Linda Jewell

Linda is a long-time Let’s Talk Science volunteer. As an Outreach volunteer, Site Coordinator, and CurioCity volunteer she has been inspiring youth for over a decade.

Time volunteering with Let’s Talk Science: 10 years

Current Position: Research Scientist (Plant Pathology), Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Inspirational Moment: When I was at the University of Guelph, I presented activities at the Family Housing community centre on campus, where I also lived. After the first few activities, the kids in the neighbourhood would swarm me whenever they saw me around, asking me when we could “do science” together again. I was really moved by their excitement and genuine love of what I was doing.

Favourite Let’s Talk Science volunteering activity: One day, I visited an elementary school in a small community outside of Ottawa. The school was so small that myself and one other team of volunteers were able to work with every single kid in the entire school in just a single day.

Why do you volunteer with Let’s Talk Science? When I was a kid, I had no idea what I wanted to do as an adult. I wish that I would have had more exposure to what a career in science could be, because I had no idea about the wide variety of jobs that use science every day. By volunteering with Let’s Talk Science, I hope that I can show kids that science isn’t intimidating; it’s exciting and fun, and it’s a major part of everything that we do. No matter what your hobby or passion might be, a solid understanding of science can only make you better.

 Fun fact: While I was a coordinator at the University of Guelph, I got to do an activity with Prime Minister Stephen Harper.