Julie Leblanc

Julie Leblanc (she/her)

Women in STEM Special Advisor

Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission

Created On: January 11, 2022
Sector:
Human Services
Education Pathway: University
Related School Subjects:
Biology,  Chemistry,  Health,  Nuclear Energy,  Science

Learn About My Career

My work is to support girls and women to pursue and education and careers in STEM.

I was born/grew up in: Limoges, Ontario

I now live in: Cumberland, Ontario

I completed my training/education at: I have a B.Sc. and a Ph.D. with specialization in Biochemistry, University of Ottawa, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

My job allows me to work on different projects and use different skill sets. I lead a team of wonderful colleagues.  Our goal is to encourage more girls and women to pursue an education and career in STEM. We work specifically on networking, coaching and mentoring, outreach and research. All of these actions have the objective of creating a supportive and encouraging STEM environment for girls and women in and outside our organization.

I also advise and support our President in advocating for girls and women in STEM. I conduct and participate in research, expert discussions, and outreach activities that strive for gender equity. I even have the opportunity to write speeches for our President.

I am also involved in research studying the health effects from ionizing radiation. This project evaluates the evidence of how the biological sex of an individual can have an impact on how human biology reacts to ionizing radiation. I use specialized software that uses artificial intelligence to help simplify certain tasks.

My work requires me to make decisions on a regular basis. We are all confronted with problems and challenges at times. My STEM background has prepared me to look for solutions to those challenges. I research the problem or challenge at hand, collaborate with colleagues and exercise critical thinking. I truly believe in collaboration – I think that this is why I have been involved in many initiatives that require just that. Having more and diverse people at the table enriches the discussions and allows creativity and progress to take hold.

I wanted to be an archaeologist throughout high school. My first year of university was in classical studies. While I enjoyed my first year, it did not provide a big enough challenge to motivate me. I had always enjoyed the sciences and I had taken as many science courses in high school as I could. It was easy then to transfer to a science program. I went on to complete a bachelor of sciences with a specialization in Biochemistry and then to complete a PhD in the same field. Getting into radiobiology was a beautiful accident. I applied to the CNSC through their new grad program and was placed with a team of radiobiologists and radiation epidemiologists. Later, I also began supporting the Women in STEM initiative. This opened my eyes to the many challenges women face. I wanted to do something about it, which led me to my current position.

Working for a great organization like the CNSC helps to motivate me. I have only been met with encouragement, support, and confidence. That said, other aspects are also important. I am personally very interested in how ionizing radiation effects human health. The research I conduct fulfills my natural curiosity in radiobiology. It also opens many opportunities for collaboration. I see my career as an expanded learning opportunity. When you continue to learn, it is easy to love your job. Gender equity is of course also important to me. As a woman in STEM myself, and mother of two young daughters, I am empowered to make a difference. Working closely with the CNSC President is also exciting and inspiring.

                       

By encouraging more girls and women to pursue an education in STEM, I help make STEM careers more diverse. This helps these careers be more reflective of our communities. Having a more diverse STEM community will help ensure a more fair and equitable future for all. I am part of an organization that places safety as its top priority. The scientific research I conduct seeks to continue to protect the health of Canadians.

I am a beekeeper and I love to garden – I have a huge vegetable garden that keeps growing every year. To relax, I exercise – from yoga to running – good for the body and mind.

Keep all options open – take as many different subjects in school as you can. Look for various student internship opportunities – from an office job to ones in laboratories or on the field. Believe in yourself.

What I do at work

My job allows me to work on different projects and use different skill sets. I lead a team of wonderful colleagues.  Our goal is to encourage more girls and women to pursue an education and career in STEM. We work specifically on networking, coaching and mentoring, outreach and research. All of these actions have the objective of creating a supportive and encouraging STEM environment for girls and women in and outside our organization.

I also advise and support our President in advocating for girls and women in STEM. I conduct and participate in research, expert discussions, and outreach activities that strive for gender equity. I even have the opportunity to write speeches for our President.

I am also involved in research studying the health effects from ionizing radiation. This project evaluates the evidence of how the biological sex of an individual can have an impact on how human biology reacts to ionizing radiation. I use specialized software that uses artificial intelligence to help simplify certain tasks.

My work requires me to make decisions on a regular basis. We are all confronted with problems and challenges at times. My STEM background has prepared me to look for solutions to those challenges. I research the problem or challenge at hand, collaborate with colleagues and exercise critical thinking. I truly believe in collaboration – I think that this is why I have been involved in many initiatives that require just that. Having more and diverse people at the table enriches the discussions and allows creativity and progress to take hold.

My career path is

I wanted to be an archaeologist throughout high school. My first year of university was in classical studies. While I enjoyed my first year, it did not provide a big enough challenge to motivate me. I had always enjoyed the sciences and I had taken as many science courses in high school as I could. It was easy then to transfer to a science program. I went on to complete a bachelor of sciences with a specialization in Biochemistry and then to complete a PhD in the same field. Getting into radiobiology was a beautiful accident. I applied to the CNSC through their new grad program and was placed with a team of radiobiologists and radiation epidemiologists. Later, I also began supporting the Women in STEM initiative. This opened my eyes to the many challenges women face. I wanted to do something about it, which led me to my current position.

I am motivated by

Working for a great organization like the CNSC helps to motivate me. I have only been met with encouragement, support, and confidence. That said, other aspects are also important. I am personally very interested in how ionizing radiation effects human health. The research I conduct fulfills my natural curiosity in radiobiology. It also opens many opportunities for collaboration. I see my career as an expanded learning opportunity. When you continue to learn, it is easy to love your job. Gender equity is of course also important to me. As a woman in STEM myself, and mother of two young daughters, I am empowered to make a difference. Working closely with the CNSC President is also exciting and inspiring.

                       

How I affect peoples’ lives

By encouraging more girls and women to pursue an education in STEM, I help make STEM careers more diverse. This helps these careers be more reflective of our communities. Having a more diverse STEM community will help ensure a more fair and equitable future for all. I am part of an organization that places safety as its top priority. The scientific research I conduct seeks to continue to protect the health of Canadians.

Outside of work I

I am a beekeeper and I love to garden – I have a huge vegetable garden that keeps growing every year. To relax, I exercise – from yoga to running – good for the body and mind.

My advice to others

Keep all options open – take as many different subjects in school as you can. Look for various student internship opportunities – from an office job to ones in laboratories or on the field. Believe in yourself.

When I was a student I enjoyed:

  • Foreign Languages
  • History
  • Science
  • Music

When I was a student, I would describe myself as someone who:

  • Enjoyed doing things on my own
  • Always wanted to be outside
  • Played on a sports team
  • Liked reading
  • Engaged in volunteer activities
  • Never wanted to be in the classroom
  • Felt great satisfaction in getting good grades
  • Wasn't sure what I wanted to do

Related Topics

Careers Diversity Nuclear Public Health Public Safety Radiation

Explore More Career Profiles

  • Brianna Lummerding à genoux près d’un cerceau en plastique collectant des échantillons dans un champ herbeux.

    Brianna Lummerding

    Career Profiles

    Agronomic Innovation Manager

    I look after all things related to soil management for a group of retailers.
    Learn More Brianna Lummerding
  • Li Tan, vêtu d'une blouse de laboratoire de couleur blanche, souriant dans son laboratoire.

    Li Tan (he/him)

    Career Profiles

    Molecular Lead

    I coordinate the day-to-day operations in the DNA Extraction Lab.
    Learn More Li Tan (he/him)
  • Tyler Mohard wearing lab coat and hair net as he works in the SyLMAND lab

    Tyler Morhart (video)

    Career Profiles

    Scientist, Beamline Responsible - SyLMAND

    I am responsible for the SyLMAND beamline at the Canadian Light Source synchrotron facility.
    Learn More Tyler Morhart (video)
  • Five people, each wearing a white lab coat, standing around a lab bench that has scientific equipment on it.

    Li Tan (Video)

    Career Profiles

    Molecular Lead

    I coordinate the day-to-day operations in the DNA Extraction Lab.
    Learn More Li Tan (Video)
  • portrait par Rashell Featherstone

    Rashell Featherstone (she/her)

    Career Profiles

    Senior Program Associate

    I coordinate projects for the development of new products at STEMCELL.
    Learn More Rashell Featherstone (she/her)
  • Kira Hoffman portant un casque rouge avec de la fumée en arrière-plan

    Kira Hoffman (she/her)

    Career Profiles

    Postdoctoral Researcher/Fire Ecologist

    I am a researcher at both a university and a not-for profit organization where I am gaining experience to become a senior researcher.
    Learn More Kira Hoffman (she/her)
  • Zoe Ehlert closely examining a plan that has yellow flowers

    Zoë Ehlert (Video)

    Career Profiles

    Manager, Marker Assisted Breeding

    I lead a team that develops canola crops by breeding plants with traits we are looking for.
    Learn More Zoë Ehlert (Video)
  • Daniel Meister headshot

    Daniel Meister

    Career Profiles

    Master's Student, Kinesiology

    Learn More Daniel Meister
  • Zoë Ehlert, vêtue d'une blouse de laboratoire blanche, pose une boîte en carton sur une étagère.

    Zoë Ehlert

    Career Profiles

    Manager, Marker Assisted Breeding

    I lead a team that develops canola crops by breeding plants with traits we are looking for.
    Learn More Zoë Ehlert
  • Jennifer Baltzer portant une casquette et un tee-shirt violet avec des arbres en arrière-plan.

    Jennifer Baltzer (she/her)

    Career Profiles

    Professor and Canada Research Chair in Forests and Global Change

    I work at a university, teaching students and conducting research on the impact of climate change on forests in Canada and around the world.
    Learn More Jennifer Baltzer (she/her)
  • Caitlyn Lyons, prête pour la forêt avec son sac à dos et ses outils de collecte de données. La photo insérée montre Caitlyn examinant une section de gazon.

    Caitlyn Lyons (she/her)

    Career Profiles

    Ph.D. Candidate

    I am working towards my PhD and studying the forests in the Northwest Territories.
    Learn More Caitlyn Lyons (she/her)
  • Joann Whalen headshot

    Joann Whalen

    Career Profiles

    Professor at the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences,

    I teach advanced courses on how to manage soils to produce healthy, nutritious food and maintain healthy ecosystem functions.
    Learn More Joann Whalen