What is your first U of A memory?
Getting lost in BioSci before finally reaching a locked door in the Zoology Wing as I wondered if I was at the right place for my grad school interview. At the time, I was blissfully unaware of how intimately familiar I would eventually become with the building.
What’s something your coworkers don’t know about you?
I am very okay at rock climbing.
What’s your favourite distraction?
My cats (Mochi, Taro and Clementine), who love to walk in front of my monitor to get my attention while I put together lecture slides.
If you were enrolling in one course, program or degree right now, what would it be?
I think it would be interesting to enroll in my own third-year developmental biology course and experience it as a student.
You can invite anyone — alive or dead, real or fictional — to dinner. Who would it be?
My maternal grandfather. I would like to share a simple meal and a quiet conversation with him one more time.
If you could see any live performance tomorrow, what would it be?
Singer-songwriter (Leslie) Feist.
What advice would you give your 18-year-old self?
Take your time and explore your interests. At the time, I was not introspective enough, and I was focused on doing what I thought I was “supposed to do” – study hard, get good grades, set up for the next phase in life. While I do not regret the approach, I think I could have used a reminder to enjoy the present.
What’s one thing you can’t live without?
After much consideration, the answer would have to be water.
What three words describe your U of A experience?
Transformative, impactful, poignant.
Over the past year, the Augustana Miquelon Lake Research Station (AMLRS) and Hesje Observatory have seen increased visitors from across the university community and general public. What has been a highlight for you across these engagements?
I am a fervent believer in making science accessible to all, not just to those with formal, academic training. I cherish the fact that AMLRS and Hesje Observatory can invite the general public to engage with their own scientific curiosity, and bridge the gap between academic research and the community-at-large.
Alex Gulay (AMLRS/Hesje Observatory technician and programming coordinator) and I have been particularly interested in expanding programming possibilities and have been engaging with Alberta Parks, schools, various community groups, Indigenous communities and astronomy groups over the last few years.
We are continuing to work on additional methods of educational outreach, including via the live-streaming of images from the Observatory through remote operation of the telescope, further increasing the accessibility of astronomy-related programs at Hesje Observatory. It has been exciting and reinvigorating to see our efforts pay off, and we look forward to continuing our work to engage with the broader community.
What would you say to others at the U of A who have yet to visit the station and observatory?
I still recall the first time I saw Saturn through the telescope at the Observatory, shortly after I started my position. As a molecular geneticist who hadn’t visited an observatory in decades, the experience was surreal, like seeing a cartoon image come to life – I felt like a child again, experiencing the wonder of seeing something fascinating for the first time. It is that same sense of wonder that we aim to share with everyone at AMLRS and Hesje Observatory. We invite you all to come out!
