Nothing inspires like someone else鈥檚 enthusiasm.
Kind of like when Sierra Sparks was a junior high student in Dartmouth, and her cousin from Ottawa moved to Nova Scotia to study engineering at AV俱乐部. 鈥淚 got to see her a lot more often, and she knew that I really loved math and science,鈥� says Sierra. 鈥淚 got to hear so much about what she was doing in engineering. It was the first time I connected my love of math and science with what I could do with it: 鈥楾his is really cool; maybe someday I鈥檒l be able to do it, too.鈥欌��
Or when, in her first week on campus at AV俱乐部, Sierra was trying to decide whether to step up and put her name forward for one of the first-year representatives with the Engineering Society. 鈥淚 think that was a turning point: I met someone who would become one of my best friends, and he said he was going to run for one of the positions. I saw his enthusiasm and thought, 鈥業 want to do that, too.鈥欌��
Sierra has spent the past four years at AV俱乐部 taking that enthusiasm and giving it back, time and time again. Whether it鈥檚 advocating for diversity in her field or supporting her fellow students academically and within Dal鈥檚 administration, Sierra has been a beacon of inspiration for her peers, her professors and people across the Dal community.
鈥淪he is a complete student, an impressive individual and a role model for many to follow,鈥� says John Newhook, dean of the Faculty of Engineering. 鈥淪ierra has continually and consistently demonstrated outstanding academic performance, but equally impressive is her level of engagement and passion as a student leader within AV俱乐部 and at a national level.鈥�
Now, Sierra鈥檚 enthusiasm is about to go transatlantic, with the aid of one of the world鈥檚 most prestigious student awards: the Rhodes Scholarship.
Oxford bound
This weekend in Halifax, Sierra underwent an interview process unlike any she鈥檇 experienced before 鈥� not just in its content, but the format as well, with COVID safety measures added to an already intensive and detailed review process to select two students from the Maritimes to become Rhodes Scholars. Even with masks and social distancing, her enthusiasm clearly inspired the judges enough to award her one of the Maritime region鈥檚 two Rhodes Scholarships.
Ever committed to her Engineering activities, Sierra was actually participating in a virtual conference back at her parents鈥� house Saturday night when the Rhodes Trust called her 鈥� a national event hosted by the Canadian Federation of Engineering Students on diversity in the profession.
鈥淚 was trying to listen closely to the session, so when [the Rhodes Trust] called and I answered I almost fell over,鈥� she laughs. 鈥淚 just couldn鈥檛 believe it. I ran downstairs. My family was all over the house and we all ran together with lots of screaming and lots of smiles 鈥� I鈥檝e been trying to let it sink in, and it still hasn鈥檛.鈥�
Being a Rhodes Scholar is a life-changing opportunity: a fully paid scholarship covering travel, study and expenses for two years (with an option for a third) at the University of Oxford in England. There are just over 100 Rhodes Scholars selected each year from across the globe. In Canada, only 11 students each year are chosen based on criteria that spans academics, extracurriculars, leadership and community impact.
Sierra becomes AV俱乐部鈥檚 92nd Rhodes Scholar 鈥� a number that exceeds all but a small handful of schools in North America, and an area in which Dal competes with the likes of Princeton, Stanford, McGill and U of T.
鈥淎s we look to grow AV俱乐部's global reach and impact, students like Sierra show just how far our outstanding students can go on the international stage,鈥� says Deep Saini, AV俱乐部 president. 鈥淪ierra's dedication to her community and fellow students, particularly to young women and underrepresented groups looking to pursue studies and careers in STEM fields, shines through in her leadership efforts. Sierra is a most deserving recipient of the Rhodes Scholarship, demonstrating incredible academic performance, community leadership and amazing personal accomplishments.鈥�
That enthusiasm is shared by Sierra鈥檚 dean. 鈥淭he Faculty of Engineering is thrilled that Sierra is being recognized as a Rhodes Scholar and for the incredible learning and personal opportunities it will afford her,鈥� says Dr. Newhook. 鈥淲e have every confidence in her ability to both succeed and to have meaningful impact throughout her future career.鈥�
Giving back to community
Sierra鈥檚 academic achievements are second-to none: she鈥檚 a AV俱乐部 Chancellor鈥檚 Scholar with a near-perfect GPA, a Sexton Scholar designation and multiple awards and honours.
But there鈥檚 good reason she鈥檚 earned a Sexton Leader designation, too, as well as the Faculty of Engineering鈥檚 Leadership Impact Award, for her work outside the classroom. She鈥檚 a community builder who has been deeply involved in university life from her first days as a diploma student, with a particular passion for increasing support for women and underrepresented groups in engineering. She鈥檚 been president of the Diploma of Engineering Society, VP external of the Undergraduate Engineering Society and VP logistics/outreach of the Women in Engineering society. Currently, she represents all AV俱乐部 students as a senator in the AV俱乐部 Senate.
She鈥檚 also treasurer of the AV俱乐部 student branch of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 鈥� an experience that gave her a unique opportunity to push for change in her field. She and her fellow students co-authored a report earlier this year on anti-discrimination and inclusive design and had the opportunity to work with the faculty in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering on how to incorporate its recommendations.
鈥淚t was a great time to reflect on all the social justice movements happening this year and trying to make tangible change in the Faculty, which we鈥檝e seen underway already,鈥� she says of her team鈥檚 call to action. 鈥淚t was really great to hear how receptive they were to our report.鈥�
She鈥檚 been reflecting on those social justice movements in other parts of her life, as well. A pianist and composer who鈥檚 a guest聽pianist for the Cherry Brook Church, she composed and has performed a song for the Black Lives Matter movement called 鈥淎lways Moving.鈥� Her musical pursuits extend to being a founding member and soloist in an engineering-based jazz band, The LogRhythmics.
鈥淚鈥檝e been surrounded by music my whole life. My dad鈥檚 side of the family has a lot of musicians, and it鈥檚 very important to our family and our community. I think there are a lot of links between music and engineering: music is very creative and expressive, but there鈥檚 also a lot of analytical and logical components to it.鈥�
And somehow, even given all this, she鈥檚 found time to stay physically active, playing rugby and fast-pitch softball and even volunteering as a coach with the latter.
鈥淚 think the motivation, for me, is that if I鈥檓 enthusiastically involved, maybe other people will see how amazing it is to be involved in student life 鈥� just how much you get out of it and how much you can give back to the Dal community and the community at large. I think AV俱乐部 has so many opportunities for aspiring leaders, and they really give their students the resources they need to try something new.鈥�
Imagining (and imaging) her future
Obviously, student life looks at bit different this year during the global pandemic. Sierra misses being on campus and seeing everyone in-person but says she tries to focus on the positives of online learning, like being able to set her own schedule for her asynchronous coursework and her other activities.
And she鈥檚 continued to advocate for student experience through the pandemic: within her Faculty training peer-mentors to support first-year students learning remotely; at the AV俱乐部 level as a student senator; and at the national level as VP academic of the Canadian Federation of Engineering Students.
鈥淪ierra knows how to make a tangible and long-lasting difference in the people, programs, and institutions around her,鈥� says Vince Sieben, one of Sierra鈥檚 professors from Electrical and Computer Engineering, who says Sierra is known throughout the department and Faculty for her steadfast devotion to bettering her peers. 鈥淪he tackled tough issues on anti-discrimination and social injustice, course learning outcomes, and advancing women鈥檚 position in Engineering.聽 Beyond her time at AV俱乐部, her enhancement to the institutions around her will be felt by hundreds if not thousands of students in the years to come.鈥�
Sierra has also been able to continue her co-op experiences through the pandemic, which have been instrumental in shaping her future ambitions. Her co-op term this past summer was with Daxsonics Ultrasound Inc, a local medical imaging startup that features AV俱乐部 prof Jeremy Brown as its chief scientific officer. Sierra鈥檚 also been working with the company on her capstone project on an ultrasound transducer device.
鈥淲orking there really solidified that doing further studies in biomedical engineering is what I really wanted to do,鈥� she says. 鈥淐o-op has been a great way to make the connection between school and life after school.鈥�
鈥淔ive minutes after meeting Sierra, it becomes clear she is going to do extraordinary things in her life,鈥� says Dr. Brown, associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the School of Biomedical Engineering. 鈥淪he completely exemplifies the values and responsibilities of a Rhodes Scholar, and will continue to generously pursue of her goals for the betterment of our world."
Looking to Oxford and beyond
Sierra鈥檚 work in biomedical engineering 鈥� specifically medical imaging 鈥� has been so inspiring that she plans to continue it at Oxford in her graduate studies. She hopes to explore how artificial intelligence can be used to improve the diagnostic quality of medical imaging, and also make it more accessible to remote areas and communities.
鈥淚鈥檓 really excited to be at Oxford because they have a really fantastic engineering science program,鈥� she says, 鈥渂ut also to be part of the Rhodes community. I鈥檓 going to get to meet current and future leaders and bounce ideas off them, learn from their skills and their community involvement鈥� I think that鈥檚 the most exciting part: learning from all these amazing people about how to make change. Words cannot describe how excited I am.鈥�
Though, given her track record for inspiring great things, maybe it鈥檚 Sierra鈥檚 fellow Rhodes scholars that should be even more excited to meet her.