Tiny scientists, big discoveries: Celebrating the International Day of Women & Girls in Science at STEMapolooza!

February 11, 2026 is dedicated by UNESCO as a global day to celebrate women and girls in science and recognize a future where science and gender equality advance together. This year, the Telus World of Science Edmonton celebrated International Day of Women and Girls in Science with a family-friendly STEMapolooza event, and invited Canadian Blood Services' project leads Carly Olafson and Sanaz Hemmati to participate as guest experts at a booth representing our research network. The booth activities were planned in collaboration with Dawn O'Dwyer, an Edmonton-based Manager of Regional Development with Canadian Blood Services.

Below is an overview of their experience engaging at the event.

On February 11^th, 2026, we had the incredible opportunity to participate in STEMpalooza at the TELUS World of Science, celebrating the International Day of Girls and Women in Science. It was an evening full of curiosity, excitement, and discovery; a powerful reminder of how important it is to engage young minds in science early.

Children were thrilled to explore the microscopic world. Some were impressively sharp, identifying the difference between lymphocytes and neutrophils and even counting them on the peripheral blood smears. It was amazing to see how quickly they absorbed information, truly like sponges, and the potential that hands-on science experiences can unlock.

It was also heartwarming to see some children recognize the Canadian Blood Services logo, as their parents are active donors. Sharing our work and mission highlighted the importance of early engagement and helped plant seeds for lifelong understanding and support of blood donation.

Our booth was bustling! Kids eagerly played the Plinko-style trivia and “Guess the Blood Type” games, earning Squishy Organ stress balls, comic books, coloring books, pens, and stickers. Visitors to our booth explored the world of bacteria, observing E. coli, lactobacillus, streptococcus, staphylococcus, and corynebacterium; one clever girl even spelled her name using the bacteria shapes!

We received many questions but one particularly inquisitive girl asked, “What’s the most interesting part of your job?” We explained how donated blood from people like her mom can save countless lives, and how we see the process from bench to bedside, emphasizing the importance of everyone’s contribution to this life-saving cycle.

We also spoke with visitors previously deferred from donation who were delighted to learn that eligibility criteria had changed and were excited to follow up at a donor centre and return to donating! This reinforced how ongoing awareness is key to keeping donors engaged.

Overall, the event was a fantastic way to share knowledge, inspire curiosity, and highlight the impact of Canadian Blood Services. It was a great reminder that hands-on science experiences, early engagement, and clear communication can spark a passion for science in the next generation.

A big thank you to:

• Dr. Jason Acker and Jayme Kurach for providing the microscope.
• Anna Nevesinjac and Kristi Lew from the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at the University of Alberta for the microbiology and hematology slides displayed during the event.
• Dawn O'Dwyer, for bringing fun games and “swag” to make the booth extra exciting for visitors.
• Anna Meisner and Jennifer Gemmell, from the TELUS World of Science, for inviting us to join this amazing event.

We’re already looking forward to next year and continuing our mission to educate, inspire, and engage our community in the importance of blood donation and science.

Canadian Blood Services – Driving world-class innovation 

Through discovery, development and applied research, Canadian Blood Services drives world-class innovation in blood transfusion, cellular therapy and transplantation—bringing clarity and insight to an increasingly complex healthcare future. Our dedicated research team and extended network of partners engage in exploratory and applied research to create new knowledge, inform and enhance best practices, contribute to the development of new services and technologies, and build capacity through training and collaboration. Find out more about our research impact.  

The opinions reflected in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Canadian Blood Services nor do they reflect the views of Health Canada or any other funding agency.