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Farah Qaiser

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    Farah Qaiser

    • Home
    • Writing
    • Past Talks
    • Media
    • Resources
    • …  
      • Home
      • Writing
      • Past Talks
      • Media
      • Resources
      Contact

      Farah Qaiser

      • Home
      • Writing
      • Past Talks
      • Media
      • Resources
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        • My Writing

          I've written a little bit of everything, from academic manuscripts, op-eds, feature profiles to policy reports, and for various platforms, including campus newspapers, media outlets, and blogs. I've also held editorial or staff roles at Forbes Health (2020), Massive Science (2019-20), Signals (2019-20), Science Borealis (2017-19) and The Medium (2015-2017).

           

          Here are some selected pieces.

          Khadija And The Elephant Toothpaste Experiment (2024)

          Second Story Press

          Inspired by a visit to a local science fair, five-year-old Khadija attempts to re-create an elephant toothpaste experiment at home, leading to foamy trouble in the kitchen.

           

          Khadija and the Elephant Toothpaste Experiment is the first book in a potential book series, where readers will follow Muslim children as they explore the world of science and carry out fun experiments, which often take unexpected turns. This book is co-written by Hajer Nakua and Farah Qaiser, who are represented by literary agent Kelvin Kong, at K2 Literary. Khadija and the Elephant Toothpaste Experiment will be published by Second Story Press in 2024.

          Ten years after the ‘death of evidence,’ scientists again march on Parliament Hill

          Op-Ed | The Hill Times | August 10 2022

          Ten years ago, thousands of scientists and their supporters marched through Ottawa to Parliament Hill in the “death of evidence” rally. Some wore white coats, while others came in grim reaper costumes, complete with scythes. All came to mourn the demise of science in Canada’s democracy.

           

          In this op-ed, we reflect on how far science in Canada has come since, and why scientists are marching on Parliament Hill.

          Bridging the gap between science and policy

          Op-Ed | University Affairs | August 10 2022

          The COVID-19 pandemic has shone a light on the relationship between science, society and policy. If we expect our governments to continue to rely on science to shape policy, then we must equip researchers with the right tools to effectively participate and contribute to policymaking, starting with access to skills-based training, and opportunities to put those skills into practice.

           

          In this op-ed, we reflected on our experiences together, and below, share what we think the future of training can look like.

          For all the cheerleading, science still has an equity problem

          Op-Ed | Toronto Star | July 29 2022

          We are enthusiastically recruiting girls and women into STEM fields, yet not doing enough to dismantle the barriers to their success. Madison Rilling and I wrote in the Toronto Star about how decision-makers need to go beyond empty promises, cheerleading and performative allyship.

          How academic institutions can help to close Wikipedia’s gender gap

          Career Column | Nature | 23 May 2022

          The world’s largest online encyclopedia mirrors society’s bias towards male achievements. Employers in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine can help to change that.

          Canada, we have a transparency problem when it comes to policy-making​

          Opinion | Globe & Mail | February 21 2022

          Female scientists in Occupied Palestinian Territories call for global support​

          Opinion Piece | Nature Correspondence | February 8 2022

          As the International Day of Women and Girls in Science approaches on 11 February, we — Palestinian scientists and members of the 500 Women Scientists collective — call attention to the continuing plight of women trying to do research in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

          Woman in a lab coat wearing a mask and holding a small unknown device.

          Eyes on Evidence II: An assessment of the transparency of evidence usage in the Government of Canada

          Policy Research Report | Evidence for Democracy | January 31 2022

          In this study, we applied a framework to assess the transparency of evidence usage in a total of 100 policies from the Government of Canada. Head to our blog post to learn about our key findings, or the full report here.

          Support for science should be a top priority for the re-elected Trudeau government

          Opinion Piece | IRPP Policy Options | November 30, 2021​

          In this op-ed, I co-wrote with Rachael Maxwell about how it is even more urgent for Canada to invest in fundamental research, especially as other G7 countries are forging ahead with bold investments.

          Screenshot of linked article.

          To Change The Face Of Science, We Need More Books Like Ada Twist, Scientist​

          Opinion Piece | We Rep STEM | September 28 2021​

          Children’s science books are one way to keep changing the face of science. Nicole Williams and I curated a reading list for budding young scientists.

          Academic Institutions Must Do Better to Protect Caregivers This Fall

          Opinion Piece | Scientific American | August 18 2021​

          In this collaborative op-ed, we (at 500 Women Scientists) wrote about how schools, colleges and universities that fail to impose mask mandates and other COVID protections put working parents in an excruciating position.

          Woman in a lab coat wearing a mask and holding a small unknown device.

          Genome sequencing identifies rare tandem repeat expansions and copy number variants in Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome

          Academic Publication | Brain Communications, 2021.

          In this study, we used whole-genome sequencing to evaluate a cohort of adults with unexplained developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (n = 30), for whom prior genetic tests were negative or inconclusive. This publication was featured in a news piece by the University Health Network. This study was also discussed in a Scientific Commentary in the Brain Communications journal.

          Genetics of Epileptic Networks: from Focal to Generalized Genetic Epilepsies

          Academic Publication | Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports, 2020.

          Seizures can arise in neocortical, thalamocortical, limbic or brainstem networks. Here, we review recent genetic mechanisms implicated in focal and genetic generalized epilepsies.

          Woman in a lab coat wearing a mask and holding a small unknown device.

          Gairdner Award Winners: Picturing Science in the Classroom

          Feature Profiles | Gairdner Foundation | 2020 & 2021

          Every year, the Gairdner Awards celebrate science and research excellence in the medical health areas. In 2020 and 2021, I prepared an article, comic, and video to celebrate the science of Drs Quarraisha & Salim Abdool Karim, in a piece titled “Beyond the ABCs: How to Prevent HIV” (Article | Video), and Drs Daniel Drucker, Joel Habener, and Jens Holst, in a piece titled "The Molecular Elements of Diabetes" (Article | Video).

          Woman in a lab coat wearing a mask and holding a small unknown device.

          The Early Impacts of COVID-19 on Graduate Students across Canada

          Policy Report | Toronto Science Policy Network | August 10 2020

          In late April, we, at the Toronto Science Policy Network, launched a survey to understand the impact of COVID-19 on graduate students across Canada. This survey was open from April 22nd, 2020 to May 31st, 2020, collecting a total of 1,431 responses. We made several recommendations to ensure graduate students receive support as Canada slowly begins to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

          Woman in a lab coat wearing a mask and holding a small unknown device.

          Women of Science Tarot (2020)

          MIT Press

          The Women of Science Tarot Deck is a card game that helps us tell stories about our future based on principles of science. Each major arcana card features a fundamental scientific concept like extinction, diversity, or gravity. The 56 minor arcana cards feature inspirational women who have changed the course of STEM. The lively illustrations are by neuroscientist and comic artist Matteo Farinella. For readers new to tarot or those who want to learn more about women in STEM, accompanying the deck is a guidebook with biographies of all the women featured on the cards as well as information about the major arcana cards.

           

          Is this science? No, it’s a game! The Women of Science Tarot Deck is a game of cards for telling stories: stories about our lives, stories about our universe, and stories about our future. Here’s a longer answer, by the illustrator himself.

           

          Details: This tarot deck and guidebook was published by MIT Press, and written by contributors at Massive Science (including me!).

          Photo of person looking at a handheld tablet, wearing a mask.

          Like Zika, The Public Is Heading To Wikipedia During The COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic

          Journalism | Forbes | March 18 2020

          I wrote about how the public is heading to Wikipedia for information and updates amid COVID-19. This piece has been read over 12,000 times to date.

          Screenshot of linked article.

          Why we see hope for the future of science journalism

          Opinion Piece | The Conversation | February 26 2019

          In 2018, I attended Projected Futures 2: an intensive summer school that seeks to rethink how science is communicated with society. We came up with some key ways to create better science stories — and boost interest and trust in science. This was re-published by the National Post, McMaster University's Brighter World, J-Source, the BC Humanist Association, phys.org, and Econotimes.

          Woman in a lab coat wearing a mask and holding a small unknown device.

          A new comprehensive report shows how women in STEM face huge disadvantages

          Journalism | Massive Science | February 11 2019

          I covered key take-aways from the 120-page Lancet Women issue, which outlined the institutional and systemic barriers impacting women’s experience and advancement in science, medicine, and global health. This was re-published by Salon.

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