Creating space for women to thrive in STEM

In today’s era of rapid technological change, tech leaders are in high demand. While research shows that diverse teams are innovative and high performing, and the products they design can effectively serve broader audiences, the industry remains male-dominated.

Over the last decade, Canada has made progress attracting more women into STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). But there is still significant work to be done to address underrepresentation and the barriers women pursuing STEM degrees face, like isolation, bias, and limited financial support.

That’s where SFU donors like Bruce and Edith Fingarson are looking to make a difference.

Longtime advocates for higher education, Bruce and Edith recently established an endowment to support women in the School of Mechatronic Systems Engineering (MSE) at SFU. Their gift will fund a new award and bursary, helping women pursue their goals with confidence. They also plan to top up the endowment through a future gift in their will, ensuring their impact continues for generations to come.

Bruce points to his inspiring female role models—his mother was a pharmacist, his aunt studied at SFU, and his grandmother was president of the Provincial Council of Women—and notes that he had parents who established awards at other post-secondary institutions. Their decision to support women in engineering at SFU feels like a continuation of their family values.

Bruce’s decades-long engineering career and experiences as an associate professor of practice in MSE also influenced the Fingarsons’ focus.

“I’ve worked with some brilliant women who brought fresh perspectives and asked questions that others didn’t think to ask. That kind of diversity is essential to innovation,” he says. “But I’ve also seen the other side, both in industry and higher education: talented engineers who are women facing uncalled-for discrimination, exclusion, or even being told by their families that ‘engineering isn’t for women.’ It’s heartbreaking and Edith and I wanted to do more to change the landscape.”

This new award and bursary are a step toward wider impact. “One award or bursary won’t solve everything,” Bruce says, “but it’s a start. If the person we support goes on to support someone else, that ripple effect could be profound.”

Empowering the next generation

Amadea de Wit, a senior student in MSE, knew early on that she belonged in STEM. Her interest was initially sparked through attending several of SFU Applied Sciences’ K-12 community outreach programs when she was growing up. In Grade 5, she was inspired to pursue a career in robotics upon learning her friend’s father had lost his legs in a logging accident—she became determined to study robotics and learn to build robotic prosthetic limbs.

“Carolyn Sparrey was one of the first female engineers and professors I encountered during an SFU Applied Sciences day camp. I vividly recall her showing us a tensile test device used to test muscle elasticity—although for our audience she demonstrated using gummy worms,” Amadea recalls fondly.

“Through interacting with female engineers and professors at those workshops, I was able to picture myself studying engineering at SFU. Throughout my time at SFU, Carolyn has continued to be an important mentor for me: she supervised my engineering capstone project; I’ve worked as a research assistant in her lab; and she’s supported me through challenging times in the program.”

Amadea has also received donor-funded awards, which have helped her focus on her studies and mentorship work. “The financial help is huge,” she says “but the encouragement is even more powerful. These awards tell you, ‘We see you, we believe in you, and you belong here.’”

Today, Amadea gives back by mentoring younger female students in her program and by inspiring youth through SFU’s Pathways to STEAM program. She also aspires to work at the forefront of biomedical robotics, creating rehabilitative robotic devices like prosthetics, exoskeletons, and assistive technologies that empower others.

The Fingarsons hope to support student stories like Amadea’s through their gift.