Meet Cassandra Purdon
Cassandra enjoying a perfect day at Fernie Alpine Resort, with her sister.
Cassandra Purdon earned a Honours Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and Earth & Ocean Science from University of Victoria. She has returned to school and is pursuing an MSc in the geography department at the University of Calgary. For her thesis, she is studying the exchange of carbon dioxide between the atmosphere and the sea in the Arctic. She will be going out on the Canadian Coast Guard Amundsen Ship to the Foxe Basin, measuring carbon dioxide concentrations in the surface waters. In her spare time, Cassandra likes to do all things outdoors such as mountain biking, skiing, kayaking, and camping.
When did your love of STEM begin?
I had an amazing teacher in grade 11 chemistry who did a really good job making the material simple and the class fun. I really enjoyed doing experiments in the lab and found that chemistry was the subject that I naturally exceled at. It was during this time that I started to love science and thought it might be something I wanted to pursue.
What is the best part about working in the field of STEM?
One of my favorite parts about my current role in the environmental field is how much time I get to be outside; I have spent quite a bit of time water sampling in rivers and oceans. I really enjoy the process of going out into the field collecting samples, returning to the lab to analyze them, and making informed decisions from our findings. I love that the work and research I am interested in contributes to our evolving understanding of climate change, providing tangible benefits to society.
What advice would you give young women interested in a career in STEM?
My best advice that I could give young women interested in STEM is to take on every opportunity you are given. Even if you are not sure you’ll like the opportunity, it is always best to try it out. Early on in my undergrad I wasn’t exactly sure what direction I wanted to take my career, but by taking on opportunities such as working in a professor’s lab and doing a variety of summer internships I was able to get a much clearer direction of what I wanted to do after graduating.