Dr. Heather Vooys works as a machine learning lead at AERIUM Analytics, but at heart she is an applied mathematician in the truest sense of the term. While a PhD student in mathematics at the University of Calgary, she meandered from theoretical mathematics to applied mathematics with the realization that all mathematics can be applied we just need to figure out where to apply it. Since this discovery, she can be found eagerly applying a variety of mathematics to provide solutions to different fields such as the energy sector, wildlife management, and airport safety. She completed her PhD in Mathematics in 2019 which focused on detecting events in seismic data using machine learning.

Heather is also a passionate supporter of bridging the gap between academia and industry. She gained firsthand experience to the benefits of student internships and university-led industrial workshops during her time in graduate school. Recognizing the advantages to students and industrial partners alike, this passion has led to her mentoring student interns as well as having active involvement in the Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences’ Math to Power Industry Workshop since 2020. She has also given talks on transitioning from academia to industry and looks forward to similar opportunities in the future.