Maggie Li is a trailblazer in the STEM fields, and her work in quantum computing, longevity research, and bioengineering has the potential to reshape how we think about innovation.
Beyond her groundbreaking scientific achievements, Li is a firm believer in the transformative power of community. In a field where collaboration and shared knowledge drive progress, she has made it her mission to build networks that not only push the boundaries of science but also bring diverse voices into the conversation.
Through her tireless efforts in creating talent pipelines and championing early-stage professionals, particularly from underrepresented groups, Li has shown that community-building is more than just a support system—it’s the backbone of scientific advancement.
Maggie Li’s Interdisciplinary Background and Leadership in STEM
Maggie has a diverse background that encompasses quantum computing, longevity research, bioengineering, and biomedical engineering. Her involvement in pivotal research and community-building initiatives has always focused on an interdisciplinary approach.
While others were busy attempting to categorically divide the branches of science amongst themselves, Maggie has been building bridges for years and strives to continue doing so in even more ambitious ways.
Maggie’s passion for addressing diversity and inclusion issues has also remained consistent. She has long supported early-career talent, especially from underrepresented groups in STEM, and has worked hard to make STEM a more inclusive and accessible place for everyone.
The Role that Community-Building Can Play in STEM Innovation
Community-building has been proven to accelerate innovation in fields such as STEM by fostering collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and mentorship. Nobody works in complete isolation; they see the work of their peers in one way or another and are fundamentally impacted by it, which leads to their subsequent work.
To work in STEM alone is to court disaster, and Maggie knows that the best way to stay ahead of the curve and on top of impending issues is to collaborate with other great minds in different fields.
The highly specialized roles found in STEM fields come with complex challenges, and working on them in communities rather than in isolation gives everyone a better chance of solving the problem. Community efforts bridge gaps, enabling professionals from different disciplines to work together on complex issues.
Maggie has played a significant role in this by supporting students and early-stage professionals, ultimately helping to build a talent pipeline for the future.
A Legacy in Community-Building in Quantum Computing
Maggie’s legacy of forging better community-building continued at the Quantum Open Source Foundation (QOSF), where she helped develop a mentorship program that connects early-career talent with experienced quantum computing professionals.
In a field as complex and specialized as quantum computing, one of the biggest challenges is the steep learning curve for newcomers and the lack of accessible pathways into the industry. The gap between academic training and real-world applications often leaves emerging talent struggling to find guidance or opportunities to advance. This issue is particularly pressing in quantum computing, where rapid advancements require a steady influx of skilled professionals.
Maggie’s work bridging the gap between students and seasoned professionals has helped foster new talent in quantum computing that may not have otherwise existed without the foundation she has worked tirelessly to build.
Maggie’s contributions to research also extend to Bank of Canada’s Quantum Lab, where her bespoke community-building efforts created a supportive environment for collaboration within quantum computing. At both QOSF and Bank of Canada’s Quantum Lab, Maggie’s efforts laid the groundwork for a more inclusive and collaborative quantum computing community, which is thriving today because of her work.
Building a Community in Longevity Research That Can Stand the Test of Time
Beyond quantum computing, Maggie has also spearheaded efforts to build a thriving longevity research community via building the Longevity Research Circle community. In the field of aging biology, one of the critical challenges is the fragmentation of knowledge and the lack of accessible networks for collaboration. Researchers and professionals often work in isolation, limiting the potential for cross-disciplinary breakthroughs. Maggie recognized this gap and took action, focusing on creating spaces where researchers, students, and professionals could connect, collaborate, and share ideas in open and welcoming environments that are conducive to rigorous scientific discourse.
Through her involvement in the TIME Initiative as a fellow, a non-profit organization that aims to build a strong network of student leaders in aging biology, and her role as a venture fellow at age1, a team of venture capitalists and scientists who invest in early-stage longevity biotech companies, Maggie has facilitated connections between specialists and emerging talent within the longevity and aging field, laying the groundwork for a more collaborative field.
This has so far seeded Maggie’s hosting of the Toronto Aging Biology Symposium, which aimed to foster mentorship and knowledge-sharing between students and leading researchers in aging biology. By bridging the gap between seasoned experts and the next generation of scientists, she helped catalyze conversation and collaboration in the field, starting from the Toronto ecosystem.
Maggie’s efforts in initiatives such as the TIME Initiative, age1, and the Longevity Research Circle have connected early-career professionals with opportunities in longevity and aging research, yielding profound results for the advancement of the field.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Its Impact on STEM Research
From quantum computing to longevity research and beyond, Maggie Li has consistently championed the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-disciplinary work.
However, one of the most significant barriers to innovation in STEM is the traditional separation of fields, which can stifle the flow of ideas and limit the potential for breakthrough discoveries. This siloed approach often results in isolated research efforts, making it difficult for experts in different disciplines to collaborate on complex, multifaceted problems. Maggie recognized this challenge and worked to create more interconnected communities where researchers from various fields can collaborate freely, driving innovation forward.
Li’s diverse background has uniquely positioned her to connect these disparate workers and fields within STEM. Early in her career, she worked in product, design, and growth at Gamechanger, which brings together like-minded people who want to thrive in uncertainty, where she gained a wide-ranging perspective on tech development. She then shifted to quantum computing, contributing to the Bank of Canada’s Quantum Lab for Advanced Analytics and playing a key role at the Quantum Open Source Foundation.
Her interdisciplinary journey continued with over a year of work at the Wheeler Lab at the Institute for Biomedical Engineering at the University of Toronto, focusing on optoelectronic tweezers and microfluidics device design.
Through this vast array of experiences and connections, Maggie has been instrumental in uniting entire fields of STEM research in ways that were previously unheard of. Moreover, she has made significant strides in involving underrepresented groups in these collaborations, tackling diversity challenges at their core and ensuring that the future of STEM is more inclusive and innovative.
Building Bridges That Will Lead to a Brighter Future in STEM
Maggie’s vision for the future includes plans to continue fostering interdisciplinary connections and expanding the reach of the communities she has built. By furthering her approach to building talent pipelines and fostering early-career professionals, Maggie hopes to provide a model for others looking to create inclusive interdisciplinary networks in STEM.
Ultimately, Maggie Li’s work to revolutionize and innovate within STEM networks has only just begun demonstrating its value. Through her connective and bridge-building efforts between disciplines, Maggie has set up inclusive, accessible, and invaluable routes of communication that will lead to better work across the board for decades to come.
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