Globetrotting Geoscientist Pamela Cook Ellemers BA’91, BSc’94 Champions for Women in STEM

From Botswana and South Africa to Canada’s remote north, Pamela Cook Ellemers BA ’91, BSc’94 has evaded bears, helped discover some of the world’s most precious diamonds, and fearlessly seized career opportunities. The geoscientist returned to the U of R campus for 50^th Anniversary Alumni Week activities in October and was one of six recipients of an Alumni Crowning Achievement Award (ACAA).

Cook Ellemers says she  was honoured to receive the ACAA Distinguished Professional Achievement Award,— and enthusiastically embraced an opportunity (as always) later in the week to guest lecture for 300-level Earth Sciences (formerly Geology) students in the lab where her love of rocks was ignited.

A key factor to my success and what really laid the foundation for me never hesitating or doubting myself is that the University of Regina made me feel safe because it was a really progressive environment. It was very inclusive and psychologically safe so it allowed me to thrive. — Pamela Cook Ellemers BA’91, BSc’94, Principal Mineral Resource Manager for the De Beers Group

“When I walked into the geology labs and classrooms, I thought holy cow! So many big memories came flooding back. When I saw the new lab, it was so beautifully organized with gorgeous equipment and lighting that all I could think was this is the perfect learning environment. It was really great to see.”

Digging deep and going far

Cook Ellemers is a reluctant geologist who admits she was never crazy about rocks as a child but loved math and science.

“Like many young people, I wasn’t sure what path I wanted to take when I started university. I didn’t automatically go into geology. Geology found me. Because of my interest in math and science, I thought I would try a physical geography course and found it amazing and super fun.”

A summer job between semesters saw her travel to northern Saskatchewan to work as a geologist’s assistant and cemented her career trajectory.

“I was on the land, walking around with a pack on my back, jumping in and out of helicopters, and exploring. It was as exciting as it sounds and a beautiful lifestyle. That was when I knew what I wanted to do with my life. I knew I wanted to be a geologist,” she says.

Fresh from university, she moved to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, to work as a field geologist for the De Beers Group, a leading diamond company. Opportunities for growth and advancement followed and Cook Ellemers jumped at them. Her work and expertise has taken her to diamond exploration sites and laboratories across Canada, as well as to Botswana, India, Australia, and South Africa where she lived for six years and welcomed her first son.

Today, she is a Principal Mineral Resource Manager for De Beers in their Calgary headquarters. In 2022, she was recognized as one of the Global 100 Inspirational Women in Mining (WIM100).

Rallying for girls and women in STEM

During her Alumni Week guest lecture in the College West Earth Sciences lab, she noticed one major difference from when she was a student and it had nothing to do with the rock samples. An equal number of women and men sat at the tables around the room.

“It's not the same in the geology departments anymore. When I was here, there were only two or three women in a class and now the numbers are closer to 50/50, so we are seeing  progress.”

After rising the ranks in a traditionally male-dominated industry, Cook Ellemers says she is driven to help other girls and women flourish in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Through Building Forever, a program offered by her company, she helps lead STEM camps for Indigenous elementary school-aged girls from the Northwest Territories.

“I get emotional sometimes working with the girls - seeing their curiosity and confidence come to life,” says Cook Ellemers. She then adds, “I am very passionate about women in STEM – everyone deserves psychological safety. I want girls to say, ‘I can do anything I want to do.’ Whether they want to be a welder, drive an awesome big heavy truck at a mine, be a doctor, engineer or a chemist. I want to make sure they have the opportunities and support to realize their dreams.”

There was one very familiar face among the students during Cook Ellemer’s lecture. Her niece, Celyne Cook, is pursuing a Geology degree and was excited to see her aunt.

“We used to look for rocks all the time. She is a huge inspiration,” gushes Cook.

Looking for mentors whether through formal or informal channels, makes an enormous difference, explains Cook Ellemers.

“A piece of advice I always give when talking to young women is that you are going to feel uncomfortable out there so it is important to look for the role model that is doing well and make connections. Listen to their stories and learn from them. A great mentor will help you define barriers and find ways to get past those barriers.” 

U of R helped pave the way

A fond memory for Cook Ellemers is attending summer sports school camp at the U of R. Being back on campus reminds her of hours spent in the pool and learning archery. As a university student, she says she sought out her favourite study places in the Ad Hum building but felt most at home and invigorated in the Earth Sciences department.

“One of the things that I talked about in my ACAA acceptance speech, is that a key factor to my success and what really laid the foundation for me never hesitating or doubting myself is that the University made me feel safe because it was a really progressive environment. It was very inclusive and psychologically safe so it allowed me to thrive.”

She still remembers her favourite professors, of which there were many, including Dr. Donald Kent, Dr. Stephen Bend, Dr. John Lewry, Dr. Laurence Vigrass, and Lab Instructor Ivana Simpson

“The environment they created was the superpower of the department. We were a small group learning together as a team. It felt really special.”

More than just her love of rocks was ignited while on campus and in the lab. She met her husband, Kent,  who was also studying geology; They have been married for 31 years.

Cook Ellemers says she will never stop learning and taking on new challenges and hopes the next generation of geoscientists find paths they enjoy as much as she does.

“I always tell young geologists that you need to jump at the opportunities. You need to go to uncomfortable places and stretch yourself because that is how you learn.”

Curious about rocks or a career in STEM that takes you places? Explore offerings in the Faculty of Science such as Earth Sciences or the Faculty of Engineering & Applied Science.

About the ACAAs

Every year, the University of Regina celebrates the best and brightest among its more than 92,000 alumni with the Alumni Crowning Achievement Awards (ACAAs) presented by the URAA. Established in 1992, the ACAAs were created to honour our extraordinary alumni for their outstanding commitment to excellence, community engagement and leadership, and impact on the social, cultural, and economic well-being of our communities.

This year's ACAA event was held on Saturday, October 19, 2024 — exactly 50 years-to-the-day since the University of Regina's first convocation.

Banner photo: Cook Ellemers collecting sediment samples outside of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories back in 1994. Credit: Jennifer Pell