Meet Sydney Mensen – Event Coordinator & Content Specialist

At a young age, I’d decided I wanted to become a doctor. So, when my high school biology teacher selected me to attend the National Youth Leadership Forum for Medicine, I jumped at the opportunity. By the end of that week, I was presenting in front of the entire conference on behalf of my cohort –  I was thrilled by my achievement and a future career in the sciences was a must!

This is where my childhood helped with opportunity and personal development: I was raised to not be afraid to put yourself out there and to always be willing to try something new.

After high school, I went to the University of Western Ontario and majored in Biology and Medical Science, with the goal to pursue medical school; however, it didn’t take me long (the end of first year, to be exact) to realize the path to becoming a doctor was not for me.

I knew I wanted to work in science, but I didn’t know what direction to go. This is something I didn’t figure out even at the end of my Bachelor’s degree.

Following graduation I ended up working at a laser eye clinic: it was a great introduction to the professional healthcare scene, but it was short lived… I knew I wanted something different.  Fortunately, I came across a Master’s program at Western called Management of Applied Sciences… a program that merged science with business, which proved to be the perfect fit for me!

Finishing that program, I started my career in lab equipment sales. I learned the ins and outs of preclinical research and I even acquired hands-on experience demonstrating certain instrumentation in labs across the country. This is where my passion for the fast-paced and evolving world of life science research really took off.

The part of my role I enjoyed most was communicating with scientists about their work, educating them on the advantages of specific equipment, and helping plan and shape their experimental design to leverage these tools.

This all led me to go after science communications as the next step in my career, and ultimately to joining InsideScientific.

I’m excited to contribute to the education and exchange of information within the global scientific community as an Event Coordinator. I am already so inspired by my colleagues’ dedication and drive, and feel delighted to be part of this growing team.

Outside of work, I enjoy doing yoga and HIIT classes at my gym, crocheting (thanks for the hobby, COVID), and curling up on the couch with my fiance, chihuahua, and a good book.