Meet the Oakville woman helping kids fall in love with science

After four years of planning, Tina Dolatzadeh designed a local enrichment centre built on curiosity instead of rigid worksheets

Business owner, chemical engineer and Oakville News SPACES host Tina Dolatzadeh wears many hats, but they all serve a singular passion: inspiring young minds to confidently explore the world around them. Owner of Steamulation Labs, Dolatzadeh holds multiple degrees in science, life sciences and chemical engineering, where she specialized in polymers. Throughout her career, she has worked with Environment Hamilton and continues to collaborate with McMaster University.

This drive to learn and be a role model for young women in the industry is deeply personal for Dolatzadeh. She was inspired by her own mother, an electrical engineer who broke traditional barriers. "I saw her as someone that could fix things, create things and invent," she said.

Dolatzadeh is now passing that inventive spirit down to the next generation. She opened Steamulation Labs this past May. The centre is designed for young children’s enrichment programs while offering high school and post-secondary students an opportunity to explore the world of STEAM: "I want every child who walks through our doors to leave feeling more confident, more curious and excited to explore the world around them."

Owning and operating a STEAM lab for children was not something Dolatzadeh had originally envisioned for herself or her career. However, while searching for the perfect enrichment programs for her own children, Dolatzadeh noticed that local STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) activities and summer camps were often too rigid, homework-heavy and overly academic. She firmly believes this should not be the case, saying "Engineering once you are in it, is like an art."

Driven to create a different environment, Dolatzadeh spent four years brainstorming and developing a concept for her own program. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she began testing interactive activities with her children and posting the videos to YouTube. The response was immediate.

Other families noticed and asked her to run activities for their kids and when she shared these ideas with her children’s school, teachers began inviting her into their classrooms. What started in local community centres and libraries evolved into a permanent, full-scale centre in the heart of Oakville. To keep her programs authentic, Dolatzadeh works closely with NASA and the National Research Council of Canada, occasionally consulting them about her curriculum.

Having lived in Oakville for 12 years, Dolatzadeh says she has felt the community's love and support since her early days. "Every family that has trusted us, every school that has partnered with us and every child who has walked through our doors has played a part in our journey." Since opening the permanent location, Dolatzadeh has seen firsthand how Oakville businesses carry a reputation for quality.

Her centre attracts clients from far beyond the local area, including one family of 75 people who all travelled from Barrie for their child's birthday party. To maintain that grassroots connection, Dolatzadeh hosts the Family life space on Oakville News SPACES, using the platform to share activities and engage directly with local parents. "I think it's very important and I'm really happy to be a host in the Family life space," she says.

"I try to be more active and post content related to the family but also myself because I am a part of the family and I am always looking for something fun to do with them." Today, Dolatzadeh is dedicated to providing that same strong role model presence for her students. She actively mentors high school students, supports young girls and works as a career coach with Ontario Career Labs.

"My goal has always been to inspire curiosity, build confidence and help children develop the creativity and critical thinking skills they need for the future."