AJ Stadnyk, 2021 AWSN Scholarship recipient

AJ Stadnyk is in their third year of a BA in Environmental Studies with a minor in Food and Society while also pursuing a certificate in Sustainability at the University of Alberta. AJ grew up in Medicine Hat and has lived in Edmonton since 2018. They worked for Women in Scholarship, Engineering, Science, And Technology (WISEST) for the last 2 years on various projects including shifting both of WISEST’s conference’s online that aim to engage high school and grade 6 girls and gender diverse students. AJ also helped WISEST develop the WISEST STEM Podcast which strives to diversify science, engineering and technology through conversations geared towards grade 6-12 students. Alongside working with WISEST, last year, AJ managed Talia Dixon’s election campaign for the Vice President of Student Life at the University of Alberta Student’s Union that strove to center marginalized voices and fight for climate justice. AJ is the current president of Alpha Psi Sorority, the only local and gender-inclusive sorority on the University of Alberta campus. They have worked alongside many current and past members to redefine what Sisterhood means to the members of the sorority and to create a welcoming environment within the University of Alberta Greek community for anyone regardless of their gender identity. AJ is also a current Future City Builder in Evergreen’s Future City Builders program which gives them the opportunity to utilize systems thinking with other participants to propose solutions to a barrier that Edmonton currently faces in the path towards becoming a healthier city.

AJ has a passion for making a difference in everything they do. They aim to use every opportunity to be a voice for the queer community, equity-seeking groups in STEM, and the environment.