Meet Jalina Bielaska Da Silva

Jalina Bielaska Da Silva graduated with an Honours Bachelor of Science in Genetics from Western University in 2015. She also graduated with a Master of Science in Biology from Western University as well in 2017. She currently works as a Teacher Candidate at the University of Toronto. In her free time Jalina likes reading fiction books, playing board games, binging Netflix shows, and participating in outdoor activities.

When did your love of STEM begin?

It was probably at the start of high school that I really started to realize my love for Science, especially Biology. I had always been more passionate about writing stories as I was growing up, but it was my grade 9 teacher who got me really curious about how the world worked. I started to get hooked on trying to learn as much science as possible! I think university also really helped to expand my love for STEM. It was there that I realized that STEM and art actually shared a lot of skill sets. After all, creativity is super important for science!

What is the best part about working in the field of STEM?

Getting to find answers about the things you're curious about in creative ways! When I was doing research, I thought it was so cool that I could read about other people's ideas and get inspired to do research that no one had ever done before. Getting to immerse myself in scientific research really helped to open my eyes to view the world in a different way.

What advice would you give young women interested in a career in STEM?

If you love it, do it! I'm all about finding your passion and working in a field you're passionate about. There are a ton of different types of career paths in STEM, so take the chance to explore as many opportunities as you can to find your passion. And remember, never stop learning.