THE STEM JOURNEY | November 2025
Your monthly connection to youth STEM in Canada
👋 Hi Aspiring Innovators,
Picture a small fish, no bigger than your finger, swimming in a lab tank. This tiny creature holds secrets that could help heal human brains after stroke, and for Raneem Salah, it sparked a question that would take her from her local STEM fair to representing Canada in London and Abu Dhabi.
The days are getting shorter, the weather is making the indoors seem cozier, and for many of us, November is when projects get real. Some of you are deep in experiments, others troubleshooting methodology, still others just starting to wonder what you want to explore. Raneem’s journey reminds us that the best projects start with genuine curiosity about one fascinating thing.
From Zebrafish to the World Stage
Raneem always wondered how brains heal after injury. Learning that zebrafish can regenerate brain tissue felt “almost too good to be true.” That fascination became a research project, then a CWSF finalist presentation, then two international fairs.
“Standing in front of judges from dozens of countries, I realized science really is a universal language,” she says.
“Start with curiosity. Don’t pick a project because you think it will win. Pick it because you genuinely want to know the answer.”
What’s Happening This Month
November Opportunities
– Wolf Scholars at UofT (Deadline Nov 10) – full ride scholarship for Sept 2026 entry
– Holland Bloorview Study – study participation request for racial/ethnic youth with disabilities
– SOI 2026 Expedition (Deadline Dec 4) – Polar science expedition
– Her Path Project – student-led STEM mentorship for young women
Worth Your Time
New Why to How Podcast episodes with:
– Trisha Haldar – CWSF 2025 Junior Innovation Platinum award winner
– Sara Waqas – CWSF 2025 Best Project Discovery award winner
This Month’s Thought
Sometimes the best projects don’t come from trying to solve the world’s biggest problems right away. They come from noticing something interesting, asking “I wonder why that happens?” and being curious enough to find out.
So what are you curious about right now?
If you’ve got a story to share, a question about STEM fair, or just want to say hi, feel free to send me an email!
— Stuart