iWIST Scholarship News 2025
Congratulations to the 2025 recipients of scholarships for women in STEM managed by Island Women in Science and Technology. This year marks the launch of the Redbrick Woman of Impact and Shift Woman of Innovation awards, and the second year for the iWIST Woman in STEM award.
For more information on the program contact scholarships@iwist.ca
iWIST Women in STEM Recipient 2025
$3,000 award
Sydney Goodwin - MSc, Biochemistry and Microbiology
Sydney was five years old when she had her first anaphylactic reaction. Although life altering, she credits
the experience as the start of her interest in helping others with similar conditions. After earning her degree
in biology, she served in a research assistant with BC Cancer and now currently pursues graduate studies at
UVic. “I was drawn to the development of novel immunotherapies to treat solid tumors - I want to
contribute to improving adoptive cell therapies. Patient survivorship and comfort is at the forefront of my
research goals.”
Her research earned her an opportunity to present at two major conferences ImmunoBC
and BioCanRx Summit for Cancer.
Sydney pays it forward by supervising high school and co-op students and
training research assistants and master’s students. She is also able to balance a full academic workload with
her community volunteer commitments to Big Brothers Big Sisters and taking the crisis calls for Women’s
Transition House. Making time for fun and exercise, as we all should, Sydney plays competitive Division 1
soccer and leads her team as Captain.
S
ydney plans to apply to medical school bringing her patient focus to the frontlines.
As her reference Brad
Nelson shared, “Sydney exemplifies the qualities of an outstanding graduate student, this award empowers
her to continue her high impact research and mentoring the next generation of scientists.”
iWIST Women in STEM Scholarship recipient 2025, Sydney Goodwin
Redbrick Woman of Impact Recipient 2025
$5,000 award
Shukooh Goodarzi - MEng, Civil Engineering (Industrial Ecology)
Shukooh is an empathetic, creative and collaborative engineer who believes in combining creative thinking with practical solutions. Her work on a sustainability project with the City of Victoria to reduce waste from single use items is precisely what she wants to do in her career. “This is an applied initiative that brings together engineering technology and community engagement to make a real difference in the city.”
Shukooh also embodies the resilience of women in STEM fields. Staying focused on her studies and working four days a week has been demanding but she feels this taught her how to stay positive under pressure. On a personal and emotional level, she came to Victoria from Iran after completing her undergraduate and graduate studies in engineering while fully supporting the Women, Life, Freedom movement. Someone close to her did not feel the same and she made a difficult decision to walk away, “It reminded me of the values I want to uphold in my life and my work.”
Reference Amir Baharloo is her technical advisor for the City of Victoria final project and admires her genuine desire to make a positive impact, “Shukooh brings a valuable and underrepresented perspective promoting diversity and encouraging women to consider a career in STEM. Her technical skills are impressive along with her ability to integrate sustainability concerns with engineering principles, she has leadership qualities, talent and mindset.”
Redbrick Woman of Impact Scholarship recipient 2025, Shukooh Goodarzi
Shift Woman of Innovation Recipient 2025
$5,000 award
Elizabeth Reid - PhD, Computer Science
Modern society faces an epidemic of loneliness and isolation - Elizabeth is working on how we can use technology to explicitly support relationships. “My PhD work focuses on how we can take advantage of virtual reality systems to bridge the gap between online and offline interactions. I want to develop new VR applications to conduct user studies on the effects of switching from VR to in-person.” Her goal stems from an interest in arts and science and how to apply creative solutions to real world problems. In 2022 she authored and presented a paper exploring design interventions that support players in gaming who were experiencing harassment or toxicity, “This is an on-going problem in that space and I’m so happy to have contributed.”
Her long time academic advisor Regan Mandryk placed Elizabeth at the top of the 175 trainees worked with over the years reflecting not only her academic success but her focus on service. “Ms. Reid completed a triple major in Computer Science, Mathematics and Music graduating with high honours, her research is in service of social good using technologies to enhance social connections, combat toxicity in gaming and support online friendships.” Being appreciative of the value of understanding and applying multiple disciplines Elizabeth hopes to work as a professor or in industry as a team lead, “Where I can help design new technologies to improve people’s everyday lives.”
Shift Woman of Innovation Scholarship recipient 2025, Elizabeth Reid
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