Season 5 Episode 2: Voices from the seed2STEM Program: Part II

In this episode, we continue exploring the impactful experiences of the seed2STEM program students. seed2STEM program offers paid internships that offer Indigenous youth hands-on opportunities in scientific research. We hear from Maddy, Alyssa and Madi as they share their journeys working in gynecologic cancer research labs. Whether you're interested in science or looking for inspiration, this episode highlights the power of opportunity and growth through mentorship and education. 

Shana George (the interviewer) - student at Huntsman lab 

Maddy Testa - student at Huntsman lab 

Alyssa Campbell - student at Brotto lab 

Madi Perreault - student at ________lab

Resources:
seed2STEM program website - https://icord.org/seed2STEM/

_

For more information on the Gynecologic Cancer Initiative, please visit https://gynecancerinitiative.ca/ or email us at info@gynecancerinitiative.ca  
 
Where to learn more about us:  
Twitter – @GCI_Cluster 
Instagram – @gynecancerinitiative 
Facebook – facebook.com/gynecancerinitiative

For more information on the Gynecologic Cancer Initiative, please visit https://gynecancerinitiative.ca/ or email us at info@gynecancerinitiative.ca

Where to learn more about us:
Twitter – @GCI_Cluster
Instagram – @gynecancerinitiative
Facebook – facebook.com/gynecancerinitiative
TikTok – @gci_gosh

Transcript

00:00:56 Shana

Hi, I'm Shana. This is the gosh podcast. What's your name?

00:01:01 Maddie

 Maddi Testa.

00:01:03 Shana

So how do you feel today?

00:01:05 Maddie

I'm feeling good, I'm feeling tired. How are you?

00:01:09 Shana

Yeah, me too, for sure. We’re at, like, the end of the program. So, good, like all the words.  So, what year of high school are you in?

00:01:21 Maddie

Going into grade 11.

00:01:23 Shana

How do you feel about your poster presentation?

00:01:26 Maddie

I'm Like slightly nervous. Like I said, I stutter a bit like under pressure but like it's not too bad because like, I think it'll be chill because it's like in like an atrium and everyone else is presenting, so it's like it won't be that bad

00:01:42 Shana

Yeah, I think it's like 34 students or something here and then we also have like the one on ….

So how did you know about the seed2STEM program?

00:01:53 Maddie

So, it was through my avid teacher, avid support teacher in my high school and she asked if me and my friend want to go on a UBC to work. So, like we were like, duh. And then there was, like there was these booths set up and I will skip the last one, but I was like, I'll go to it anyway and then went. I was like this would be really great experience and yeah.

00:02:25 Shana

Sure. Is this your first time doing the program?

00:02:26 Maddie

Yes

00:02:25 Shana

And what made you decide to join the seed2STEM program?

00:02:33 Maddie

It looks like a great opportunity because it's like spam. So, and I'm interested in spam and like it was also like paid and I was like I need that in my life so.

00:02:49 Shana

What did you expect when you joined to this program?

00:02:52 Maddie

I wasn't too sure because like I was coming out from Maple Ridge, so it was definitely like just like a blind like opportunity. And I was like this will be fine and like this with like reliable, you know, organizations like UBC and BGH I was like

00:03:13 Shana

Yeah, for sure. What activities are field trips did you find interesting in or fun?

00:03:18 Maddie

I found all of them for fun. But me and my friend, we really enjoyed the cast section. 

00:03:25 Shana

Yeah, that was really fun, I really enjoyed that. You know, I have never gotten cast.

So, I was like hopefully that was the last time. What lab did you work in?

00:03:37 Maddie

It was the OV care lab. And yeah, I had a great supervisor.

00:03:43 Shana

And what was your project about?

00:03:45 Maddie

It was about line one protein and endometrial cancer and like how it affects the progression and survival rates.

00:03:57 Shana

Could you talk about what you learned during this project?

00:04:01 Maddie

I learned a lot about just like post-secondary information like what I want in my future and like talking with people with PHD's and medical degrees and all that, and it definitely like confirmed what I want in my future.

00:04:21 Shana

Yeah, for sure. I totally agree. Working with like PHD’s students, most of the students are, I don't know because everyone has like some like such different backgrounds. And then you go to like a laugh and it's just like really cool to meet all these people.

So, what was your favorite part about the program?

00:04:40 Maddie

Probably meeting the people like it was, it was nice to get all this like information because like obviously, I knew some of it before, but it just exactly like it enhanced everything that I want to know

00:04:55 Shana

Yeah, for sure. How did the see2STEM program affect your career choices, if it did.

00:05:02 Maddie

I knew I want to be able to somewhat healthcare related, we're helping people. I definitely want to like I wanted to pursue post-secondary education. I just listen exactly. Sure, what I want, but now I have a better idea. 

00:05:25 Shana

So, what do you do this program again and where when?

00:05:28 Maddie

Yeah, I would. The only reason why I wouldn't be it’s because it does take a month of your summer. But I mean you have like the rest of your summers of your life. So, it's like ok.

00:05:40 Shana

Yeah, yeah, sure. What advice do you have for future students?

00:05:45 Maddie

Ask questions because like you're not gonna like, know anything more if you don't and like, like, there's no like a dumb question like yeah

00:05:57 Shana

Yeah, sure, yeah. Well, thank you, Maddie. 

00:05:59 Shana

Hi, I'm Shanna George. Welcome to the Gosh podcast and this is Alyssa Campbell.

00:06:08 Shana

How are you feeling today?

00:06:10 Alyssa

I'm tired. 

00:06:13 Shana

What year of high school are you in?

00:06:14 Alyssa

Actually, just graduated. Yeah. So, I finished grade 12

00:06:17 Shana

Are you happy about?

00:06:18 Alyssa

I’m quite happy. I'm tired of high school, yeah.

00:06:21 Shana

High school. It's so nice because once you graduate, you're like out of the world. Are you excited to being a d….

 00:06:29 Alyssa

What kind of I'm moving out at the end of this month. So, I'm a little bit nervous about that.

00:06:32 Shana

How do you feel about your poster presentation?

00:06:41 Alyssa

He's well organized. Might be if he was boring to me, but I'm hoping that people will be interested in it. Because of the work that I did, like what I did in the office 

00:06:47 Shana 

Whu did you find it boring? 

00:06:50

because it’s an office job on the computer all day. It's not the most fun when I talk about specifically what I did, but the study is really interesting and really important too, yeah, yeah.

00:07:06 Shana

How did you hear about the seed2STEM program?

00:07:09 Alyssa

From my visit to UBC, when they have this indigenous tour right, like they have the specific towards indigenous students.

00:07:19 Shana

Did you hear about that through like high school? Go through high school or was like.

00:07:22 Alyssa

Yeah, it was my high school, my district. We have a very small population of, like, native kids. So, I went with my district. Yeah, you know.

00:07:30 Shana

Is this your first time doing the same program?

00:07:32 Alyssa

Yes, it is

00:07:34 Shana

Why did you decide to join the program?

00:07:38 Alyssa

And I thought it might be something fun. My indigenous success teacher, Linda, was really pushing. She's like, you should try it at least once like it's your last year, you got to try it. So, I was like ok, I try it.

00:07:47 Shana

My additional support teacher helped community like find this job too. So that’s really cool. I read this book called “The Tale of doing neurosurgeons” I read that book and then my indigenous support teacher was like, hey, there's this program or anything you would like.

So, I decided to try it out and I think coming back every year. So, what did you expect when you joined the program?

00:08:15 Alyssa

There would be like a lot more lab work like I thought I would be doing a lot of like wax slides and stuff that there would be a lot more like lab work and like microscopes, that I don't know, just when you think of science, you think of like in a lab, like testing stuff or like kind of things open or whatever. Because I did biology stuff, I think 

00:08:36 Shana

If you join again, would you join to the different lab? And what lab

00:08:39 Alyssa

Lab to do what lab work. No, I work with Doctor Hurt. Bratto and I. I love her. She's my favorite doctors. I just. I don't know, if she remembers at this moment. But she’s, my favorite.

00:08:45 Shana

Ohh yeah. I know about her.

00:08:54 Alyssa

Through a documentary on Netflix called the Principles of Pleasure. Sounds interesting, maybe like hear the title and you're like this little bit weird, but it's all about, like, sexual health and like, like how it connects to the brain. And everything so yeah.

00:09:09 Shana

So, what activities and field trips do you enjoy the most?

00:09:14 Alyssa

At the museum, the museum does it.

00:09:20 Shana

And then that's pretty cool. I like the way

00:09:22 Alyssa

Yeah. So, it's so cool to look at it, yeah.

00:09:27 Shana

So, what was your project about?

00:09:30 Alyssa

My project was on sexual dysfunction and genital pelvic pain in indigenous women and two spirit persons. So, it's conducted by a shape and it's all for like, it's these sexual health and general health, something like there's more to it. I just can't think of the name at the moment but feel the shape you can find out exactly everything that is about uh, yeah, but it's to find out what indigenous women and those persons are going through like sexually. Like the sexual dysfunction and general public thing and find out what, like, need to support thing in the future.

00:10:00 Shana

That's pretty good work. So, what were your responsibilities for your project?

00:10:21 Alyssa

To make outreach, I had to find different health centers and counseling centers and other specific centers that are geared towards like indigenous people and reach out to them asking if they're interested in sharing our survey with members of their organization. And then so I called them, and I emailed them asking them if they were interested and I found them found researched about 135. All throughout Canada and I got maybe 60 answers back so far. I haven't checked my e-mail recently, but that was with my and then I also created an advertisement poster for it as well. Pretty good.

00:10:56 Shana

Oh wow, that is pretty good. What's your favorite part about the program?

00:11:05 Alyssa

Times to learning more about like what other people are going through like. I know that there's like, there are people putting indigenous people like first and like learning about like what they're going through. And it's not just like they're not just pushed up to the side like they're actually actively thinking about them because our government and our society isn't doing so great, but there's still hope, like there's still people doing stuff and it's really good to hear about

00:11:36 Shana

Yeah, for sure like especially like with the seed2STEM program which is like cool too because they're like prioritizing indigenous things too. It's really cool that like brought to like to have a project and you are really “Omg, I loved her”. I really when I first heard that I was like wow, that's so cool. It's really cool. So how did the seed2STEM program affect your career choices if it did.

00:12:01 Alyssa

It hasn't changed it. I mean, it's definitely helped because in the past we've actually really like, I'm still really into sexual health. I actually teach kids like sex Ed from grades 8 to 10 with the blush which is under Vancouver Coastal health and blush dance for bold learning, for understanding sexual health. So, we teach them about consent and STI's and how to use like different barriers and everything so and I think people should know more about it like really taboo topic and I think doing more research and talking about and putting studies out there and having people learn about like different things like about their bodies too, because a lot of STS can actually lead to even worse health conditions worse.

00:12:46 Shana

Would you do this program again. Why or why not?

00:12:50 Alyssa

I can't. Well, I can't kind of do this program again, but like not the way the high school student because I am willing to post-secondary school. But it still depends on where I am next year like how feel next year, what I can do next year? It's for long travel to Europe. So, if I’m busy probably not, but if I'm not lazy with them, I would gladly come back. It’s nice program 

 00:13:15 Shana

Yeah. What advice do you have for future students?

00:13:20 Alyssa

Don't give up. I know if I know one person who quit, I think like every study that every student did is important in some way, and I think having an indigenous voice and within that study is really important too. So honestly, and if they do have a problem with like, what type of research they're doing, I think they should just talk to the employers here about I think there's other options.

00:13:46 Shana

Yeah, for sure I totally agree. It is like a really cool program because then they do take like indigenous people like they put them as a priority to. Like expand and learn and like have opportunities so, yeah. Thank you.

00:14:05 Shana

 Hi. My name is Shana George, this is the Gosh podcast, and this is.

00:14:10 Madison

 Hi, I'm Madison Pearl. This is my first year doing seed2STEM.

00:14:16 Shana

How are you feeling today?

00:14:16 Madison

 I'm good.

00:14:18 Shana

What year of high school are you in?

00:14:23 Madison

I'm in grade 11. Well go into.

00:14:27 Shana

Do you excite for that?

00:14:28 Madison

It's pretty nervous because you have to like start, like actually caring about what you do in school

00:14:32 Shana

How did you feel about the poster presentation practices today?

00:14:37 Madison

It went pretty well. It was like real helped, I'd say.

00:14:42 Shana

Yeah, for sure. So, how did you feel about the seed2STEM program?

00:14:47 Madison

I've heard about it from like Google scrolling through things, it just kind of came up as like the first thing and I clicked it.

00:14:55 Shana

That's cool. I haven't heard about like that being like in an ad before

00:15:00 Madison

That was advertise.

00:15:03 Shana

So, is this your first year doing the program?

00:15:05 Madison

Yeah, it's my first year. I'll probably come back, yeah.

00:15:07 Shana

Oh, that's good to hear it. Why did you decide to join to the seed2STEM program?

00:15:13 Madison

I decided it because I plan to go to UBC for like neuroscience and microbiology and it just gives me like a preview of what like university life will be like. And being in the lab.

00:15:26 Shana

Yeah, yeah. What do you think inspired you to go neuroscience and microbiology?

00:15:34 Madison

Sometimes, like 12, I've always wanted to be a psychiatrist like I love psychology, but I also love biology, and I was like neuroscience, kind of like a mix of it, because you take some psychology classes, and you take some like neuro, and I really like the idea of that.

00:15:48 Shana

Yeah, yeah. What did you expect when you joined the program?

00:15:53 Madison

Like to meet new friends and just to be like a laugh. I don't really expect that much.

00:15:58 Shana

Is this your first job?

00:15:59 Madison 

Yes, that's my first job.

00:16:02 Shana

I was my first job too. What activities do you find the most interesting?

00:16:07 Madison

Probably when we went to sell technologies, and we ought to do like the strawberry DNA experiment.

00:16:12 Shana

Oh yeah, the most fun I really enjoyed was it. 

00:16:13 Madison

We got some cool photos, yeah.

00:16:17 Shana

Have you seen any other review.

00:16:18 Madison

Yeah, I got some of them. I had it into like my Instagram story. 

00:16:27 Shana

So, what did you work in?

00:16:27 Madison

Work in I work in the McNelly lab and laws Kelly lab at UBC, ones in the Life Science Building, and ones in the biomedical engineering.

00:16:38 Shana

Probably I really like the Life Science Building. So, what was your project about?

00:16:43 Madison

My lab was working on drug like we were looking at the expression of podocalyxin in tumors and podocolycsins like a protein and so we were just like doing it in like slides with like you know histochemistry staining and Western blotting which didn't work, but that's OK.

00:17:05 Shana

So, what were your responsibilities for your project?

00:17:11 Madison

It was just doing like that and then like taking photos of, like, the tumors with, like, the staining and then just sending them to like my supervisor 

00:17:20 Shana

Oh, yeah. Did you use the microscopes.

00:17:23Madison

Yes, we use them

00:17:25 Shana

For like the photos?

00:17:26 Madison 

Yes

00:17:28 Shana

Ohh yeah, those are really good too used too, like it's really like nice thing like all the colors.

00:17:33 Madison

Yeah, you can like actually to see them form, which is cool.

00:17:38 Shana

What was your favorite part about the program?

00:17:41 Madison

Probably the Mondays where we ought to like to do those fun activities. Because we got to be with like cats, like teenagers rather than always adults.

00:17:49 Shana

Yeah, it was. It was really fun because, like Dean and right, like when we first started, we never got. We never had like, things like that were the first year that, like, they added, like kind of things we did have, like, field trips to other like places. But this is like really cool to see that. So how did the seed2TEM program affect your career choices if it did.

00:18:14 Madison

It didn't really like affect my career churches. It just kind of like validated that I wanted to go into that.

00:18:20 Shana

Oh yeah, that's good. What advice do you have for future students?

00:18:27 Madison

I'd say ask questions like to share all like the icon person, and because like, if you don't like your lab, she can, like, talk to your supervisor and like, adjust  it so you can. You would actually enjoy being there. Because you don't always get along at 1st.

 00:18:45 Shana

Yeah. Well, thank you for chatting. Do you have anything else you would like to add?

00:18:47 Madison 

No

00:18:52 Shana

Ok, thank you.

00:18:53 Madison 

Thank you