By CAGIS
Meet Dr. Sydney Brooks at CAGIS
“My love for teaching brought me to science communication.”
Sydney Brooks has a PhD in chemistry and works as a science communicator and project coordinator with CAGIS! Sydney co-runs CAGIS Virtual; every week, she connects with STEM role models across Canada to develop and deliver fun, hands-on, live activities to CAGIS girls and gender-diverse youth across the country. These high-impact sessions take months of advanced planning!
Sydney also runs the CAGIS social media pages where she connects us to exciting STEM facts, news, and role models.
Additionally, Sydney volunteers with her local CAGIS Chapter, where participants have monthly, hands-on, STEM adventures with inspiring role models.
Sydney’s Journey in STEM
Sydney’s love of STEM first began in a high school biology class: “My high school biology teacher was really awesome. We got to do a massive fruit fly genetics project–initially I thought it was gross, but by the end I was completely fascinated with genetics and hereditary traits.” Her introduction to biology eventually led her to West Virginia University where she majored in chemistry. “Initially I double-majored in chemistry and forensic chemistry (I watched a lot of CSI as a teenager). I started doing research in a chemistry lab after my first year, and found I enjoyed that more than my forensics classes, so I dropped the second major to focus more strongly on my main interests.”
After completing her undergraduate studies, she went on to pursue graduate studies in inorganic chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh. For Sydney, chemistry provides a unique view of the world: “Chemistry looks at the world from the ground up, and I find that really interesting. There’s an order, almost a rhythm, to the ways atoms combine to make the world around us and that is really cool to me.”
Eventually, Sydney’s chemistry expertise provided her with the opportunity to share her knowledge with others, via teaching at the University of Pittsburgh and science outreach at the Carnegie Science Center.
What has been your favourite part of the job?
My favourite part is the CAGIS Virtual events! Getting to watch everyone have fun (and learn new things) is really rewarding.
Do you still get to incorporate chemistry into your work?
Yes! I love when little chemistry questions come up – recently I consulted on the DIY snow activity from the last newsletter and I have developed several chemistry CAGIS Virtual events. In addition, I use the problem-solving and time management skills I learned from research a lot!
Tell us about a memorable experience working in STEM.
In graduate school, I got to teach an introductory chemistry class. I had to create the class from the ground up; I developed the syllabus, wrote the exams, and planned each class. It was a lot of work, but watching the students learn chemistry and gain confidence was so rewarding. I tried really hard to encourage class participation, and by the end of the semester a group of students who had initially sat at the back of the class were in the front rows answering my questions. It was so cool to build those connections through the class.
What is something CAGIS members might not know about you?
I love history–I think it is just as important as STEM fields.
What advice do you have for future STEM experts?
Be yourself! Diversity in STEM strengthens the fields as a whole. Also, always try to make more space for others as you advance in your career.
