Jenna Ijam is going into her fourth year the Medical Science program with an Honours Specialization in Biochemistry at the University of Western Ontario. She continuously pushes herself academically and in getting involved in her community and has a great dedication and passion to get involved in research opportunities, particularly in finding sustainable solutions. As a third cultured individual who has lived 16 years abroad, she has a deep appreciation and understanding of the importance of diversity, equity, inclusivity, and cultural awareness and is an active advocate for the international community on her campus. This includes volunteering with Western International for three years as a Lead Orientation Volunteer, International Week Student Ambassador, and an International Peer Guide. In addition, she is a Western recognized EDID (Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Decolonization) Champion and participates in quarterly meetings discussing initiatives to make the Western campus and community more accessible, equitable, and inclusive. Her unique international experience had given her a diverse outlook on life which integrates itself into any project she takes on, whether personal or professional. After witnessing the immense pollution caused by fossil fuel dependance in Saudi Arabia, where she has lived for 14 years, she is motivated to play a part in being part of a new world where sustainability is a way of life. This motivation has inspired her to seek innovative research oppurtunities and take on volunteer roles such planting “mini forests” with Reforest London around the London city.
Jenna also demonstrates strong leadership and communication skills as the Biochemistry Club events executive and the second place winner at both the Western University Collegiate Leadership Competition and the National Canadian Invitational Collegiate Leadership Competition. With this experience, she understands the importance of agility, flexibility, and effective communication in decision-making and being open to different approaches in tackling obstacles in addition to her strong team work skills.
By pursuing a Bachelor's of Medical Science, she looks to expand her expertise in the STEM fields by participating in hands-on research opportunities to broaden her knowledge base. After completing the Johns Hopkins Biomedical Engineering Innovation Summer Program, she has grown an interest for innovation and engineering related problem-solving and has gained experience working with Arduino, specifically in coding and programming biosensors. This experience has made her very interested to continue contributing to innovative Engineering projects, specifically related to sustainability and solar or open source hardware. In addition, she has completed a unique Biochemistry research project under the direction of Dr. David Edgell and has gained valuable practical laboratory experience, specifically in gene editing and CRISPR. In this project, she investigated the revolutionary TevCas9 fusion dual nuclease and the affinity of this protein to DNA after DNA cleavage.
Jenna also has a strong passion for advocacy and is an Undergraduate student senator at large on the Western University Senate and a Science Councillor on the University Students’ Council and Science Students’ Council. In addition, as a member of the Western Sustainability Leaders Program, she has a strong passion for sustainability and actively advocates for more sustainable practices across campus, especially in the laboratory environment.
Overall, Jenna continues to demonstrate that she has a determination to make an impact in any position she holds. With a curiosity to learn, she is a valuable addition to any workplace and actively engages in anything she puts her mind to.