentor for the Scholar Academy at the University of Calgary, inspiring the next generation of innovators. Besides his professional role, he is a Jiu Jitsu practitioner and a food enthusiast.

Christopher Dixon, at Mitacs, Chris helps to connect academic researchers with businesses, municipalities, and hospitals looking to collaborate on domestic and international interdisciplinary research projects. Mitacs provides funding for these collaborative initiatives by leveraging funding contributed by a non-academic partner to provide a grant to an academic researcher. Chris completed a BSc in Chemistry from Adrian College (Adrian, Michigan, USA) in 2013 followed by a PhD from the University of Toronto in 2020 where he wrote his doctoral thesis on using microfluidic technologies to diagnose infectious diseases as part of the Wheeler Microfluidics Laboratory. Prior to Mitacs, Chris served as coordinator for the NSERC Training Program in Organ-on-a-Chip Engineering and Entrepreneurship (TOeP) and the Ontario-Quebec Center for Organ-on-a-Chip Engineering (oqCORE), both at the University of Toronto.

Please contact the CBSN Project Administrator if you are a member looking for the registration link!
CBSN Career Chats (or C3) is a monthly, drop-in discussion series providing an opportunity for people exploring different career options to chat with experienced professionals for career insight, advice, and answers to their questions.

Second Wednesday of each month
September 2023 to April 2024
4pm ET

Each session will have a focus derived from member suggestions, although organic questions and conversations are expected and encouraged!
Share ideas for focal topics or offers for sharing professional insights on this form.
This series is open to CBSN Members and to contributors who will be invited by the program committee.
Register once and we will remind you each month.
Watch this space for future session announcements!

January 10
February 14
March 13
April 10

CBSN-Y Science Fair Phase 1: Proposals
2023-12-02 12:00 - 14:00 (America/Toronto) | AB
Join us for the first phase of the CBSN-Y Science Fair, where student-scientists are invited to identify their passions, skills and what they would like to change in your home, school, community, or the world.
Students can share their proposals at this virtual session, get paired with a CBSN mentor, and review next steps to bring their project to life!

Interesting in mentoring an aspiring Black scientist? Click here to sign up to be a mentor!
Students working on a proposal can learn more here
We can’t wait to host you for next steps!

April 2024 – CBSN Phase II Science Fair, Projects (Guelph, ON and Halifax, NS): Present your projects at the CBSN Science fair, hosted at the University of Guelph and Dalhousie University.
May 25-June 1, 2024 – Canada Wide Science Fair (Ottawa, ON): The top three projects from the CBSN Youth Phase II science fair go onto the Canada Wide Science Fair (CWSF). Get rewarded with cash prizes, free trip to Ottawa, university entrance scholarships and other recognition.

BE-STEMM Seminar: The Use of Endothelial Progenitor Cells and Local Antibiotics for the Treatment of Infected Nonunions
2023-11-15 16:00 - 17:15 (America/Toronto) | Zoom, Canada
Join us for our third seminar of the 2023/2024 Academic year.
November 15, 4pm ET
Dr. Ikran Ali
Analyst at Shift Health

Bio:
Ikran Ali recently earned her Ph.D. in Medical Sciences with a specialization in Musculoskeletal Science from the University of Toronto. She is a scientist, community organizer and mentor. She is the co-founder of “Say Somaali,” a program dedicated to providing comprehensive mentorship opportunities for Somali youth in Toronto. In 2021, she was the winner of Angels Den’s Canada Life People’s Choice Award with Dr. Nauth for their pitch ‘Supercharged Stem Cells: When Bones Don’t Heal’. Ikran is a passionate researcher who is dedicated to advancing science and fostering equitable opportunities for marginalized youth. She is committed to continuing her service to her community as a leader and mentor.
The Use of Endothelial Progenitor Cells and Local Antibiotics for the Treatment of Infected Nonunions
Nonunions are when bones fail to heal within a reasonable timeframe, occurring in 5–10% of patients who sustain traumatic fractures. Infection is found in up to 38% of nonunions. This is because trauma can lead to open fractures, introducing contaminants into the wound and causing infection. The treatment of infected nonunions typically involves a two-stage procedure performed 3-6 months apart. This prolonged treatment places a significant financial strain on healthcare resources and negatively affects the quality of life of patients, necessitating the need for a single-stage procedure. Previous research in our lab has shown that stem cells (endothelial progenitor cells) are effective in promoting bone healing in fracture models that would otherwise fail to heal on their own. Additionally, local antibiotics have demonstrated effectiveness in treating infections when applied locally. My research explores the combined use of stem cells and local antibiotics to treat infected nonunions in a single stage, with the aim of substantially improving the treatment of trauma patients suffering from infected fracture nonunions.
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Our monthly online seminar series, features STEMM scholarship from across disciplines, aimed at a general STEMM audience.
All are welcome!

4pm ET
Third Wednesday of every month
September 2024 through April 2024.

Register once and we will remind you each month.

Watch this space for seminar speaker announcements!

December 20
January 17
February 21
March 20
April 17

The CBSN/RCSN gratefully acknowledges the University of Toronto Scarborough and its support as the Network Host Institution, and the Academic Program Committee of the Network for the BE-STEMM Seminar Series.

CBSN Career Chats: Exploring Professional Careers - Digital Health in Canada
2023-11-08 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Toronto) | AB
All CBSN Members are invited to join us for the next CBSN Career Chat
November 8, 2023
4pm ET
Topic: Exploring Professional Careers – Digital Health in Canada
with
Mark Casselman & Nickiesha Linton
Digital Health Canada

Bio:
Mark Casselman is the Chief Executive Officer of Digital Health Canada, the national association that connects, inspires, and empowers the digital health professionals creating the future of health in Canada. Digital Health Canada members are a diverse community of accomplished, influential digital health professionals who work passionately to make a difference in advancing healthcare through information, technology, and data management. Mark is a health executive and advisor with 20 years of experience working with executives, entrepreneurs, and clinical leaders across sectors within the Canadian health ecosystem. He has led large-scale transformation initiatives and has been recognized as an innovator in the field of digital health. Mark has a proven track record of working with public sector, private sector, and government stakeholders and integrating both shared and different perspectives to achieve success.

Nickiesha Linton, an avid believer in lifelong learning, currently serves as Senior Manager, Education at Digital Health Canada. She has over 10 years experience in education, with a focus on adult learning. In her current role as Senior Manager, Education, she leads the application of the Core Health Informatics Competencies across the association’s curricula and professional development experiences for individuals with an interest in digital health. Nickiesha welcomes the opportunity to share with professionals at varied levels of their career the wealth of resources that Digital Health Canada offers as they chart their career journey.

Please contact the CBSN Project Administrator if you are a member looking for the registration link!
CBSN Career Chats (or C3) is a monthly, drop-in discussion series providing an opportunity for people exploring different career options to chat with experienced professionals for career insight, advice, and answers to their questions.

Second Wednesday of each month
September 2023 to April 2024
4pm ET

Each session will have a focus derived from member suggestions, although organic questions and conversations are expected and encouraged!
Share ideas for focal topics or offers for sharing professional insights on this form.
This series is open to CBSN Members and to contributors who will be invited by the program committee.
Register once and we will remind you each month.
Watch this space for future session announcements!

December 13
January 10
February 14
March 13
April 10

CBSN-Y Science Fair: Information Session
2023-10-21 13:00 - 15:00 (America/Toronto) | AB
You’re invited to an information session on Oct. 21, 2023 for Black students in grade 7-12 who are interested in creating change through participation in the CBSN Youth Science fair competition!
Attend this virtual information session to learn more about our two-phase science fair competition.
Come hear from past participants and get your questions answered:

CBSN Youth Science Fair Information session: October 21, 2023 (1 -3 pm ET, online): Learn about the CBSN Science fair 2-phase competition, how to prepare for the concept (I) and project phase (II).

Register once and you will also be invited to:

CBSN Phase I Science Fair, Proposals. November 25, 2023 (noon – 2 pm ET, online) : Identify your passions, skills and what you would like to change in your home, school, community, or the world. Bring your proposals and get paired with a CBSN mentor.

We can’t wait to host you for next steps:

April 2024 – CBSN Phase II Science Fair, Projects (Guelph, ON and Halifax, NS): Present your projects at the CBSN Science fair, hosted at the University of Guelph and Dalhousie University.
May 25-June 1, 2024 – Canada Wide Science Fair (Ottawa, ON): The top three projects from the CBSN Youth Phase II science fair go onto the Canada Wide Science Fair (CWSF). Get rewarded with cash prizes, free trip to Ottawa, university entrance scholarships and other recognition.

BE-STEMM Seminar: Exploring the differences in carbohydrate binding coronaviruses that cause human disease
2023-10-18 16:00 - 17:15 (America/Toronto) | Zoom, Canada
Join us for our second seminar of the 2023/2024 Academic year.
October 18, 4pm ET
Zaky Hassan
PhD Candidate, University of Toronto

Bio:
Zaky is a fourth year PhD candidate in the Biochemistry department at the University of Toronto. He previously completed an HBSc in Biochemistry also from the University of Toronto. Outside of the lab, Zaky works with Visions of Science as a community coordinator, creating and facilitating programming focused on improving STEM accessibility for Black students in highschool and postsecondary.
Exploring the differences in carbohydrate binding coronaviruses that cause human disease
Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that cause disease in mammals and birds and can be categorized into two groups – those that use proteins as receptors and those that use sugars (carbohydrates) as receptors. For protein binding coronaviruses, we have a good understanding of how they interact with their receptors, and how they enter our cells. For carbohydrate binding coronaviruses however, we have a very limited understanding of the receptors they use beyond a requirement for sialic acid, a type of sugar commonly found on cell surfaces. Our previous work has shown that various strains of carbohydrate binding coronaviruses have differences in their sugar binding site – resulting in different preferences for various sialylated carbohydrates. Using structural, biochemical, and biophysical tools, we are identifying the various types of receptors used by these viruses, and investigating the mechanism of receptor interaction. Our work will shed light on the receptor interactions for a disease causing group of viruses with pandemic potential that are relatively understudied, and will hopefully lay the groundwork for future vaccine and therapeutic development.
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Our monthly online seminar series, features STEMM scholarship from across disciplines, aimed at a general STEMM audience.
All are welcome!

4pm ET
Third Wednesday of every month
September 2024 through April 2024.

Register once and we will remind you each month.

Watch this space for seminar speaker announcements!

September 20
October 18
November 15
December 20
January 17
February 21
March 20
April 17

The CBSN/RCSN gratefully acknowledges the University of Toronto Scarborough and its support as the Network Host Institution, and the Academic Program Committee of the Network for the BE-STEMM Seminar Series.

Career Panel: All are Welcome
2023-10-14 14:00 - 15:30 (America/Toronto) | AB
Curious about careers in science, technology, engineering, math, or medicine/health (STEMM)? Want to support the STEMM aspirations of your students?
Join the Canadian Black Scientists Network for an informative Career Panel to hear about the career paths, challenges, and triumphs of Black STEMM professionals in Canada.
Panelists:

Emmanuel Asante, MSc: PhD Candidate in Experimental Medicine at McGill University, Montreal
Shoshanna Bennett-Dwara, BSc: Recruitment Representative in the First-Generation Portfolio, Queen’s University
Dr. Bryan Daniels, PhD: Research Associate at Pier Labs, Halifax
Dr. Rahwa Osman, PhD: Senior Research Scientist at Nutrien, Saskatoon
Nande Wright, MSc: Associate Scientist at Gilead Sciences, Edmonton

All are welcome!

CBSN Career Chats: 2nd Wednesday of Every Month
2023-10-11 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Toronto) | AB
Please contact the CBSN Project Administrator if you are a member looking for the registration link!
CBSN Career Chats (or C3) is a monthly, drop-in discussion series providing an opportunity for people exploring different career options to chat with experienced professionals for career insight, advice, and answers to their questions.

Second Wednesday of each month
October 2024 to May 2024
4pm ET

Each session will have a focus derived from member suggestions, although organic questions and conversations are expected and encouraged!
Share ideas for focal topics or your offer to lead a session and share professional insights on this form.
This series is open to CBSN Members and to contributors who will be invited by the program committee.
Register once and we will remind you each month.
Watch the calendar for session topic announcements!

CBSN Career Chats: Flourishing in Academia - Part I
2023-10-11 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Toronto) | AB
All CBSN Members are invited to join us for the second CBSN Career Chat
October 11, 2023
4pm ET
Topic: Flourishing in Academia – Part I
with
Professor Adango Miadonye
Cape Breton University
Bio.
Adango Miadonye, a distinguished professor with over 25 years of experience in academia, received his academic degrees in Chemical and Polymer Engineering at Loughborough University, United Kingdom. After completing his PhD, he joined the Department of Chemical & Petrochemical Engineering, Rivers State University, in Port Harcourt, Nigeria for 5 years before joining Lakehead University in 1994. He worked as a postdoctoral research fellow with Dr. Rao Puttagunta for 2 years and later as a Senior Visiting Canadian Commonwealth Research Fellow. In 1998, he joined Cape Breton University (then University College of Cape Breton) as a Chemical Engineering Instructor and became a Full Professor in 2005. His research program involves the development of novel processing technologies (such as microwave irradiation and cavitation processes) for efficient and environmentally friendly production, upgrading and conversion of petroleum/bitumen resources. With a prolific academic record boasting 200+ peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Miadonye’s contributions span the realms of natural sciences and engineering. He has published over 40 papers in the last five years alone, many in high-impact journals. His research has been recognized through several prestigious international awards, including the Cape Breton University President’s Distinguished Research Award in 2016.
Dr. Miadonye has exhibited exceptional leadership within Cape Breton University’s Department of Chemistry, serving as chair from 2006 to 2016. His engagement in various committees and roles has significantly contributed to the betterment of his colleagues and the university community.
His pioneering research extends to petroleum engineering and chemical processes, impacting industries across Norway, France, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and Canada. His innovative work on microwave irradiation has garnered international attention, leading to collaborations and advancements in the field.
Beyond his professional endeavors, Dr. Miadonye has been an active member of the Cape Breton University community, contributing to strategic planning, curriculum development, and advanced education and he is committed to research excellence, academic leadership, and several community engagements. He is engaged in several promo-science programs for the high school students.

Please contact the CBSN Project Administrator if you are a member looking for the registration link!
CBSN Career Chats (or C3) is a monthly, drop-in discussion series providing an opportunity for people exploring different career options to chat with experienced professionals for career insight, advice, and answers to their questions.

Second Wednesday of each month
September 2023 to April 2024
4pm ET

Each session will have a focus derived from member suggestions, although organic questions and conversations are expected and encouraged!
Share ideas for focal topics or offers for sharing professional insights on this form.
This series is open to CBSN Members and to contributors who will be invited by the program committee.
Register once and we will remind you each month.
Watch this space for future session announcements!

October 11
November 8
December 13
January 10
February 14
March 13
April 10

BE-STEMM Seminar: Control of Dynamic Supramolecular Systems
2023-09-20 16:00 - 17:15 (America/Toronto) | Zoom, Canada
Join us for our first seminar of the 2023/2024 Academic year.
September 20, 4pm ET
Dr. Burhan Hussein
Post-doctoral Fellow, McGill University

Bio:
Burhan was born and raised in Toronto, Canada. He completed his B.Sc. (2014) and M.Sc. (2017) at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), working under the supervision of Dr. Bryan Koivisto and focusing on the synthesis of novel BODIPY derivatives. After his master’s, Burhan joined the Science Discovery Zone – a science-based startup incubator at TMU – as a science facilitator, working with Dr. Marc Adler on synthesizing hypervalent silane porphyrins. In 2018, Burhan moved to the UK for his Ph.D. studies at Durham University under the supervision of Dr. Paul McGonigal, focusing on the control of dynamic supramolecular systems. Burhan returned to Canada after his Ph.D. studies and joined the Lumb group as an NSERC PDF (2023). Here, he focuses on developing novel silane molecular scaffolds as a platform for cancer therapies.
Control of Dynamic Supramolecular Systems
In dynamic covalent chemistry, dynamic covalent rearrangements of fluxional carbon cages, such as bullvalenes and barbaralanes, impart shapeshifting molecular properties that have sparingly been studied. This research project focuses on developing methodologies to concretely control these dynamic fluxional carbon cages to simplify and analyze their structural complexity. Non-covalent control was achieved through the encapsulation of these fluxional molecules. This host-guest chemistry can control the dynamic regioisomerism & stereochemistry through molecular metal-organic cages and chiral macrocycles. For covalent control, the configuration of the cage is controlled by covalently tethered functional moieties. These methodologies involve incorporating phosphine-based ligands to control shapeshifting molecules through metal coordination. The development of such techniques will allow routine access to shapeshifting systems to explore their properties and application beyond synthetic, physical organic chemistry and at the interfaces with materials chemistry and biology.
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Our monthly online seminar series, features STEMM scholarship from across disciplines, aimed at a general STEMM audience.
All are welcome!

4pm ET
Third Wednesday of every month
September 2024 through April 2024.

Register once and we will remind you each month.

Watch this space for seminar speaker announcements!

September 20
October 18
November 15
December 20
January 17
February 21
March 20
April 17

The CBSN/RCSN gratefully acknowledges the University of Toronto Scarborough and its support as the Network Host Institution, and the Academic Program Committee of the Network for the BE-STEMM Seminar Series.

CBSN Career Chats: Preparing a Faculty Dossier
2023-09-13 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Toronto) | AB
All CBSN Members are invited to join us for the first CBSN Career Chat
September 13, 2023
4pm ET
Topic: Preparing a Faculty Dossier
with
Professor Jennifer Adams, PhD
University of Calgary
Bio.
Jennifer D. Adams is a Full Professor at The University of Calgary where she holds a primary appointment in the Department of Chemistry and is affiliated with Werklund School of Education. She is the PI of the Creativity, Equity and STEM Lab where she and her team research equity in STEM teaching and learning environments with an emphasis on identity-affirming, anti-deficit, and justice-oriented approaches. She is in leadership on several national projects including “Securing Black Futures” which seeks to increase the visibility and support the flourishing of Black students in STEM and the Canadian Black Scientists Network where she is involved with a national data collection project about Black students’ STEM experiences, serves the steering committee as a co-leader on STEM education Pathways and Postsecondary projects, and is the PI of the STEM Beyond Borders initiative that examines research, policy and practice in Canada and the United States around equity and justice in STEM education and careers for Black students. Dr. Adams was recognized by the Calgary Black Chambers with an award for Black Achievement in STEM. She is an NSF Early CAREER award winner and has served on the executive board of the National Association of Research in Science Teaching and on advisories for NSF-funded grant projects that focus on racial and/or gender equity in STEM. She also serves on the editorial board for Cultural Studies in Science Education, Journal of Research in Science Education and International Journal of Informal Science and Environmental Learning. Her prior appointments include Brooklyn College and The Graduate Center, City University of New York, the American Museum of Natural History, and The New York City Department of Education.

Please contact the CBSN Project Administrator if you are a member looking for the registration link!
CBSN Career Chats (or C3) is a monthly, drop-in discussion series providing an opportunity for people exploring different career options to chat with experienced professionals for career insight, advice, and answers to their questions.

Second Wednesday of each month
September 2023 to April 2024
4pm ET

Each session will have a focus derived from member suggestions, although organic questions and conversations are expected and encouraged!
Share ideas for focal topics or offers for sharing professional insights on this form.
This series is open to CBSN Members and to contributors who will be invited by the program committee.
Register once and we will remind you each month.
Watch this space for future session announcements!

October 11
November 8
December 13
January 10
February 14
March 13
April 10

Leadership Election 2023
2023-08-19 - 2023-09-05 | AB
The network’s inaugural Leadership election is on now!
Network members and Allies are invited to logon and vote!
The polls will be open from:

August 19, 2023 (noon, ET) to September 5, 2023 (midnight, ET)

The following roles have a slate of talented nominees seeking to contribute to the work of the network as leaders:

Vice President Elect
Secretary
Treasurer
Trainee Representative

Mentorship Café: On Leadership with Prof. Chibuike Udenigwe
2023-08-03 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Toronto) | AB
This month, Mentorship Café is pleased to welcome a special guest who will speak on the topic of Leadership:
Professor Chibuike Udenigwe, PhD
Join us for an informative discussion!
Thursday August 3, 4pm ET
Professor Udenigwe is the holder of the University Research Chair in Food Properties and Nutrient Bioavailability at the University of Ottawa. He holds his primary appointment at the School of Nutrition Sciences and a cross-appointment at the Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences. He is also a Faculty Affiliate at the Institute for Science, Society and Policy. He specializes in food biochemistry and his research takes the chemical sciences approach to explore the role of food proteins and peptides in health. More information here.
If you are a CBSN member but you have not registered for the mentorship program yet, you can get the registration link by emailing the CBSN Program Administrator.

Mentorship Café - July
2023-07-06 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Toronto) | AB
CBSN members, feel free to join us for the next Mentorship Café !

This is a wonderful opportunity to meet others, share opportunities, triumphs and challenges.

Thursday July 6, 2023
4pm to 5pm ET

If you are a CBSN member but you have not registered for the mentorship program yet, you can get the registration link by emailing the CBSN Program Administrator.

CBSN Meeting | Réunion du RCSC
2023-06-21 15:00 - 17:00 (America/Toronto) | AB
All Network members and Allies are invited to this meeting to hear updates, share thoughts on goals for the coming year, and explore the wide range of ways to get engaged!
Tous les membres du réseau et les alliés sont invités à cette réunion pour entendre les mises à jour, partager leurs réflexions sur les objectifs de l’année à venir et explorer le large éventail de façons de s’engager !

Agenda and supporting documents will be shared with registrants one week prior to the meeting.
L’ordre du jour et les documents justificatifs seront partagés avec les inscrits une semaine avant la réunion.

June Newsletter released / Publication de la newsletter de juin
2023-06-16 16:30 - 17:00 (America/Toronto) | AB
Read about updates, opportunities for engagement & new initiatives in the June Newsletter!

Découvrez les mises à jour, les opportunités d’engagement et les nouvelles initiatives dans la newsletter de juin !

All welcome! BE-STEMM Seminar: Social Context Triggers Flexible Trait Expression
2023-06-15 17:00 - 18:00 (America/Toronto) | AB
Dr. Maydianne Andrade, University Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto
“Social Context Triggers Flexible Trait Expression: Extreme Mating of Widow Spiders Untangles Adaptive Plasticity”
Learn more about their work :

Google Scholar profile
website

Date: June 15, 2023. 5pm – 6pm ET
You must register to attend this free online webinar:

ABSTRACT:
Understanding how variation in ecological context shapes evolution is a major focus in biology, with implications for species diversity, invasiveness, and resilience to environmental change. Given that evolution hinges on reproductive success, sexual behaviours and related traits can be key to understanding these dynamics. I discuss how juvenile development can shift as a function of cues of population density and sex ratio, as these predict the challenges to reproductive success that will be encountered by adults. The result is adaptive developmental plasticity, where gene expression changes to yield traits that are well-suited to the competitive context likely to be encountered by adults. I discuss my work developing widow spiders are models for testing key predictions of hypotheses about the evolution of adaptive plasticity, including how their extreme mating behaviours (e.g., sexual cannibalism, sperm plugs, and scramble competition) can be leveraged for rigorous tests of theory that link insights from the field and the lab.

The CBSN/RCSN gratefully acknowledges the University of Toronto Scarborough and its support as the Network Host Institution, and the Academic Program Committee of the Network for the BE-STEMM Seminar Series.

CBSN-Ontario Regional Node Meeting
2023-06-14 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Toronto) | AB
The goal of CBSN Regional nodes is to provide local connections, support regional programming, and provide opportunities for in-person or hybrid events. Regional programming will be supported by the network’s national office and be aligned with the broad vision and mission of the CBSN.
The Ontario Node Formation Committee is inviting all members in Ontario to a virtual meeting to discuss the proposed Ontario node activities and structure, and begin the process for selecting node leadership on June 14th, 2023, from 10:00 – 11:00 AM EST.
If you would like to join the meeting or learn more, leave your contact information on this form.
We will send you a registration link for the meeting after you share your contact information.

CBSN-Quebec / RCSN Québec
2023-06-06 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Toronto) | AB
A group of colleagues from your region are creating/consolidating a CBSN-Quebec Node. We are inviting you to join us at a Hybrid or Virtual meeting to discuss this newly created node on June 6th, 2023, from 4:00 – 5:00 PM EST. If you are interested in attending this meeting and learning more about the node, please register here by by June 5, 2023.
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Avec une équipe de collègues de la région, nous créons/consolidons un nouveau nœud de RCSN au Québec. Nous vous invitons à assister à une réunion virtuelle ou hybride le 6 juin 2023, de 16h à 17h (EST), pour discuter de ce nœud nouvellement créé. Si vous souhaitez vous joindre à nous et vous souhaitez en savoir plus sur le nœud, veuillez vous inscrire ici avant le 5 juin 2023.

Mentorship Café
2023-06-01 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Toronto) | AB
CBSN members, feel free to join us for the next Mentorship Café !
This is a wonderful opportunity to meet others, share opportunities, triumphs and challenges.

Thursday June 1, 2023
4pm to 5pm ET

If you are a CBSN member but you have not registered for the mentorship program yet, you can get the registration link by emailing the CBSN Program Administrator.

BE-STEMM Seminar: Welcome to the wild wild west in metabolomics - a peek into Metabolomics workflow.
2023-05-18 17:00 - 18:00 (America/Toronto) | Zoom, Canada
Dr. Ainsely Lewis, PhD Postdoctoral fellow, Department of Biology, Trent University
“Welcome to the wild wild west in metabolomics – a peek into Metabolomics workflow.”
Learn more about their work :

Google Scholar profile

You must register to attend this free online webinar:

Date: May 18, 5 to 6pm ET
ABSTRACT:
All organisms go through metabolism. All cells go through biochemical reactions within metabolism and the byproducts thereof are known as metabolites. Metabolomics is the large-scale study of small molecules also known as metabolites within the cells, biofluids, or tissues of organisms. A compendium of metabolites within an organism is known as the ‘metabolome’. To investigate the metabolome, mass spectrometry is used to measure the masses of all the molecules that would be present in samples of a given organism. Being a relatively new field, compared to the sister fields of genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics, metabolomics is used as a tool for finding environmental cues of organisms, especially for changes within the metabolome at a given time or under specific conditions. Metabolomics is a rapidly evolving field, especially with an increasing number of tools available for both those experienced in programming or not. Despite this trend, compared to the other ‘omics’ fields, that have established protocols and workflows, the workflow for metabolomics is still not standardized. This adds to the challenges that stands in the way of covering the metabolome. For this talk, the focus will be on mass spectrometry-based metabolomics and workflow from the perspective of a plant laboratory group.

The CBSN/RCSN gratefully acknowledges the University of Toronto Scarborough and its support as the Network Host Institution, and the Academic Program Committee of the Network for the BE-STEMM Seminar Series.

BE-STEMM Seminar: Regulation of Epithelial Cell Function by ESRPs
2023-04-13 17:00 - 18:00 (America/Toronto) | AB
Join us for this online seminar where Dr. Natoya Peart will present their work:
Regulation of Epithelial Cell Function by ESRPs
April 13, 2023. 5pm – 6pm ET
Description: RNA processing includes many highly regulated process that contribute to the biogenesis, maturity and eventual turnover of the RNA, and these processing events are mediated by the actions of RNA binding proteins, RBPs. One such RBP, ESRP – epithelial splicing regulatory proteins, regulates alternative splicing in a manner that is essential for development and here we provide an overview of what we know about ESRP1 in the epidermis.
Natoya Peart, PhD. (she/her) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Waterloo.

Learn more about their work : Google Scholar profile ; RNA society website

You must register to attend this free online webinar:

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

The CBSN/RCSN gratefully acknowledges the University of Toronto Scarborough and its support as the Network Host Institution, and the Academic Program Committee of the Network for the BE-STEMM Seminar Series.

CBSN-Y / RCSN-Jeunesse Science Fair
2023-04-01 08:30 - 15:30 (America/Halifax) | AB
For more information see: https://youthscience.ca/cbsny/
This second phase of the CBSN-Y / RCSN-J science fair will be held in person in Nova Scotia and hosted by the Imhotep’s Legacy Academy.
Students will be selected to represent CBSN-Y/RCSN-J at the Canada-wide science fair!
Time: 8:30am – 3:30am AST
Venue: ILA Learning Centre (1360 Barrington St., Room J134, Halifax, NS)
