Payam is a computer scientist who has received his Master's degree in Computer Science at Simon Fraser University. During the course of his thesis, Payam developed the first fully automatic approach to finding cancerous lesions in 3D medical images. He was involved in one of the biggest projects for cancer treatment in Canada, in collaboration with the BC Cancer Agency and The University of British Columbia and Quantitative Imaging Network in the USA for the evaluation of responses to cancer therapies. He has published over 10 scientific papers and has won several awards during his study, including The SFU’s People’s Choice Award at the Faculty of Applied Sciences Heat of the Three Minute Thesis. He has 3+ years of experience in full life cycle Software development involving OOP design development, testing, documentation.
Current Staff
WWEST Software Developer - Payam Ahmadvand
Programming Coordinator and Podcast Producer - Vanessa Hennessey
Vanessa Hennessey is the Programming Coordinator and Podcast Producer at Westcoast Women in Engineering, Science, and Technology. She helps with the many fun projects that WWEST is undertaking, including programming and planning events and workshops, graphic design, and coordination of the WWEST Outreach Apps, among others. She has also produced the Best of the WWEST podcast since 2016. Vanessa finished her post-baccalaureate in Communication at Simon Fraser University in 2019, co-hosts/produces a podcast on “the X-Files” (her favourite character is, of course, Dana Scully) as well as a podcast about travel; and lives with her loving husband, cuddly-on-their-own-terms cats, and silly but adorable dog.
WWEST Research Coordinator - Mily Mumford
Mily Mumford is a theatre creator, filmmaker, science communicator, and the Research Coordinator for WWEST. They have a BSc. in biopsychology and are currently completing an MSc. at SFU where they study mental health support for long term space travel. When not on the set of a film, or doing/designing planetarium shows at the HR Macmillan Space Centre they can be found researching all things STEM and space while cuddled up with their cat Ripley, or making weird multimedia robot art.
WWEST Communications Lead - Alicen Ricard
Alicen Ricard is the Communications Lead at WWEST. When she isn't working she is hosting a podcast on mental health, writing for various different places, creating product for her etsy store, or reading many books. She lives in a chaotic household with her fiancé, three pet rats, and two birds.
Past Staff
Alicen Ricard | Communications Coordinator | May 2017 - October 2020 |
Kiko Kwok |
Communications Coordinator | September 20-December 2020 |
Gabby Chia | White Papers Coordinator | April 2018 - May 2019 |
Danika Wong |
Creating Connections 6.0 Coordinator |
April 2018 - May 2019 |
Gabby Chia | Communications Coordinator | May - December 2018 |
Zhi Yuh Ou Yang | Data Analyst |
May - December 2018 |
Ardalan Benam | Software Developer | January 2017 - December 2018 |
Tarek Elganainy | Software Developer | January - August 2018 |
Danika Wong | Communications Coordinator | September 2017 - April 2018 |
Diana Koval | Literature Review Research Assistant | September 2017 - April 2018 |
Zavier Aguila | Software Developer | May - December 2017 |
Tim Woinoski |
Software Developer |
May - August 2017 |
Aaron Cheung |
Software Developer |
January - August 2017 |
Jaime Vargas |
Software Developer |
March - May 2017 |
Odilia Dys-Steenbergen | Social Psychology Survey Development | September 2016 - April 2017 |
Natalie Lim | Communications Coordinator |
September 2016 - April 2017 |
Jenna Anderson | Communications Coordinator |
February 2016 - May 2017 |
Albee Hong |
Data Analyst | February 2016 - May 2017 |
Daphne Chong |
Software Developer | September - December 2016 |
Aaqib Khorasi | Software Developer | September - December 2016 |
Jack Anderson | Software Developer | July - September 2016 |
Ginny Van Pelt | Partners Liason | April - August 2016 |
Sarah Ngo | Communications Coordinator | February - August 2016 |
Diana Koval | Analysis of Women in STEM Statistics BC |
February - April 2016 |
Vani Choubey | Computing Careers White Paper |
February - April 2016 |
Rohit Ranjan | Techical Literacy Survey Development | February - April 2016 |