51社区黑料

In recognition of  on February 11, 2026, 51社区黑料spoke to two Canada Research Chairs in the Faculty of Science about their journeys to become leading science researchers at SFU, and the lessons they have learned along the way.

IDWGS is the day established by the United Nations General Assembly to support full and equal access to, and participation in, science and technology for women and girls. Gender equality in science is crucial for building a better future for all, yet women and girls continue to face systemic barriers and biases in pursuing scientific careers.

The UN notes that women continue to be underrepresented in scientific research worldwide. In 2022, just 31.1% of researchers were women, highlighting persistent gender gaps in the field.

Any students who would like the opportunity to meet and learn from women science faculty are invited to join  on Thursday, February 12, 2026, 12pm-1pm at Sci-Space (AQ3146).

Braid鈥檚 career since has been anything but linear. She describes it candidly as 鈥渁 hot mess鈥� 鈥� but one that led her to places she never could have imagined. After navigating work, school, and raising an infant and toddler, Braid took on a post鈥慸octoral role at Defence Research and Development Canada, where she discovered a deep affinity for translational research. The work 鈥渇lipped my approach to research on its head,鈥� she says. Instead of starting with discovery, she began with real-world constraints and worked backward toward solutions. The experience eventually inspired her to found start鈥憉p, Aurora BioSolutions, so she could continue advancing technologies with potential to help people.

Five years later, seeking intellectual community and new opportunities for her family, she applied for a researcher role at SFU. 鈥淚 never dreamed I would be competitive given my unconventional path and non-academic CV,鈥� she says. But 51社区黑料valued the translational lens she brought. Today, her lab is uncovering promising new biology with commercialization potential, and she is thriving at the intersection of research, innovation, and mentorship.

At the heart of her work is a simple hope: 鈥淚n the end, I just want to make other people's lives better.鈥� Whether through future therapies or empowering students to overcome their own challenges, she sees impact in many forms.

To those supporting the next generation of scientists 鈥� especially girls 鈥� Braid offers powerful guidance. Encourage curiosity, she says, and give girls room to explore without fear. 鈥淟et girls ask questions, take things apart, make messes, and be wrong 鈥� be epic failures, in fact.鈥� Curiosity and resilience, not perfection, are what fuel a scientific mind.

Her advice to her younger self is equally succinct: 鈥淕et out of your own way.鈥� She has learned that fear and self-doubt can be more limiting than any external barrier, and she鈥檚 committed to helping young scientists see their own potential more clearly.

If there鈥檚 one message she wants future generations to hear, it鈥檚 that belonging matters just as much as encouragement. 鈥淭he next generation of women in science needs more than encouragement 鈥� they need belonging, honest (imperfect) role models, and systems that are designed to support them, not test their resilience.鈥�

Looking back, Braid doesn鈥檛 believe in mistakes 鈥� only lessons. Her path may have been unconventional, but it led her exactly where she鈥檚 meant to be. 鈥淚f one were to create a blueprint for becoming a scientist, I did everything wrong,鈥� she says. 鈥淏ut I'm doing work now and have opportunities to create impact that I never even imagined because of my experiences along the way.鈥�

MacPherson鈥檚 path into this field began with a deep love of math. 鈥淚 always really enjoyed math,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 liked the rules, and that you could show 鈥榯his is right鈥� or 鈥榯his is not right.鈥欌�� But she was also driven by a desire to help people. That curiosity led her to pursue biology in university, where an instructor鈥檚 guidance changed everything. When she raised concerns that she wouldn鈥檛 get to use math in her biology degree, the instructor connected her to a math鈥慴io program. 鈥淪he was like, oh, do I ever know what to do with you!鈥� MacPherson laughs. That moment set her on the path she still follows today.

Undergraduate research took her from classrooms to the White Sands Desert in New Mexico, chasing lizards across shimmering dunes. 鈥淚 just fell in love with it,鈥� she says. 鈥淢y love of biodiversity has just grown ever since.鈥�

MacPherson describes her scientific journey as a 鈥渟tory of going from one role model to the next role model to the next.鈥� She credits a chain of mentors 鈥� Holly Wichman, Scott Nuismer, and the renowned theoretical biologist Sally Otto 鈥� for shaping her career. Having been homeschooled, she says she grew up with 鈥渁 dearth of role models,鈥� making these relationships especially important in her development as a scientist.

But the journey hasn鈥檛 been without challenges. 鈥淚 have existential crises on a daily basis,鈥� she admits. 鈥淪elf-confidence 鈥� like, is the science I鈥檓 doing worth it? Will anybody care?鈥� For her, community has been essential: 鈥淲e are just better if we're in a community. Reach out to your professors, work with your classmates, build that community as much as you can.鈥�

Her advice to young scientists 鈥� and her younger self 鈥� is to push past shyness and self-doubt. 鈥淎 lot of my life is pretending not to be shy,鈥� she says. 鈥淚f you have to pretend not to be shy to build that community, do it.鈥�

Among her proudest moments is not a single accomplishment but a way of living, which she describes as 鈥渃urating a lifestyle of curiosity鈥�. She says: 鈥淲hen I come into my office and I鈥檓 curious about what I鈥檓 going to learn today, that always makes me really happy.鈥�

One milestone does stand out: receiving an early- career award named after a prominent population geneticist. 鈥淚t felt like becoming part of the population genetics community,鈥� she says, 鈥渓ike you are the next one in the chain.鈥�

Looking ahead, MacPherson sees enormous responsibility and opportunity for the next generation of scientists facing challenges like biodiversity loss and climate change. But she鈥檚 optimistic. 鈥淲e have so many tools and great shoulders to stand on. I fully trust that my generation and the next will step up to this challenge.鈥�

She also emphasizes the importance of protecting and celebrating diversity in science, right down to the names on publications. 鈥淭he more diversity we have, the more diversity it supports.鈥� Her message is simple: 鈥淏e who you are. Don鈥檛 feel like you have to change yourself for science. You鈥檙e contributing to science no matter what your name is.鈥�