2012 Paige Jaris

Mentor Company - Matrix Solutions Inc.

A Day with My Operation Minerva Mentors

When I found out at the last minute that my name was drawn to be part of Operation Minerva, I was very excited. When my teacher first mentioned it to the class, I thought that it would be awesome if I got to be a part of it. I always knew that I wanted to pursue science as a career.

On the day of the event, I got up pretty early, and as soon as I started to wake up, I was pumped up! When I got to South Centre with my friends, who were also part of it, I was ready to get out of the cold and onto the bus. The bags that we got were awesome. I felt like I was taking city transit heading for an exciting first day of work! Wondering what Matrix Solutions would have to offer and what the other girls would be like. When heading downtown I was ready to start learning!

Our stop was the last and in my group there were 10 of us. We all crammed into the elevator and it was very awkward because I didn’t know anybody. I later learned that the business we were visiting is a quiet place that solves environmental and engineering problems with innovative solutions. They evaluate sites and look for the environmental impacts. We got to sit at a boardroom table as all the mentors came and introduced themselves and told us what they do. Everyone who worked there looked like they had fun with their jobs and they were very nice. We started with Minerva bingo and I got to know the people around me.

After that, we played a very interesting game where we got passed a ball and we said something that we did that morning. Marie-Eve one of the Hydrogeologists who works there would relate it to a rock that came from the earth. It made me realize that almost every little thing that we do comes from the earth. It was amazing!

Later on we split up into groups. First we got to look at some “muck” under a microscope. A lady named Beryl actually collected it for the Bow River that morning. I find looking at little things under a microscope is extremely interesting. She even gave me a chance to look at my hair under a microscope. SO COOL! Next, I got to see some fish that they were testing from Petland. I found out that the fish got cancer from the tests. Then as a simulation I used some water and dye and did a quick lab study with all the different tools. I could see myself in a lab in the future.

We then switched groups again and learned all about using your eyes and ears when conducting a survey of nearby wildlife. Marilynn really made it interesting. I learned that there are so many simple things in life that we just have to listen for. She prepared a slideshow for us and really talked about what we need to do when we want to look at the wildlife around us. I could really tell that her job was very important to her.

Soon we had a great lunch, and continued on with the great day. We had already had so much fun I didn’t know how they could top it.

Splitting up into more groups, my next group got to look at soil and vegetation samples. We got our hands dirty with 2 different kinds of soil. We even did colour classification. I didn’t even think it was possible to classify soil by its colour. Then Meghan let us pick an orchid and we looked at in under a microscope. An orchid is her favorite flower. It is amazing how much detail is on something so small.

For our last activity we met up with Alexandra, Danielle, Anita and Sarah who did a simulation about containments. They gave us a map and we had to test soil and water samples from for different areas located on the map. After we got the results we had to guess where each sample came from. Their job requires lots of teamwork and there are many people working on the same project but have to do different things. Some problems that they have to deal with, is working in remote areas. To over come this, they get to ride in a helicopter to their location. I think I would do remote work just to do that. Having to test the area would be a bonus.

Heading into the last part of the day I felt sad because I knew that it was almost time to go. I was thinking that if I ever wanted to get a job here, then what type of education would I need. Everyone told me that they had a diploma or a degree of something they were interested in. Depending on what they did for the company. Most for the science part and others for management. Many things play a big role in making a business successful!

They also told me that their job is very flexible. They get to choose the hours that they work. If they miss something here and there then they could either work late or make up time on the weekend. Obviously they have to be responsible and make sure they meet their deadlines.

The most useful subjects to the hydrogeologists are chemistry and physics. They also said that Biology isn’t necessary but it helped them understand more things.

This is what Marie-Eve suggested me to do if I wanted a job like hers, "Find your passion, find what you enjoy learning about, and the possibilities are endless! For me, I really enjoyed spending time outdoors growing up: hiking, camping, swimming. In high school I got a summer job with Parks Canada through the Federal Student Work Exchange Program (FSWEP), and in university I worked with the Geological Survey of Canada where I could learn from different scientists.”

She is very inspiring and I think her advice is great for someone like me. Or maybe even someone who doesn’t know what to do when they are older.

At the end of the day, the elevator ride wasn’t quite as awkward. I learned that there are about 500 employees working there and about 50% of them were women. I am now proud

to know the definition of Hydrogeology! (Study of Water and Rocks) Overall I had a great time and now I really don’t know what I want to be when I am older! There are so many

options and I think a job here is defiantly a new contender. I will remember this experience forever because it opened my eyes!