Nadia Bragagnolo

“Whenever I’m teaching others, I’m reminded of Canada 2067 and how it showed me that different people require many different things from their environment to be able to learn effectively.”

Time volunteering with Let’s Talk Science: 4 years

Area of study: MSc student in Medical Biophysics

Inspirational Moment: The most inspiring moment for me so far was the Canada 2067 Youth Summit in Toronto. I was inspired by the event itself, which was created to get student input on how they think the structure of education should evolve to better prepare them, considering how the labour market is transforming with technological advancements. I thought the event was a creative way to initiate necessary conversation, and I liked that students were given the opportunity to say directly what they felt their education was lacking. I facilitated the discussion for a group of students from a special needs school in Toronto. These students had unique challenges in today’s learning environment and thus very unique ideas for how it should change. I was grateful to play a part in making sure these students’ needs were communicated fully and accurately. I was in awe of both their innovation and their ability to reflect on their current experiences. Whenever I’m teaching others, I’m reminded of Canada 2067 and how it showed me that different people require many different things from their environment to be able to learn effectively.

Favourite Let’s Talk Science volunteering activity: The Sandy Lake Initiative at U of T! In the process of creating accessible content for a week-long summer camp at the Sandy Lake First Nations Reserve, I learned a lot about Indigenous history and reconciliation. Also, being raised in Northern Ontario, I appreciate the opportunity to deliver STEM programs to those in more isolated communities.

Why do you volunteer with Let’s Talk Science? I think all scientists have a responsibility to partake in outreach programs, in order to clear up any misconceptions about their area of research and also to hone their soft skills such as communication, leadership, and collaboration. I like volunteering with Let’s Talk Science in particular because it’s so fun! The students that I’ve worked with in all types of activities are extremely creative and enthusiastic. It’s very rewarding to see when I’ve been able to ignite that spark of passion in our future scientists!

Fun fact: I do research with MRIs – a medical device that can see inside the human body using a magnet that’s 60,000 times stronger than the Earth’s magnetic field!

Online Content: Billiards and Collisions