The inaugural STEM award, sponsored by USask was presented by Dara Hrytzak (right), chief of staff for USask president Peter Stoicheff (Photo: YWCA)

Peltier-Huntley wins YWCA's first-ever STEM award

Dr. Jocelyn Peltier-Huntley (BE 06 Mechanical, PhD 24) was awarded the first-ever STEM award at the Graham YWCA Saskatoon Women of Distinction Awards.

The award, sponsored by the University of Saskatchewan, honours women who have excelled in the pursuit of science, technology, engineering and/or math. Women nominated in the category must demonstrate excellence through achievements including, but not limited to: groundbreaking original research, discovery and/or academic publication, outstanding practical innovation and/or invention, mentoring and creating opportunities for women in their field, and/or overcoming barriers

Peltier-Huntley was a 2021 Vanier Scholar and professional mechanical engineer with nearly 20 years’ experience leading change.

After working in mining for 13 years, she is now focused on leading and inspiring positive change through equity, diversity and inclusion research and consulting. Her PhD project, Activating Allies, focuses on creating better workplaces by engaging everyone. Earlier this month, she successfully defended her dissertation.

Through her business, Prairie Catalyst Consulting, Peltier-Huntley creates awareness and removes roadblocks so individuals and organizations can realize the benefits of inclusion and achieve their full potential.

Peltier-Huntley is also a volunteer and is currently vice-chair of Women in Mining and Women in Nuclear Saskatchewan Inc. (WIM/WiN-SK), which is focused on connecting and inspiring a diverse workforce in Saskatchewan’s mining and nuclear industries.

“As I stand on this platform, I acknowledge the ongoing need to push for greater inclusion in STEM and pledge to continue this crucial work. My journey from being one of the few women in my engineering class to now advocating for equity and inclusion has been powered by countless mentors, allies, and supportive family members,” Peltier-Huntley wrote in a LinkedIn post after the Women of Distinction event.