Empowering Resilience: Inside the WiE&IT “Rising Strong” Workshop

Written by: Maclean Crowdis

Photos by: Melanie Mathieu

Resilience in STEM is not just about pushing through challenges alone; it is about recognizing strengths, seeking support and rising stronger together.

On January 17, Carleton University’s industry-sponsored Women in Engineering and IT Program (WiE&IT) hosted its second annual Workshop Day, ICONIC Resilience: Rising Strong. The event focused on addressing imposter complex and equipping participants with practical strategies to navigate career and professional situations with confidence. It was made possible thanks to the generous support and ongoing commitment of industry partners CAE and Gastops to empowering future innovators.

Tackling Imposter Complex

At the core of this year’s workshop was a focus on understanding and addressing imposter complex. Through guided discussion and reflection, participants examined how self-doubt can surface in common scenarios such as job interviews, rejection, team conflict and receiving tough feedback.

For the second year in a row, Workshop Day welcomed back TEDx Speaker Tanya Geisler, who guided students through exercises designed to help them recognize their personal strengths, values and experiences that shape how they respond to adversity. By reframing challenges through positive leadership traits, students were encouraged to view resilience as a dynamic and shared process.

TEDx Speaker Tanya Geisler engaging with students in a roundtable. — “It is essential to gather your people for support; your experience doesn’t exist in isolation,” says Geisler.

“Imposter complex shows up when you’re challenged to grow. We need to learn to work with it, not against it,” says Geisler.

Rather than framing resilience as something to be built alone or over time, the workshop encouraged students to identify immediate, actionable strategies they could apply when challenges arise.

Geisler emphasized the importance of asking for support, recognizing that reaching out to peers, mentors or support networks can significantly reduce stress and strengthen resilience.

Learning Through Discussion, Support and Shared Experience

The workshop format allowed for meaningful group discussion and connection. Students openly shared experiences of imposter complex and reflected on how common these feelings are, even among highly capable individuals. These conversations helped normalize self-doubt while reinforcing the value of community and mutual support in STEM environments.

“The workshop helped me understand how common imposter feelings are and how they often stem from self-doubt rather than actual ability. I learned practical strategies to reframe negative self-talk and acknowledge accomplishments,” says Lana Kamal, a third-year Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering student.

Round table of women students exchanging opinions and experiences on imposter complex across industries. — The workshop focused on supporting participants in turning feedback into fuel and using their identity strengths for job interviews. The room was full of curiosity, support and shared experiences.

Participants walked away with personal reflections they could apply immediately, including recognizing when to seek support and how to balance ambition with humility. By grounding resilience in shared experience and collective support, ICONIC Resilience: Rising Strong reinforced the idea that the path to a successful future in STEM need not be forged alone.

Now in its fifth year, the WiE&IT Program continues to foster connection, industry and peer mentorship, and community, and empowers women to pursue their career dreams with a boost of confidence.