Annyatam fondly remembers his excitement as a child when he actively participated in a Rocks and Minerals Scientists in School presentation. At the time, he was a grade four elementary student, eager and curious to learn, but Annyatam insists that this workshop sparked his intuition to pursue STEM. It was the hands-on aspect he remembers most, “I definitely feel that Scientists in School’s presentations have influenced me, science can be such a cool thing to work with and learn about.”
Annyatam earned his Electrical Engineering degree from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) and is currently an engineering consultant with a focus on cyber security for nuclear power stations. He credits Scientists in School for sparking his love of science and engineering. Cyber security is a new field currently being explored by energy companies, and this is part of the appeal, “Learning more about how nuclear technology is used within our world is a passion of mine and I am constantly amazed by the developments scientists and engineers make each day”.
Annyatam believes that Scientists in School is a big boon to elementary school students that come from so many different backgrounds. “It is such a great service to provide opportunities for children to explore the fun side of science while being able to put the books in context.”
Annyatam also sees the program as a supportive tool for teachers, providing educators with scientific equipment and helping provide that “spark that is often life-changing”. Annyatam believes that this collaborative relationship helps teachers, students, and ultimately our communities.
Scientists in School did not only influence Annyatam’s career path, but it also left a profound impression on his family as well. Annyatam’s mother, Pritha Mukhopadhyay, was so inspired by the program, that she pursued becoming a Scientists in School presenter, a role she continues today. Perhaps this is also why Annyatam is personally happy to see Scientists in School recover from the pandemic with their new virtual program. “It has been great to see Scientists in School pivot to the use of new remote learning technologies to deliver the student workshop experience, a change that can often cripple a non-profit organization, so I am personally really happy to see Scientists in School being able to succeed against such odds, and I hope Scientists in School continues to succeed in its goal to deliver that science spark to school students everywhere!”
