Alumna inspires women in physics
Shermiyah Rienecker is a medical physicist at Biomedical Technology Services (BTS) in Queensland, Australia.
Access to education can transform lives and communities. Ryerson is committed to providing access to education for students, particularly those from marginalized, under-represented and equity-seeking groups. Access includes lifelong learning, and expanding our individual and collective horizons through professional development and learning opportunities that meet students’ needs.
Awards and scholarships are only some of the many ways that Ryerson helps to provide educational opportunities to students. Alumna Shermiyah Rienecker’s story of why she created an Alumni Award for Women in Physics is just one example of how giving back pays it forward.
“I want women who pursue undergraduate studies in physics to know that they are supported and welcomed by the broader physics community,” says Shermiyah Rienecker, a 2012 Medical Physics graduate. “I would also like to encourage other women in physics to contribute to the advancement themselves.”
To that end, Rienecker created the Alumni Award for Women in Physics at Ryerson University. Lauren Sciacchitano, a fourth-year Medical Physics student was the award’s inaugural recipient.
“It has been a long journey toward earning a university degree and this scholarship validates all my hard work,” says Sciacchitano. “Being the recipient gives me confidence and affirms that I am on the right path.”
Already participating in extracurricular activities, Sciacchitano notes that the financial support from the scholarship will give her more time to commit to outreach programs like Tri-Mentoring and SciXchange, an initiative at Ryerson that brings science to the community to make it more accessible.
“I promised myself and made a concerted effort to get more involved,” she says. “I want to pay it forward and help more women in STEM.”
Following graduation, Sciacchitano intends to go to grad school then pursue a medical physicist residency, but would be equally happy conducting research. Whatever she chooses, she has a great example in Rienecker who went on to complete her PhD after Ryerson and is now a medical physicist for the state of Queensland in Australia, as well as an academic in the Faculty of Health at Queensland University of Technology. Due to COVID-19, Rienecker has also been on the frontlines of essential service providers, working with clinicians to prepare for changes to workflows, clinical spaces, and telehealth capabilities.
“The topic of women in physics was brought into the spotlight again after Donna Strickland won the Nobel Prize in physics,” says Rienecker. “Over the years, I’ve met many successful women in physics who were my classmates, lecturers, and co-workers,” she adds. “I wanted to celebrate and acknowledge the progress that universities like Ryerson have made to create opportunities for women in physics, including myself.”
There are more than 100 scholarships available for equity-seeking groups, including for self-identified Indigenous students. The Registrar’s office has a full list of the awards and scholarships that are available to all students through its AwardSpring website (external link) .
If you are interested in supporting women in physics or other STEM programs, please consider making an online gift to Women in STEM.
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