Meet Adele Changoor
Adele Changoor earned her Bachelor of Science in Engineering and Masters of Science in Engineering from the University of Guelph, as well as her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from École Polytechnique Montréal. She currently works as a Research Associate at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute of Sinai Health System. In her spare time, she likes to be active, read, and find creative outlets in little do-it-yourself projects.
When did your love of STEM begin?
I’ve always been interested in how things work and I had wonderful teachers, who, alongside my parents, encouraged my interests in math and science and literature and geography and well…everything. My answer to the question ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ changed regularly and included astronaut, scientist, teacher, lawyer, writer, among others.
I also come from a family of problem solvers – whether is was how to fix a car or broken appliance, how to navigate our way to a destination without a map, or how to build a fort under the dining room table with my sisters using whatever we found around the house. Looking back, I can see that these were actually STEM experiences! They helped me develop the skill of being resourceful, that is being able to use whatever resources were at hand and asking questions to figure things out. It is a skill I now use in my job on a daily basis.
What is the best part about working in the field of STEM?
I am a biomedical researcher working in the areas of Orthopaedics and Arthritis. We study ways to improve materials and surgical approaches to provide better outcomes for people suffering from arthritis or undergoing procedures like knee joint replacements. I love that this job constantly evolves, there are new problems to solve all the time, and if we do things well, we can have a positive effect on people’s lives.
What advice would you give young women interested in a career in STEM?
Recognize that there is no linear path to achieving a particular career – it requires trial and error and following your own individual interests. My advice is to try everything and anything that piques your interest to see if it fits for you: ‘Try them! Try them! And you may. Try them and you may, I say.” (Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss). After a while, ‘You’ll figure it out’ (Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty).