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Damineh Akhavan

@damineh.akhavan

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Mother • Professional Engineer • Social Entrepreneur • Board Director • Human Rights Advocate • Space Enthusiast
📍West Vancouver, BC

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Despite our commitments and a busy schedule in Ottawa, my mom, son, and I made time to visit three museums, including the Canada Science and Technology Museum.
We enjoyed exploring everything from the magnetized target fusion exhibit and interactive periodic table to the telescopes and astronomy displays in Hidden Worlds. There was plenty to keep us curious, with opportunities to explore physics, energy, the building blocks of matter, and how we study the universe.
These exhibits offered teaching moments: connecting elements to everyday materials, exploring the science behind fusion, and understanding how telescopes help us see beyond what our eyes alone can detect. The hands-on experiences gave us reasons to pause, ask questions, and work things out together.
The museum had something for all of us. Three generations of learners, bringing different knowledge and experiences, sharing discoveries, and learning from one another.

#FamilyLearning #LifelongLearning #STEMEducation #StayCurious by @damineh.akhavan

One of the most meaningful parts of receiving the Governor General’s Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case was sharing the occasion with my fellow recipients.

So much of the work toward equality can feel lonely. Coming together offers a reminder that our efforts are part of something larger, carried forward by people working in different communities, professions, and institutions.

Congratulations to my fellow recipients, and thank you for the work you continue to lead. I am grateful to have shared this moment with you, and for all there is to learn from and build upon in your contributions.

Thank you to Her Excellency the Governor General, Hon. Minister Rechie Valdez, and Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) for this deeply affirming recognition.

#PersonsCase #GovernorGeneralAwards by @damineh.akhavan

“May the next generation inherit fewer barriers because we had the courage to remove them.”

These were my closing words as I accepted the Governor General’s Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case.

The Persons Case reminds us that institutions can change when people challenge exclusion. Nearly a century later, equality must still be fought for in women’s daily lives.

For me, this medal carries a commitment to that work: a future where women can contribute fully, lead, and challenge injustice without putting their livelihoods at risk. Where discrimination and gender-based violence are addressed, speaking up is safe, and accountability follows our commitments.

Thank you for this recognition, and for the work this award brings into view.

#PersonsDay #PersonsCase #GovernorGeneralAward #FamousFive by @damineh.akhavan

Standing before Her Excellency at Rideau Hall on October 19 to receive the Governor General’s Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case, I held so much at once: the wonder of the little girl who dreamed of becoming an astronaut; gratitude for living in a country where we can challenge institutions and shape progress; and grief for women in my birth country, Iran, whose courage and voices are met with repression.

I choked back tears. Alongside gratitude were anger, sadness, and the loneliness and exhaustion of this work. Recognition does not erase what it has taken to get here, or the frustration of still fighting for changes that should have come long ago.

With my mother and my son there, I felt the connection between what we inherit and what we owe the next generation. I want my son to understand why this work matters and recognize his own capacity to make a difference.

To those who have stood beside me, my deepest gratitude. To those who have tried to diminish my voice or stand in my way, let my journey speak: Still I Rise.

#PersonsCase #GovernorGeneralAwards by @damineh.akhavan

Catching cosmic ghosts at the South Pole!

Francis Halzen has been awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics for his "decisive contributions to the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and the discovery of high-energy neutrinos of astrophysical origin." Sensors buried deep in Antarctic ice detect tiny flashes produced by these elusive particles, opening a new window into the universe’s most powerful events.

This is why I love physics. Even the smallest particles can reveal something extraordinary about our universe.

#NobelPrize #Physics #IceCube #Neutrinos #SpaceScience by @damineh.akhavan

An evening exploring the beginnings of everything.
Last night’s Cosmic Nights: Origins – Birth of the Universe at the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre took us on a fascinating journey through the cosmos.
From Matthew Cimone’s live demonstration exploring Nancy Grace Roman’s legacy and the telescope bearing her name, to Dark Universe, narrated by Neil deGrasse Tyson, and David McKeen’s lecture on the first two weeks of the universe, there was plenty to spark curiosity and conversation.
So much we have discovered, and so much still to understand. A great reminder to keep asking questions and looking up.

#CosmicNights #HRMacMillanSpaceCentre #NeverStopExploring #KeepLookingUp by @damineh.akhavan

Some of humanity’s greatest innovations began with something remarkably simple: observing nature. The dream of human flight was profoundly shaped by watching birds, their wings, movement and ability to navigate the air. Nature is not simply something to admire; it is a source of knowledge, questions and possibilities. When we slow down enough to observe how things move, adapt, survive and interact, we begin to see solutions we may never find sitting behind a desk. Innovation does not always begin in a laboratory. Sometimes, it begins by looking up.

📸: Smithsonian Museum by @damineh.akhavan

Two weeks ago, I stepped outside my musical comfort zone and attended Soul Rise 2026 featuring Anyma at Ambleside Park, and what an experience it was!

EDM has never been my usual choice, but I was excited to experience a festival of this scale right in our own backyard. With a full-access pass, I had the chance to take it all in, and it did not disappoint. The event was exceptionally well organized, the atmosphere was electric, and Anyma’s performance was truly unforgettable.

I also had the pleasure of spending time with some of the organizers, who were warm, welcoming and incredibly attentive to their guests. And the setting could not have been more spectacular. With the mountains, ocean and Vancouver skyline surrounding us, Ambleside Park was the perfect venue for a night like this.

Sometimes the best experiences begin by trying something completely unexpected. ✨ by @damineh.akhavan

What if quantum mechanics doesn’t actually need “imaginary” numbers?

For nearly a century, physicists have used complex numbers, a combination of real and imaginary numbers, to describe the strange behaviour of particles, waves, and quantum states.

Now, researchers have developed a consistent version of quantum theory using only real numbers that produces the same experimental predictions. The finding does not disprove quantum mechanics or make complex numbers obsolete. Instead, it suggests they may be an extraordinarily useful mathematical language rather than a fundamental ingredient of reality.

Sometimes, the mathematics we use to understand the universe may be a map, not the universe itself.

📸: Popular Mechanics

#QuantumPhysics #QuantumMechanics #Mathematics #Physics #ScienceNews by @damineh.akhavan

What if leadership isn’t about titles, but about owning your voice and impact? 💪⁠
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Join us on Tuesday, July 21 from 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm for an empowering workshop with Anja Lanz and Damineh Akhavan, leaders with Global Women in STEM. This session challenges traditional ideas of success and explores how women can redefine leadership on their own terms, in their own words, and at their own pace.⁠
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🔗 Register today via link in bio by @damineh.akhavan

What an incredible achievement! 🚀
Congratulations to the incredible team at the University of Victoria’s Centre for Aerospace Research (CfAR) on the successful launch of MARMOTSat aboard a SpaceX rocket.
Designed and built by students and researchers at the University of Victoria with support from the Canadian Space Agency | Agence spatiale canadienne, this shoebox-sized satellite represents a remarkable milestone in Canadian space innovation. MARMOTSat will collect valuable ionospheric data to support climate research while also serving as an open-source amateur radio platform that advances STEM education around the world.
This is an inspiring example of what can be achieved through collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to developing the next generation of aerospace leaders.
Congratulations to everyone who made this out-of-this-world mission possible! 🛰️ by @damineh.akhavan

Col. @astrojeremy, thank you. by @damineh.akhavan