Dr. Svetlana Barkanova is a professor of physics at Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador. She began her career in nuclear experiment and theory at the Nuclear Research Center in Latvia in 1994, before moving to Canada in 1998 to expand her expertise into particle physics, and earned a PhD in Theoretical Subatomic Physics from the University of Manitoba in 2004. An internationally recognized researcher, Dr. Barkanova is focusing on the Standard Model and physics beyond it, including dark matter. Her research seeks to uncover the fundamental building blocks of the universe and their interactions, with a particular emphasis on hadron structure and precision calculations for experiments at particle accelerators. Throughout her career, Dr. Barkanova has been committed to improving diversity, equity, and inclusion in research and education. In 2023, she was appointed NSERC Chair for Inclusion in Science and Engineering (Atlantic), leading efforts to support women, Indigenous peoples, neurodivergent individuals, persons with disabilities, racialized groups, and LGBTQ2+ communities in STEM. An award-winning teacher and dynamic public speaker, she is passionate about science outreach and enjoys sharing her love for physics with audiences at all levels.