By CAGIS
Meet Ivana Okaro
Ivana Okaro is a CAGIS Coordinator and neuroscience graduate student. She was recently awarded the prestigious McCall MacBain Scholarship and was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Black Women to Watch! Read on to hear about her impressive STEM journey and commitment to equity and inclusion.
Tell us about your involvement with CAGIS. When did you first get involved? What do you do with us today?
My journey with CAGIS began when I became a volunteer Chapter Coordinator in 2022. I, alongside an amazing group of co-coordinators, launched the Calgary chapter and got to share our love for neuroscience, engineering, wildlife, and so much more! As a Chapter Coordinator, I immersed myself in my passion for community building and gained so much appreciation for CAGIS as an organization. Today, I have the privilege of supporting bright, eager STEM enthusiasts as the CAGIS Teen Ambassadors Coordinator. My current role has given me the opportunity to contribute to the leadership development and scientific curiosity of girls and gender-diverse youth. It means the absolute world to me.
You were recently awarded the McCall MacBain Scholarship valued at over $100,000. Tell us about the scholarship and what it will allow you to do.
I am beyond grateful to have received the McCall MacBain scholarship, which funds a diverse group of leaders as they pursue master’s, law, dentistry, or medicine programs. Supported by the McCall MacBain Foundation, I have the privilege of pursuing my studies with tuition and fees covered as well as a monthly stipend. As part of the scholarship, I participate in leadership development sessions with a vibrant cohort of students and receive guidance from a mentor, coach, and faculty advisor. This scholarship has lifted a huge weight off my shoulders, enabling me to pursue my master’s degree in neuroscience with unfettered curiosity and focus!
Tell us about your interest in neuroscience. When did it begin and what are you doing now?
Young Ivana was a wide-eyed theorist, filled to the brim with questions about how the world around her operated. Education provided me with a means to demystify my greatest curiosities – the human body, animal ecosystems, the stars in the sky. When the time arrived to send off postsecondary applications, I found myself overwhelmed with possibilities. Perhaps I would become “Ivana the – astronaut, or engineer, or world-renowned poet.” It was while seated in the back of a highschool biology lecture on neuroscience that I knew I had found a piece of my calling. The brain is a magnificent mystery, so vital to our being that even the slightest dysfunction within it is transformative. I am captivated by neural functionality, and even more so by endeavours dedicated to elucidating treatments for patients with brain damage. Throughout my undergraduate journey, I tackled research projects spanning from spinal cord injury to pediatric epilepsy. My undergraduate thesis focused on the therapeutic potential of a recently-created drug in the treatment of infantile spasms, a devastating seizure condition among babies. Now, as a master’s student, I get to delve deeper into my love for promoting children’s health as I explore treatments for neonatal brain injuries caused by a lack of oxygen or blood flow to the brain. These experiences have truly fueled my dream to become a physician-scientist specializing in pediatric neurology!
Neuroscience is not your only interest. You are also a business owner and a digital storyteller. Why are these other pursuits meaningful to you?
One of my favourite movie lines of all time is: “And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for”. My artistry as a content creator and business owner compliments my work as a scientist in such incredible ways. Digital storytelling through video creation, graphic design, and media writing has given me the tools to uniquely connect with people from all walks of life. As a business owner, crafting wigs for clients with cancer, alopecia, and a love for self-expression has given me an outlet to explore my creativity and uplift beautiful souls in their toughest times. I bring these pieces of myself to my work as a scientist and they allow me to remain balanced, culturally-sensitive, and innovative. I encourage every aspiring scientist to intentionally pursue the interests and hobbies that excite them. Your diversity adds vibrancy to STEM!
You were recently named one of Canada’s Top 100 Black Women to Watch (2024). What does this recognition mean to you?
Being a recipient of this honour will forever leave me at a loss for words! These days, I often think of my younger self, of how she worried that her skin colour, timid nature, and lack of networks meant she would never achieve her dreams. I navigated many spaces, both within science and beyond, clumsily, bearing the weight of being the first person in my lineage to walk new paths. This recognition not only represents me, but the sea of teachers, friends, and family members that held me up when I saw no way forward. In this award I see my grandmother, a warmhearted teacher who experienced the violence of colonialism and overcame. I see my mother, an engineer turned nurse who worked tirelessly to support a family on her own. I see every young girl and gender-diverse child with a dream that feels too large for their hands to hold. This recognition means that there’s room for all of us, and I am committed to making sure that though I may be the first woman and person of colour in certain rooms, I will not be the last.
You have already had many STEM successes! What advice do you have for the next generation in STEM?
- Remind yourself that you belong here and the world of STEM needs what you have to offer.
- Honour your unique voice and let your curiosities lead you to opportunities for discovery!
- Reach out to your role models and never be ashamed of the quirks, interests, and culture that make you who you are.
- Remain open-minded and know that thriving in STEM is not about being perfect, it’s about expanding your knowledge. If I can do it, you can too!
