Organizing Committee
Co-President: Jordan Koop
Hello! I’m Jordan (he/him) and I’m entering the final year of my MSc in geology (looking at platform-edge rocks in western Newfoundland), and I’m excited to have the opportunity to be a part of the Grace Anne Stewart Speaker Series again this year! I think that having a speaker series which focuses on increasing the visibility of underrepresented groups is needed to address the tendency within the sciences to ignore the human aspects of research, and helps in building a more collaborative space for people to participate!
Co-President: Ankita Mukherjee
Message from Ankita (she/her): It's needless to say anything introductory about EDI. I became enthusiastic about EDI after years of observing and hearing how injustice and discrimination affect members of various groups. Imagine feeling unsafe at your own workplace! My aim of joining Grace Anne Stewart Speaker Series is widening our avenues with other EDI groups in UofA and make our department inclusive of all the people irrespective of gender bias, caste, creed, colour, nationality and orientations. I can relate with the problems that the underrepresented strata of the society might feel and they need to be resolved. Together we must work in unison!
Maria Arizaleta
Hi! My name is Maria Arizaleta (she/her) and this year I am the Advertiser and Website keeper for GASSS. I am in my 4th year of my PhD with Dr. Sasha Wilson, my research focuses on characterizing and assessing the potential of clay minerals found in lakes and mine tailings for CO2 sequestration. Happy to be part of this team for another year to help advertise our E.D.I. related events!
Shaun Woudstra
Hi, I'm Shaun (he/him), and I study Quaternary to Holocene volcanic activity in Alaska, BC, and the Yukon. I've volunteered with GASSS since 2019 to increase the accessibility of diverse role models for anyone with an interest in geoscience!
Daniela Gutierrez Rueda
Speaker Series Organizer
Michelle Landry
Hey everyone, Michelle (She/her) here! Happy to be joining GASSS this year as a speaker series coordinator. I'm beyond excited to participate in giving voice to great female role models during our speaker series. Sharing tales of our experiences, struggles, and accomplishments reminds us of the strength of our community and the barriers we face every day. By being the first female geology student to graduate in Canada (from the University of Alberta), Grace Anne Stewart helped to pave the way for women to exist in the spheres of geoscience. I am grateful to live in her legacy and share it with so many others in this group!
Verônica Rosa
I'm Verônica Rosa, Faculty Panel organizer and my pronouns are she/her. I believe that GASSS plays a crucial role in bringing diversity of ideas and people into the EAS department. I also believe that equity, diversity and inclusion are a prerequisite for the construction of any respectful, fair work environment. That being said, I'm very excited to contribute to the 2023/24 committee, bringing continuity to such an important and socially committed group.
Sophie Benaroya
Hi, I'm Sophie (she/her), and I'm one of the Faculty Panel organizers. I'm a second-year Ph.D. student studying redox in the Martian interior. I'm excited to be part of GASSS because I think it's important to highlight EDI initiatives within the scientific community. I look forward to hosting panels that showcase the interdisciplinary nature of geoscience and expand people’s ideas of what a scientist does and looks like.
Faculty Contact
Stephen Johnston
Email: stjohnst@ualberta.ca
