Celebrating our Fourth Annual BISC Outreach Award Winners!

Congratulations to blake danis who is the recipient of a student outreach award.  

blake danis (PhD candidate, Marlatt-lab) has made remarkable contributions to public engagement and outreach through their role as coordinator and committee member for the BC Marsh Monitoring Program. They have created engaging social media content and educational materials, making complex ecological concepts accessible to diverse audiences. blake has organized workshops teaching species identification, ecology, and conservation, ensuring even participants with little experience can contribute to marsh-dependent wildlife monitoring. Their leadership has introduced many new volunteers to conservation efforts. blake has also built strong partnerships with local governments and conservation groups, offering consultation on marsh habitat preservation, further advancing ecological stewardship. Additionally, blake has spoken with the next generation of scientists by mentoring high school students through the Talaria summer research program and participating in panel discussions for students. Their advocacy for diversity, equity, and inclusion within science communication has set a new standard for community science initiatives.

Congratulations to Masaab Hashmi who is the recipient of a student outreach award. 

Masaab Hashmi (BISC Undergraduate student) has demonstrated exceptional skills in conveying scientific concepts to diverse audiences, especially through his work at Science World in Vancouver. Masaab has worked for the last 3 years as a Science Facilitator at Science World. His nominators speak very highly of his contributions to outreach and his “curiosity, energy, and passion for sharing a love of science with visitors of all ages”. Masaab has developed innovative programs for grade 5-7 students, e.g. getting them to develop and code a ‘microbit’ that simulates an animal sending out echolocation-like signals and integrating how A.I.s understands language with gut bacteria systems. He also does an exceptional job presenting live science performances, with his “Bubbles” show “drawing excitement and interest from both children and adults”. Truly, “The Bubble Master”!

Congratulations to Vanessa Hum who is the recipient of a student outreach award. 

Vanessa Hum is an MSc candidate in David Green’s lab and is co-supervised by Elizabeth Gow (ECCC and BISC Adjunct Professor). Vanessa’s dedication to preventing bird-window collisions and her passion for conservation are the driving forces behind her pursuit of a Master's degree. Her journey began with an interest in how to reduce avoidable bird mortality and now combines her love of science and art with meaningful community engagement. Vanessa has raised public awareness of the issue and promoted bird-friendly solutions through various platforms including talks, social media, news interviews, a children’s book, and art installations. She created “BirdSafeSFU” to promote awareness of bird-window collisions at SFU, started a petition to advocate for bird-friendly solutions, has met with architects and project managers to discuss mitigation measures, and designed a bird-friendly film for windows on campus. She has been interviewed by CBC and featured in a children’s book. Her vision extends beyond spreading awareness, she is determined to see these solutions are implemented at SFU and elsewhere before she graduates.