De Beers Group announced the recipients of four new scholarships for women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields at the University of Calgary. The $5,000 scholarships are awarded to two women in science and two women in engineering annually through the 2025-2026 academic year.
De Beers recently hosted the four recipients, Tegan Potvin, Deanne Savard, Jasmine McDermott, and Sornali Banik for a meet-and-greet lunch.
Tegan is a passionate geology student and aspiring volcanologist or seismologist. Deanne, a chemical engineering major, and biomedical engineering minor said the De Beers award brought much-needed financial relief. Jasmine is a mechanical engineering student set to complete her degree in 2023, viewed the award as recognition of her hard work and invaluable financial support. Sornali Banik is an ambitious scholar pursuing dual honours degrees in neuroscience and computer science.
Pamela Ellemers, Manager of Technical Services and Mineral Resource Management for De Beers Canada, said, “Our 2018-established scholarship program aims to inspire women to enter STEM fields, where they’re currently underrepresented, especially in Canada’s mining industry. The chance to be part of our scholars’ academic journeys and to witness the positive effects of our support on their path is extremely rewarding. It inspires us to keep working towards greater diversity in these fields.”
These scholarships are part of a four-year, $80,000 program to support women in science and engineering at the University of Calgary. Since 2018, De Beers Group has awarded 103 scholarships to Canadian women in STEM fields, including 19 to women attending the University of Calgary.