Member Spotlight | Q&A with Angela Mitchell, recipient of iWIST’s 2024 Women in STEM Scholarship Award
Victoria, BC - Island Women in Science and Technology (iWIST) is delighted to confirm the Award winner of it’s 2024 Women in STEM Scholarship, made possible through the generous support of the Women's Equity Lab and announced at the Geeky Girls Patio Party, is Angela Mitchell, a UVic Microbiology student! Congratulations Angela!
The scholarship award was given to Angela after a group of volunteer adjudicators assessed more then 50 applications from women students across Vancouver Island. Her responses to a series of essay questions were voted to most embody the spirit of iWIST - proving to make their mark in STEM despite challenges. Her essay questions are shared below:
Why did you choose your current field of study and how does it align with your career goals? What drew you to this particular field of study?
I pursued microbiology because I am fascinated by the hidden world of microorganisms that are fundamental to life on Earth. I took advantage of every opportunity to explore different areas of microbiology research during my undergraduate degree by volunteering in laboratories, completing a twelve-month co-op with a local biotech company, and completing an Honours research project. Through these experiences, I discovered that I am especially passionate about investigating the intricate interactions between pathogens and their hosts, and the development of infection prevention strategies such as vaccines.
My master’s project focuses on understanding how Treponema pallidum, the causative agent of syphilis, interacts with human cells and spreads throughout the body. This work contributes to identifying targets for syphilis vaccine development.
It will be extremely rewarding to continue in a career where I contribute to saving lives and improving global health through the development of vaccines, diagnostics, or therapeutics.
What specific skills, attributes or abilities do you have to enable you to excel in your chosen field of study? What is your unique “superpower”?
Scientific research typically involves repeated failures, complex problems, and meticulous experimentation. Creativity is my “superpower” that I harness to overcome these challenges, and consistently work towards objectives despite unanticipated setbacks. This skill has been vital during the first year of my graduate degree. I began a novel research project that proved to be extra challenging during the experimental design process because strategies commonly used to study most bacteria cannot be applied to Treponema pallidum, as it must be grown in the presence of mammalian cells in vitro.
After extensive literature reviews, discussions with colleagues, and performing preliminary experiments, I was able to modify, adapt, and optimize a protocol for incubating T. pallidum with these cells, and accurately quantify the number of bacteria after separating it from the cells. By applying my creativity to this ambitious research objective, we will obtain important information about the pathogenic mechanisms used by this bacterium.
What challenges or obstacles have you faced and overcome, to achieve your goals?
Having other women as role models is critical to supporting the personal and professional development of women in STEM, who are trying to navigate fields that are generally dominated by men.
Throughout my university career, I struggled to find a female mentor and role model. I often felt like the “other” while working in male-dominated labs and biotech companies, where my colleagues could not always relate to the challenges I faced of being a women in STEM.
I decided to join UVic Women in Science (WIS) to meet women who understood my experiences and could offer guidance and support. My experience was so positive that I decided to join the organization, and in April 2024 was appointed as Co-Vice President and President Elect of UVic WIS.
My goal is to continue building a community where women's experiences are validated, and they have access to mentorship from other women in STEM.
Do you have any special accomplishment(s) related to your field of study of which you are particularly proud? How does this achievement(s) relate to your future plans or goals?
I am especially proud to have graduated with a Bachelor of Science with Co-op and Honours designations. As a mature student, the decision to give up stable income, and return to school when I was older was a difficult one. Doing so during the pandemic made it even more difficult to build both personal and professional connections.
The pandemic also made it harder to find a co-op job and so I took the initiative to reach out to a local biotech company and expressed my interest in their work.
This proactive approach led to my co-op position. Following this, I gave a poster presentation about the research I completed during my Honours, and was awarded the Top Presenter at this event. These experiences demonstrated that I could push myself to tackle challenging tasks and succeed. As a result, my confidence grew significantly, solidifying my decision to pursue a master’s degree.
Do you see something happening today that you could possibly solve or work towards solving?
Syphilis remains a major public health threat worldwide, with an estimated 7.1 million new infections each year. Between 2019 and 2023, cases of infectious syphilis in British Columbia increased by 31% among males and an astounding 892% among females. This alarming rise in female cases has resulted in a 320% increase in congenital syphilis during this period. Congenital syphilis occurs when the bacterium crosses the placental barrier to infect the fetus during pregnancy, potentially leading to miscarriage, congenital malformations, and stillbirth. While highly treatable with penicillin, the incidence of syphilis has surged in recent years due, in part, to sexual behaviours, lack of access to healthcare, and experiences of stigma, discrimination, and racism in healthcare systems.
The accelerating prevalence of syphilis emphasizes the need for development of an effective vaccine to complement current public health control measures. Achieving this goal requires a deeper understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms employed by Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum (Tp), the bacterium that causes syphilis. This is the focus of my research as a graduate student and direction of my future career. However, the development of this vaccine is ongoing and will likely take years before it can be made available to the public. In the meantime, other public health measures that can have a more immediate impact must be implemented to reduce the spread of this pathogen.
To start, I would advocate at the provincial and federal level for more funding and training for family physicians and nurse practitioners. People without a primary care physician are at a higher risk for having an undiagnosed syphilis infection or missing an asymptomatic infection. Untreated syphilis can cause neurological complications, organ damage, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Increased access to primary care will allow for earlier diagnosis, and faster, more comprehensive treatment.
I would also promote sexual health education and aim to reduce the stigma that surrounds STIs. Options for Sexual Health in BC offers a Sexual Health Educator Certification that I could complete to work towards this objective. It is especially important to promote the use of condoms, as this is currently the best way to prevent the spread of syphilis. It is also important to provide sexual health education in a way that is accessible and culturally appropriate. To address this concern, I would try to partner with agencies such as the BC Office of the Public Health Officer, which has several initiatives for identifying and combatting racism in health care.
The challenge is to increase the political will to fund these important medical services. By framing syphilis infections as a health and quality of life issue, as well as an equality issue (based on race, sexual orientation, and gender), will broaden the political coalition supporting these interventions. The reduction of both infectious and congenital syphilis cases would reduce the burden on our healthcare system, improve population-level sexual and reproductive health, reduce the disparity in health outcomes for vulnerable populations, and have an especially positive impact on the health of women and children.
“ Angela has consistently demonstrated perseverance, dedication, and enthusiasm for her graduate research project, and has developed essential analytical, problem-solving and communication skills, all of which are critical for her research project. Angela has also demonstrated outstanding leadership, serving as Co-Vice President and President Elect of UVic Women in Science and the Graduate Student Representative on the University of Victoria Animal Care Committee. Further, Angela has strong advocacy skills, having demonstrated a passion for reducing stigma associated with sexual and reproductive health and rights, increasing access to comprehensive sexual health services/education, and improving global health. In summary, Angela Mitchell is an exceptional graduate student in the STEM field who has outstanding academic, research, leadership, and advocacy skills, and she is highly deserving of the prestigious Women in STEM Scholarship.”