Sisters in STEM

For many high school students, mathematics can be one of the hardest subjects to master. But for Salma and Sara Radwan, math is second nature. The sisters are graduates of Eastglen High School, where they each graduated with top marks in math. Sara, who graduated in 2017, was the first in the family to be awarded Edmonton Community Foundation’s (ECF) Probert Math Scholarshi — an award of, at the time, $16,000 over four years for post-secondary studies in engineering or a mathematics-related field. Today, the award provides $20,000 over four years. “When I was a couple of months into Grade 12, my teachers started seeing my grades and telling me about the scholarship,” says Sara, who remembers working hard to keep her math grades up throughout the year. “I was so happy and grateful when they announced who the winner was.

As Sara went on to complete her degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Alberta, her younger sister Salma entered high school. She too, was drawn to mathematics, and soon enough was following in her sister’s footsteps. In 2024, Salma went on to win the scholarship and begin studying engineering at the University of Alberta.

“I wanted to go into something STEM based, because I enjoy math and I was determined. The scholarship really helped me go closer to that, to be an engineer hopefully in the future.”

With one year of tuition, books and supplies estimated to cost $10,000, the scholarship made a significant difference in the financial cost of the girls’ studies. Their father also wanted to help out with the cost of their education, and winning the scholarship made that cost a little more attainable. “He’s proud of us that we got the scholarship,” says Salma. “We had good grades and we were both going to engineering to do what we like and enjoy ourselves.

The Probert Math Scholarship was established at ECF by David Cheriton, a computer scientist, professor emeritus at Stanford University and graduate of Eastglen High School. It was there in the late 1960s that Cheriton first met Elwyn Probert, a mathematics teacher who would leave a lasting impression. “I’d certainly view him as one of the best, if not the best, math teacher I’ve had at all levels,” says Cheriton, who, after Eastglen, went on to complete a Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degree in computer science. Cheriton remembers Probert as “strict, but fun” — the kind of teacher who enjoyed the knowledge he was sharing with students. He also remembers Probert as a forward-thinking instructor, who had his eye on the potential of computers and technology.

“It’s in some ways dazzling to look back and say in 1967 you have a high school teacher, in a math class that walks in and says, ‘computers are the future. So the notion that this was the future was insane in some ways because you think, how could this be the future when virtually nobody’s encountered it yet?”

Aside from fostering an interest in mathematics and technology in students, Probert’s teaching methods also had an impact on Cheriton. Rather than teaching dry, textbook-based lessons, Cheriton remembers Probert bringing real-world, practical examples into his lessons — a method Cheriton would later go on to use when teaching computer science at Stanford. “Some teachers come into class and just say, OK, lesson number 46, blah, blah, blah, and drag you through it. Mr. Probert brought a little more interest with comments and ideas from the outside world — that’s what stuck with me,” he says. “It’s always inspiring to witness the ripple effect of the positive impact people have on one another in the community,” says Anna Opryshko, ECF’s Student Awards Associate. “David is now creating opportunities for future students at Eastglen, just as Mr. Probert once did for him. And with the scholarship being endowed, this legacy will continue for generations to come.

Through the scholarship, Cheriton hopes to carry on Probert’s legacy and teachings with future generations, encouraging them to explore and adopt a mathematical way of thinking. “The math education I got in grade school and high school was really fundamental to be able to pursue the career I pursued. It’s not just learning mathematics per se, but there’s kind of a discipline of thinking that comes with mathematics and there’s a certain aesthetics of how you tackle things,” he explains. “When you have young people that you can give them the slight nudge in the direction and they go on and the nudge gets amplified into a great career, it’s kind of a wonderful return on investment.”