Farah Qaiser
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Opinion | Globe & Mail | February 21 2022
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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!).
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.
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.
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.