2018 Laura Clark
Operation Minerva: Women in Science
By Laura Clark
In this picture, I am the third person from the left.
Operation Minerva is an incredible opportunity for students like me. Currently, I can’t think of a career I would like to have in the future that doesn’t involve some form of science, technology, engineering or mathematics. However, women tend to have more difficulty than men finding employment in the male-dominated STEM field of work. Even my personal experiences show that girls are less highly regarded than boys when it comes to working in STEM; during a robotics class in grade seven, my input was ignored, and I was afraid to make suggestions. Societal norms give men a boost in making science their profession; the idea of having women in positions that were previously exclusively for males only became mainstream in the last century. Operation Minerva shows girls that, despite challenges and obstacles, it is possible to be heard and that speaking up in science is not wrong.
When my teacher told me that I had been selected from the students at my school to take part in Operation Minerva, I was ecstatic. Excitedly, I awaited the day of the trip, May 3rd. It was an early morning, but seeing the other excited faces at the Southcentre Mall pickup location woke me up. We boarded the bus, rode to the Girl Guides centre, changed buses and were dropped off at our locations. My mentor company was Canadian Natural Resources Limited (CNRL), and there were twelve women from the company paired with the seven of us girls. We were introduced to geologists, geophysicists and a few different types of engineer. Each person had their own role in the company, which produces crude oil and natural gas. Some worked on locating potential places for oil wells; others helped to get it out of the ground. If the team was missing someone, the entire procedure would fall apart. Why drill if you don’t know where the oil is? Why find oil if there is no way to get at it? Over the course of the day, we learned about every part of the process. Various activities let us have a hands-on experience. For example, we built oil rigs to hold a weight, made water filters, drew maps of the possible locations of underground oil and had a quick geology lesson, among other extraordinary experiences. Something that struck me was how open everything was. We actively participated in learning in a way the I am not accustomed to. At one point, various rocks and fossils were passed around. It may not seem like much, but most of the time, as a child, everything was for looking at behind glass only. Actually being allowed to touch the marks made by a prehistoric creature was not what I expected, being paired to an oil and gas company. It showed me how what I had previously assumed would be a boring career could, in reality, be fascinating. My experiences over the entire day opened me to new idea of becoming an engineer, geologist or geophysicist, jobs I had previously never considered. Through the experiences I shared with the other students who were paired with CNRL, I grew closer to the girls I was working with. What started as a nervous silence turned into friendly jokes and happy laughter. By having us work in small groups, our mentors were showing us how they collaborate, everyone contributing differently to reach a common goal. By the end of the day, I was thoroughly exhausted but happy to have had such an adventure into science. Operation Minerva was one of the most engaging events I have ever been a part of, and I am glad that I was lucky enough to attend it.
As a result of Operation Minerva’s wide range of mentor companies from diverse areas of the STEM field of work, motivated young women can be inspired to explore the sciences as a career. By encouraging students before they have their hearts set on one particular career path, Operation Minerva gives girls the option to pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Operation Minerva expands mindsets, showing girls that it is possible to be successful in STEM, with mentors to prove it. Now that I have taken part in Operation Minerva, I have more confidence than I did in robotics class last year. If I were to repeat those lessons, I am sure that I would have forced my way into discussions if I was still being ignored. My mentors from CNRL opened my eyes to real possibilities for my future. Even if all of the participants do not go on to be scientists, they are still empowered to make themselves heard as women by seeing that not all positions have to be filled by men. I am sure that whatever I choose to do in the future will involve some part of STEM, all because of my wonderful experience with Operation Minerva.
