Spring 2026: FemPhys Updates
By FemPhys
Spring is a season of growth and new beginnings, and what better way to grow and celebrate fresh starts than in camaraderie with your fellow undergraduates? FemPhys recently celebrated ten years of bringing Physics students together to discuss physics (and related topics) through feminist perspectives. Check out what we’ve been up to!
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FemPhys is now officially a part of the Physics and Astronomy Department at Waterloo! Founded in 2014 by Emma McKay, Sarah Kaiser, and Jennifer Reid, graduate students dedicated to supporting underrepresented undergraduate students, FemPhys has continued to provide a safe space for Physics undergraduates to grow and learn together. We are excited to use this new platform to expand our community and encourage engagement at all levels.
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In February, we were honoured to host Dr. Doreen Fraser from the Department of Philosophy to give a talk on “Why Mathematics Is the Language of Nature,” sparking great discussion and important interdisciplinary connections. We hope to foster and strengthen such connections in the future!
In collaboration with the Chemistry Grad Student Society, FemPhys hosted the Annual Global Women’s Breakfast, including good food and a series of panels throughout the morning. Speakers included Dr. Karen Cummings, Dr. Holly Fruehwald, and Carlee Montgomery, who came together to host panel discussions highlighting the theme “Many Voices, One Science.”
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FemPhys also had the pleasure of co-facilitating weekly physics seminars with PHYS 10. These seminars focused on EDI in STEM, whcih aligns with our core value of representing and uplifting a community of underrepresented groups in physics. We thank PHYS 10 for providing the space for these productive discussions!
The Winter term also saw the return of our most popular events!
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Our Annual Mentoring Night had over fifty attendees who seized the opportunity to meet and learn from respected mentors and leaders in STEM, from members of the Faculty of Physics and Astronomy the Institute for Quantum Computing and the Perimeter Institute!
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Our QT Meet Up for this term featured plenty of arts and crafts and board games, creating a cozy, fun space to connect queer and transgender people in physics and around campus!
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At the end of the Fall term, FemPhys kicked off a new event perfect for finals study season – The Study Cafe! The Study Cafe offers a fun haven in the physics building, including treats and drinks with names like d/d(tea) and Apple Psi-der. We welcomed over 300 people to the cafe in April!
For the future, we are looking forward to a re-opening celebration for the FemPhys room in PHY 104, and the third official Study Cafe. We hope to see FemPhys continue to bloom thanks to the wonderful support from the Department of Physics and Astronomy!
