Overview

Women in Science and Engineering proudly presented our 13th Annual National Conference on January 25-26, 2025! Thank you to everyone who helped make WISE National Conference 2025 a huge success. Check out the media below to get a feel of the conference excitement & we look forward to seeing you in 2026!


Discounts

Thank you to the following schools for supporting the upcoming WISE Conference!
Please check back regularly for updates on discounts, as we will be adding new ones on a rolling basis.
For questions about discounts, please contact conference.academics@wise.skule.ca.


All emails and student numbers associated with any discounted purchase will be sent to the respective school and faculty to confirm enrollment.
Thus, for any discounted tickets, please ensure your affiliated school email is being used for the purchase.

  • Humber College has generously offered to provide free tickets for 20 interested students. In order to receive this benefit, please purchase the ticket with promo code "HUMBERCOLLEGE_25!".
    1/20 spots left

  • The McMaster University Women in Engineering has generously offered to cover $60 of the ticket price for 20 interested students. Interested students should reach out to McMaster Women in Engineering for more information about this discount.
    0/20 spots left

  • Department of Mathematics

    Toronto Metropolitan University has generously offered to provide free tickets for 2 interested mathematics students. Interested students should reach out to the Department of Mathematics for more information about this discount.
    0/2 spots left

    Undergraduate - Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science

    Toronto Metropolitan University has generously offered to provide 70% off tickets for all interested architecture and engineering undergraduate students. In order to receive this benefit, please purchase the ticket with promo code "TMU_UNDERGRAD_ENGARCH_25!".

    Graduate - Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science

    Toronto Metropolitan University has generously offered to provide 70% off tickets for 15 interested architecture and engineering graduate students. In order to receive this benefit, please purchase the ticket with promo code "TMU_GRAD_ENGARCH_25!".
    6/15 spots left

  • The Doody Family Chair for the Women in Engineering at Guelph will support up to 17 attendees from the Guelph WiSE organization to attend the WISE National Conference. UG plans to support tickets and accommodations. Please reach out to Jean Hein or the UG WiSE organization!
    0/17 spots left

  • Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering

    The University of Toronto Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering has generously offered to provide 80% off tickets for 170 interested engineering students. In order to receive this benefit, please purchase the ticket with promo code "UOFTENG_25!".
    0/170 spots left

    Department of Cell and Systems Biology

    The University of Toronto Department of Cell and Systems Biology has generously offered to provide 50% off tickets for 6 interested cell and systems biology students. In order to receive this benefit, please purchase the ticket with promo code "UOFTCSB_25!".
    0/6 spots left

    Department of Chemistry

    The University of Toronto Department of Chemistry has generously offered to provide free tickets for 10 interested chemistry undergraduate students. In order to receive this benefit, please purchase the ticket with promo code "UOFTCHEMISTRY_25!".
    0/10 spots left

    Department of Computer Science

    The University of Toronto Department of Computer Science has generously offered to cover $75 of the ticket price for 20 interested computer science students. For the initial purchase, students pay the full ticket price, and after confirmation of attendance, $75 will be reimbursed. The Department of Computer Science will host a lottery to select students for these 20 spots. Interested students should complete this form by January 5, 2025 to be entered into the lottery.
    0/20 spots left

    Department of Earth Sciences

    The University of Toronto Department of Earth Sciences has generously offered to provide free tickets for 6 interested earth sciences students. In order to receive this benefit, please purchase the ticket with promo code "UOFTEARTHSCI_25!".
    0/6 spots left

    Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology

    The University of Toronto Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology has generously offered to provide free tickets for 5 interested pharmacology and toxicology students. In order to receive this benefit, please purchase the ticket with promo code "UOFTPHARMTOX_25!".
    0/5 spots left

  • The University of Toronto Mississauga Department of Chemical and Physical Sciences (CPS) has generously offered to provide free tickets for 10 interested students. In order to receive this benefit, please contact cps.utm@utoronto.ca. If you are qualified for this subsidy and has already registered, please contact the Department for reimbursement.
    10/10 spots left

  • Faculty of Science

    The Western University Faculty of Science has generously offered to provide free tickets for 40 interested science students. In order to receive this benefit, please purchase the ticket with promo code "WESTERNSCIENCE_25!".
    0/40 spots left

    Faculty of Engineering

    The Western University Faculty of Engineering has generously offered to provide free tickets for 20 interested engineering students. Interested students should reach out to the Faculty of Engineering for more information about this discount.
    12/20 spots left

Speakers

Keynotes

Dr. Sara Mazrouei
Dr. Sara Mazrouei
Planetary Scientist, Communicator, Educator
Jennifer Quaglietta
Jennifer Quaglietta
CEO & Registrar @ Professional Engineers Ontario

Biotechnology Panel

Virginie Coindre
Virginie Coindre
Scientist @ Bluerock (Bayer)
Shawana Habib
Shawana Habib
Staff Engineer @ Stryker
Neha Sam
Neha Sam
R&D Engineer @ Boston Scientific
Lisa Strug
Lisa Strug
Canada Research Chair in Genome Data Science

Professor @ University of Toronto

Senior Scientist @ The Hospital for Sick Children
Azadeh Yadollahi
Azadeh Yadollahi
Canada Research Chair in Cardio-Respiratory Engineering

Senior Scientist @ Toronto Rehabilitation Institute (KITE), University Health Network

Associate Professor @ Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto

Space Panel

Abby Lacson
Abby Lacson
MTS - Mission Systems for Mission Ops @ MDA Space
Dr. Beth Lymer
Dr. Beth Lymer
MTS - Systems Design Engineering @ MDA Space
Anastasiia Prysyazhnyuk
Anastasiia Prysyazhnyuk
Deputy Portfolio Manager, Health Beyond Initiative @ Canadian Space Agency (CSA)
Dr. Ioana Zelko
Dr. Ioana Zelko
CITA Postdoctoral Fellow @ Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics

Data-Driven Decision Making in Business Panel

Natacha Altamirano
Natacha Altamirano
Director of Data Science @ Birch Hill Equity Partners
Sheridan Fong
Sheridan Fong
Analytics Developer @ Wealthsimple
Arpita Kar
Arpita Kar
Staff Data Scientist @ Intuit
Dinika Rao
Dinika Rao
Data Architecture Senior Analyst @ Accenture
Angie Wu
Angie Wu
Director of Engineering and Product Development @ Xylem

Break In & Stand Out Panel

Ines Lucia Fernandez
Ines Lucia Fernandez
Advisor @ Finliti
Peggy Fong
Peggy Fong
Director of Product Development Engineering @ AMD
Michelle Kong
Michelle Kong
Senior Technical Program Manager @ Qualcomm
Juliana Sommer
Juliana Sommer
General Manager of Business Performance & Continuous Improvement Engineering @ Vale
Nazuk Thakkar
Nazuk Thakkar
Senior Associate @ Ripple Ventures

Health Sciences Panel

Ifeoluwa Olivia Akande
Ifeoluwa Olivia Akande
Wellness Manager, Career and Work-life Strategist @ Oneness Education Foundation
Dr. Cheyenne Matinnia
Dr. Cheyenne Matinnia
Clinical Pharmacist - Paediatric Cardiology and Heart Transplant @ The Hospital for Sick Children

Masters Student @ University of Toronto
Hana Sharifi
Hana Sharifi
MD Student @ Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University
Lucy Zhao
Lucy Zhao
Medical Student @ University of Toronto

Beyond Reality: Robotics and Extended Reality (XR) Panel

Sherry Chen
Sherry Chen
Applied Scientist @ Amazon Robotics
Shivanshi Gupta
Shivanshi Gupta
Graduate Student, Master of Science in Applied Computing @ University of Toronto
Cheryl Lao
Cheryl Lao
Software Engineer
Dr. Onaizah Onaizah
Dr. Onaizah Onaizah
Assistant Professor @ McMaster University
Mia Thomas
Mia Thomas
Graduate Student @ University of Toronto Robotics Institute

Pathways in Academia Panel

Christina Booker
Christina Booker
Teaching scholar and Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry and Integrated Science Program @ Western University
Alice Gao
Alice Gao
Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Department of Computer Science @ University of Toronto
Magdalena Krol
Magdalena Krol
Associate Professor, Civil Engineering Department at Lassonde School of Engineering @ York University
Emily Marasco
Emily Marasco
Associate Dean, First Year Program & Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility @ University of Calgary Schulich School of Engineering
Nandita Vijaykumar
Nandita Vijaykumar
Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science @ University of Toronto

Sustainability Panel

Madeleine Bonsma-Fisher
Madeleine Bonsma-Fisher
Data Sciences Institute Postdoctoral Fellow @ University of Toronto
Shikha Jain
Shikha Jain
CEO @ Green Energy Trading Corporation (GET)

Commissioner @ Canadian Dairy Commission
Pamela McDermid
Pamela McDermid
Senior Manager, Engineering Strategy @ Ontario Power Generation

Workshops

Workshops are a wonderful way for you to more actively take part in the Conference! Our demos, activities, and guided discussions are designed to allow you to get exposure to new concepts, develop useful skills, and engage with fellow attendees. With the focus being more on skill-building, we believe that everyone will be able to find something useful and inspiring from attending these workshops, no matter where their interests lie. Unless indicated otherwise, no materials are required for the workshops.

Using Data Analytics to Solve Real-World Problems

an engineering approach to business

Anna Larkin, Olivia Tracey, Rachael Walker - Senior Analysts, Data Science & Strategy Team @ Birch Hill Equity Partners
Saturday, 10:30 AM - 12 PM EST | Pier 4

Join members of the Birch Hill Equity Partners Data Science & Strategy team to solve a business problem for one of their portfolio companies. Learn about how the team applies structured frameworks and leverages data to develop impactful solutions to real problems.

Harmonizing Innovation: The Intersection of Music and Engineering

Dr. Emily Marasco - Associate Dean, First Year Program & Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility @ University of Calgary Schulich School of Engineering
Saturday, 10:30 AM - 12 PM EST | Pier 5

Dive into the fascinating world where music meets engineering! This workshop explores the science of sound waves, techniques for improving sound quality, and principles of noise control. Gain insights into the domains of frequency and time, and learn how acoustical engineering shapes the way we hear and experience music. Whether you're a musician curious about engineering or an engineer inspired by music, discover how to harmonize these two disciplines and turn your passion for sound into a dynamic career.

Mechatronics 101

making things happen with microcontrollers, sensors, and actuators!

Katie Allison - Ontario Co-Organizer @ Women in Robotics; Course Instructor, TA, Graduate Student @ University of Toronto Robotics Institute
Saturday, 1 PM - 2:30 PM EST | Pier 5

Mechatronic systems are everywhere! Learn how to write software to control hardware, then practice combining sensor and actuator modules to design and test functional mechatronic systems.

Materials: This workshop is ideally attended with a personal computer. We will use Thonny to load code onto microcontrollers, so please download Thonny in advance. Please also bring a USB-A port/converter to connect to sensors with.

Exploring Natural Language Processing

uoft reddit edition

Harman Gill - Undergraduate Researcher @ University of Toronto Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics; VP Logistics @ UTMIST
Sunday, 10 AM - 11:30 AM EST | Pier 4

Join us for a hands-on workshop where we dive into the world of sentiment analysis using data from the UofT subreddit. Learn how NLP and machine learning uncover trends, decode emotions, and provide insights into campus life—all while working with real-world data. Perfect for beginners!

Materials: Bring a charged laptop and an eagerness to learn!

A Journey into Biomechanics

Fatemeh Jazinizadeh - Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream @ University of Toronto Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Sunday, 10 AM - 11:30 AM EST | Pier 5

An adventure into the fascinating area of biomechanics from orthopedic to sport biomechanics with an hands-on activity in human motion analysis.

Materials: At least one Windows laptop for every three attendees to share.

Navigating the Tech World

my journey as an ai software intern at qualcomm

Iris Wang - Low Power AI Software Intern @ Qualcomm
Sunday, 11:30 AM - 1 PM EST | Pier 5

Learn about the life of an intern in the tech industry, from landing the job to day-to-day tasks. The workshop will include an introduction to Qualcomm as a company, insights into the Low Power AI Software Team, how to validate and release AI models, an overview of essential technical and soft skills needed for a software intern, tips on securing an internship, and training your very own AI model.

The 5 Pillars of Financial Literacy

investing, borrowing, saving, budgeting, and protecting yourself

Amber Zhuo - MBA, PFP, Financial Planner @ Scotiabank
Sunday, 2 PM - 3:30 PM EST | Pier 4

Financial literacy is an integral part of preparing yourself for success in your career. Learn about the 5 Pillars of Financial Literacy with an emphasis on investing, then apply this knowledge to a case study on financial planning.

Exploring the Brain: From Mouse Moves to Microscope Views

join us for a hands-on demonstration of how neuroscientists analyze behaviour and histological data!

Katrina Choe - Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour @ McMaster University
Sunday, 2 PM - 3:30 PM EST | Pier 5

Dive into the fascinating world of neuroscience with our hands-on workshop, “Exploring the Brain: From Mouse Moves to Microscope Views”. This interactive workshop is designed for students eager to explore the techniques used to understand brain function and behavior in mouse models. Participants will learn how to analyze mouse behavior to uncover insights into neural activity and link these findings to histological images of brain tissue. Through guided sessions, you'll gain practical experience with behavioral data analysis, image processing, and the principles behind these essential neuroscience techniques.

Materials: A laptop with Fiji and Boris installed.

Building Your Future: Exploring Career Paths in Technology by NVIDIA

Saira Qureshi - Engineering Manager @ NVIDIA
Sunday, 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM EST | Pier 4

In today's digital world, technology is the backbone of nearly every industry, offering a wide range of career opportunities. Whether you're drawn to cybersecurity, data science, physical design, AI, or deep learning, this workshop is designed to help you explore various tech career paths and assess how your current skills align with these fields. By the end of the session, you'll have a clear understanding of the next steps to bridge any gaps and develop a strong portfolio that aligns with your career aspirations. Building Your Future: Exploring Career Paths in Technology emphasizes building essential skills, creating impactful personal projects, and leveraging your academic background to strengthen your professional journey and enhance your chances of success in the tech industry.

Materials: Paper and pencil ready on hand for each attendee.

Competitions

The WISE National Conference (WISE NC) competitions provide an opportunity for participants from various fields to apply knowledge learned in class and solve real-world problems. We are pleased to present 4 competitions for the WISE NC 2025: 5 Minute Thesis, BattleSnake Competition, Qualcomm Case Competition, and Xylem Ignite Hackathon.

All conference attendees are eligible to participate! You must purchase a ticket for WISE NC 2025 before registering for our competitions. Please be advised that competitions registrations are accepted on a rolling, first-come-first-served basis for limited spaces.


5 Minute Thesis (5MT)

Saturday, 11 AM - 12 PM and 1 PM - 2 PM EST | Pier 9
Sign Up Here!

Deadline: Slide and abstract submissions are due by January 24th 2025, 11:59 PM EST.

We invite students from any STEM background to present their research to a panel of judges and have the opportunity to showcase their findings to a wider audience. Participants will be given five minutes to present their thesis research in an engaging manner using only one static slide. In partnership with URNCST, all abstracts will get published in our journal book (as long as they follow our guidelines).

  • Only one static slide is permitted.
  • No additional electronic media or props are allowed.
  • Presentations are limited to 5 minutes maximum and competitors exceeding 5 minutes will face a penalty.
  • Presentations will be assessed on communication, comprehension, engagement and quality of work.
Prizes: $300 will be rewarded for first place, $200 for second place and $100 for third place!

5MT Judges
Dr. Atena Roshan Fekr
Dr. Atena Roshan Fekr
Assistant Professor @ Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Rehabilitation Sciences Institute (RSI), University of Toronto
Dr. Nana Hyung-Ran Lee
Dr. Nana Hyung-Ran Lee
Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Immunology @ University of Toronto
Dr. Xiang Li
Dr. Xiang Li
Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Physics @ University of Toronto

BattleSnake Competition

Saturday, 12 PM - 1 PM EST | Pier 9
Sign Up Here!

Deadline: Make sure to register by January 19th 2025, 11:59 PM EST.

Bring your coding skills to life in this thrilling BattleSnake tournament! Students, either individually or in pairs, will code a snake and compete against others in a series of head-to-head matches. This competition is open to all skill levels and students can sign up for either the beginner or advanced tournaments based on their experience. It is a great opportunity to practice, learn, and have fun in a friendly environment. Each snake's performance will be judged based on its survival time, the last one standing will win.

Prizes: The top 2 teams from each category (beginner and advanced) will receive one year access to Wolfram|One Professional Edition for which the full retail value is $1,660.

Qualcomm Engineering Case

Qualcomm Case Competition

Sunday, 10 AM - 12 PM EST | Pier 9
Sign Up Here!

Deadline: Make sure to register by January 19th 2025, 11:59 PM EST.

Participants work in teams to analyze and propose solutions to real-world engineering problems presented in the form of a case study. A detailed brief will be released closer to the competition date. The final design will be presented in front of a judging panel. Students can either register with a team or ask to be put in a team.

  • All teams must be made up of 4 people.
  • Students from different departments, faculties or institutions are welcome to participate on the same team.
  • The final design will be assessed on problem comprehension, quality of design, and presentation skills.
Prizes: 4 Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses will be rewarded for first place, $300 for second place and $200 for third place!

Xylem Ignite Hackathon

Xylem Ignite Hackathon

Sunday, 2 PM - 4 PM EST | Pier 9
Sign Up Here!

Deadline: Make sure to register by January 17th 2025, 11:59 PM EST.

Participants work in teams to analyze and develop creative solutions to real-world challenges facing the water industry. A detailed brief will be released closer to the competition date. The final design will be presented in front of a judging panel. Students can either register with a team or ask to be put in a team.

  • All teams must be made up of at least 3 and no more than 5 members.
  • Students from different departments, faculties or institutions are welcome to participate on the same team.
  • The final design will be assessed on problem comprehension, quality of design, and presentation skills.
Prizes: The top team will have the opportunity to take part in the year-long competition hosted by Xylem Ignite to identify the top projects in North America with a grand prize for the best hackathon project of 2025 (to be announced)!

2025 WISE National Conference Schedule

All times are in Eastern Standard Time (EST)

Registration/Breakfast

Harbour Foyer

Opening Ceremony

Harbour Ballroom

Keynote - Sara Mazrouei

Harbour Ballroom

Panel - Biotech

Pier 2


Workshop - Using Data Analytics to Solve Real-World Problems

Pier 4


Workshop - Harmonizing Innovation: The Intersection of Music and Engineering

Pier 5

Competition - 5 Minute Thesis

Pier 9

Lunch

Harbour Foyer


Competition - Battlesnake

Pier 9

Competition - 5 Minute Thesis

Pier 9

Panel - Space

Harbour Ballroom


Panel - Data-Driven Decision Making in Business

Pier 4


Workshop - Mechatronics 101

Pier 5

Career & Grad Fair

Harbour Foyer, Pier 2

Closing Remarks

Harbour Ballroom

Registration/Breakfast

Harbour Foyer

Keynote - Jennifer Quaglietta

Harbour Ballroom

Competition - Qualcomm Case

Pier 9

Panel - Break In & Stand Out

Pier 2


Workshop - Exploring Natural Language Processing

Pier 4


Workshop - A Journey into Biomechanics

Pier 5

Panel - Health Sciences

Pier 2


Panel - Robotics

Pier 4


Workshop - Navigating the Tech World

Pier 5

Lunch

Harbour Foyer

Panel - Pathways in Academia

Pier 2


Workshop - The 5 Pillars of Financial Literacy

Pier 4


Workshop - Exploring the Brain: From Mouse Moves to Microscope Views

Pier 5

Competition - Xylem Ignite Hackathon

Pier 9

Panel - Sustainability

Pier 2


Workshop - Building Your Future: Exploring Career Paths in Technology by NVIDIA

Pier 4

Closing Ceremony

Harbour Ballroom

Sponsors

Want to become a sponsor? Get in touch with us at vp.finance@wise.skule.ca

Corporate Partners

Birch Hill
Qualcomm
Amazon Robotics
Intuit
OPG
Vale
ABB
AMD
Arcadis
Rakuten Kobo
Shell
TetraTech
Accenture
Communications Security Establishment
Intact
P&G
PEO
Sanofi
Volta Energy
Wealthsimple
Xylem
Wolfram

Academic Partners

Humber College
McMaster University
Toronto Metropolitan University
University of Calgary
University of Guelph
University of Toronto
University of Toronto Civil Engineering
University of Waterloo
Western University
York University Lassonde Mechnical Engineering

Event Venue

The WISE National Conference 2025 will be held at Toronto Westin Harbour Castle.

FAQ

You don't see your question answered here? Please contact conference.internal@wise.skule.ca if you have any further inquiries. Please make sure your question is not addressed in the FAQ first.