The need for people trained in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields has never been greater. Becky Cook provides insight on her personal journey in STEM. The world needs your ideas. It all starts with you! #ChooseScience
Transcription – Meet Becky Cook (Full version)
[Music up: Calm and relaxing background music]
[Bird's-eye view of a woman in snowshoes walking toward a forest]
[Close-up of Becky outdoors]
Becky: My name is Becky Cook, and I'm from Misipawistik Cree Nation.
[Text on screen: Becky Cook, B.Sc., Ph.D.
Program Coordinator, Misipawistik Pimatisimeskanaw]
[Bird's-eye view of a snowy forest, followed by a bird's-eye view of Becky snowshoeing across a field, heading toward a forest. Close-up of Becky's winter boots as she walks through the snow.]
Becky: Being really interested in the natural world around me was really what led to me getting into science.
[Shot of Becky walking in the woods, filmed from behind]
Becky: I studied geology and geophysics.
[Close-up of Becky outdoors. Shot of her walking in the forest, her back toward the camera, followed by a close-up of Becky's face.]
Becky: When I started working, being a young woman, I really had to prove myself.
[Close-up of Becky outdoors, followed by a wide shot of her walking in the forest, filmed from behind. A close-up of Becky's face surrounded by branches and another head and shoulder shot of her talking. Shots of Becky walking in the forest, both from the front and behind, followed by her sitting at a kitchen table and writing in a notebook. Bird's-eye view of a snowy forest.]
Becky: I went through a pretty varied career path. I worked for an oil company in Calgary. Then I went to study in England. I went on a couple of research cruises. I went on an international ocean-drilling program. I got to meet a lot of great scientists.
[Shots of Becky outside, looking at some branches and collecting birch bark, then inside at her kitchen table working on a computer. Close-up of Becky outside.]
Becky: I did have a really good manager, and he looked past my age or my gender and looked at the value of the work that I was doing and really appreciated that, and he gave me more responsibilities.
[Face-on shots of Becky splitting kindling outside, putting wood on a fire and carrying a kettle, alternating with close-up shots of her talking outside and bird's-eye views of a snowy forest]
Becky: Right now I'm working on building The Mino Aski Culture Camp to merge together the western knowledge and traditional knowledge to give the youth a more relevant education. One of the Cree teachings is that everything is connected. We just come out here; spend time out on the land. That's how we get teachings. We're working on getting a lot of biology and ecology, botany teachings. What I've learned in the sciences really enabled me to build this program.
[Shot of a car crossing a bridge]
Becky: There's so much work to be done out there in the STEM professions.
[Shot of a sun setting over a river]
Becky: We do need more women to get into science.
[Alternating shots of Becky on a river bank watching the sunset and close-ups of her talking outside]
Becky: We're capable and we're smart and we can do the job.
[Shot of Becky on a river bank watching the sunset]
Becky: I love what I do. I'm glad that I chose to go into science. This is my passion.
[Text on screen: Start your story!
Canada.ca/ChooseScience]
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[Canada wordmark]
[Music ends]