Celebrating Women and Girls in Science

February 11, 2022

February 11th is International Day of Women and Girls in Science. In honour of this day of recognition, Trent University is proud to feature several alumnae working in fields of science, and their advice to girls pursuing their passions.

Sarah Aftergood

Sarah Aftergood is the Director of Environmental Permitting for Orsted Onshore North America, based in Austin, Texas. She is originally from Calgary, AB and attended Trent University from 2006-2011, graduating with a Bachelors of Science in Biology. During her time at Trent, she completed courses in conservation biology, fisheries management and marine mammal biology. She also completed a year-long exchange program at Southern Cross University in Coffs Harbour, Australia. Sarah holds a Masters of Science degree from Newcastle University, England. Her love for the environment and drive for sustainability has fostered a 10-year career in the development of onshore wind, offshore wind and solar farms in Europe, Canada and the United States.

“Don’t doubt yourself. At one point, I doubted my ability to be in the sciences. But ‘easier’ is not what builds passion. If you know you’re good at something, if you live and breathe something, you should pursue it. You will find what you’re looking for if you pursue the things you love. I listened to my gut and I haven’t looked back since.”

Andressa Lacerda

Andressa began her studies at Trent University with a Bachelor of Applied Science and specializations in health sciences, cell/cellular and molecular biology and biomedical sciences. After her undergraduate degree, she received a Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Biology at Trent, while gaining real world experience as a laboratory manager and a teaching assistant. Andressa pursued her passion for change as a co-founder and chief development officer of Noblegen Inc, a local advanced digital biology company that uses microorganisms to reshape the world's food systems. Andressa took the valuable knowledge she gained at both Trent and Noblegen, and today is the Vice President Operations at Synex Medical, a company devoted to predictive healthcare through molecular monitoring.

"I'm very fortunate that, from a young age, my parents were supportive of my love for science,” she says. “They started by getting me chemistry sets. That passion ultimately brought me to Canada. At Trent University, I was blessed with the opportunity to work and study under Dr. Craig Brunetti. Dr. Brunetti was nothing but supportive of my goals and ventures. Shortly after I transferred from the M.Sc. Program to the Ph.D. program, I started my first company.”

For Andressa, opportunity for girls is essential.

“Many studies show that diversity of thought is critical for success; and that is exactly what women, when given a voice, bring to the table. It is critical that we support and incentivize girls that are interested in science. If it was not for my parents supporting me as a little girl, I would not have moved to Canada and would not have co-founded two science-based companies.”

Carly Knuth

 After graduating with a Bachelor of Science from Trent, Carly continued her education, becoming a Ph.D. student at the University of Toronto, where she studies medical sciences, to learn about hypermetabolism, burn injuries, trauma, and exercise.

Carly is also the Co-Founder of NextStep Mentors, an organization providing academic support and networking opportunities for both domestic and international undergraduates, and recent graduates, in STEM 

"The female voice is absolutely vital to innovation and creativity. However, women are disproportionately represented in the sciences, a gap which only increases with each advancing career stage. Bringing more women of this current generation into senior positions in STEM will inspire and empower younger women to choose a career in the sciences. Speaking from personal experiences, my first academic mentor was an exceptionally talented female researcher. She instilled the confidence in me to pursue graduate studies in biomedicine, a career path I hadn’t known of, let alone considered, prior to being given the opportunity to conduct an undergraduate research thesis in her lab. Ultimately, I believe that the ground-breaking discoveries made by the next generation of scientists will know no bounds if more women are given seats at the table. "

Meet Carly, Andressa, Sarah and other incredible Trent Alumni on TrentUConnect, an exclusive networking and mentoring platform that connects Trent students, alumni, faculty and staff. This is the perfect place to get career advice, build your professional network, and practice your interview skills. Register today: https://www.trentu.ca/careerspace/get-career-ready/services/trentuconnect-students