What we learned at Perimeter’s Inspiring Future Women in Science Conference

On a rainy Wednesday in March, around 180 excited high school students filed into the theatre at Perimeter Institute for 2025’s Inspiring Future Women in Science conference, an inspirational half-day event celebrating women in STEM careers. Hosted by Perimeter and presenting sponsor Linamar, the jam-packed morning featured two keynote speakers, a panel discussion, and a speed mentoring session where students could ask all their burning questions about a career in STEM to the experts themselves.

The first keynote speaker of the day was Elisa Torres Durney, a Chilean Duke University student and the founder of Girls in Quantum, an organization dedicated to making quantum computing accessible. At just 19 years old, Torres Durney has made big waves in the quantum space. She spoke passionately about her experience building Girls in Quantum into the international force it is today.

Torres Durney was always curious and keen to build things, she told Perimeter in a conversation later that day. She was also intrigued by how quantum technology could be applied in the fields of health and climate science. But after completing some coursework on quantum computing, her question became – where are all the girls?

Now, Girls in Quantum has impacted more than 5,000 students in 27 countries. Torres Durney emphasized that the organization strives to make quantum both accessible and fun.

“I think the fun aspect was the one that drove me to learn about quantum, to want to make this community of people learning,” she said. Girls in Quantum uses a combination of strategies – hackathons, mentor videos, and games – to keep quantum fun.

The second keynote speaker was Holly Fruehwald, material scientist and research officer at the National Research Council of Canada. Fruehwald shared how a mentor changed the course of her career trajectory.

“I did not like science in high school,” she admitted. 

“If you told me I would be a scientist and have a PhD in chemistry, I would have never believed you. I thought I was going to be a celebrity make-up artist.”

That all changed when Fruehwald took Grade 11 Chemistry, because the teacher was inspiring. “He was so insightful. He made the classroom environment so fun,” she says. The takeaway lesson, she said, was that mentors can have big impacts on your life, and to find the people who will champion and uplift you throughout your career journey.

Attendees were also treated to a panel discussion that illustrated the many ways women can have a career in STEM. The panel featured Stephanie Holko, director of Strategic Partnerships and Growth at Innovation Factory; Erin Zimmerman, evolutionary biologist and author; Katy Celina Sandoval, PhD candidate in neuroscience at McMaster University; and Lucy Ho, founder and executive director of Hackergal. The speakers discussed everything from how to celebrate women in STEM careers to maintaining a healthy work-life balance. 

Holko compared her career to a coursing river, relentlessly cutting through the land. “I’ve bumped up against rocks and barriers, but I’ve been able to find a new path forward,” Holko said. “How I viewed it, is they’re not going to stop you. You’ll just have to find another way.”

The half-day conference was possible thanks to presenting sponsor Linamar, an advanced manufacturing company headquartered in Guelph, Ontario. Linamar’s CEO, Linda Hasenfratz, provided an inspiring video message to the attendees. In her address, Hasenfratz shared key advice for young women thinking of a career in STEM.

“First of all, pick an area of study that interests you, something that you’re naturally curious and enjoy learning about,” said Hasenfratz. “Just make sure there’s some demand, and then research the earning potential of these jobs and make sure it lines up with the lifestyle you’ve envisioned.” 

For her, STEM ticks all those boxes. STEM is fascinating, and there are tons of great jobs with great earnings potential, she said. 

Like the other presenters, Hasenfratz also encouraged the students to stay flexible on their career path.

“Just because you’ve done this research, checked all the boxes and headed down a path, doesn’t mean you’re committed to that path for the rest of your life,” she said. 

“I think you’ll find that you’re going to take some right and left turns along the way, and if you pick something like STEM, there’s going to be lots of options for you, and then you just see where life takes you.”