• | Print |

Engaging Youth in Fort Severn

January 22, 2013

Earlier this month, Deanna Parker, a Let’s Talk Science Outreach Volunteer at Confederation College flew into Fort Severn First Nations in Northern Ontario. This trip allowed her to reach every class from Kindergarten to grade 8 at Wasaho School! Read below for Deanna’s first-hand experiences.

Fort Severn First Nations is located by the shores of Hudson Bay. The only ways into the community are by plane or winter road. As an alumni and volunteer of Let’s Talk Science Outreach at Confederation College, I jumped on the chance to visit this community and to do some outreach. On January 11, 2013, I visited Wasaho School to carry out a day of science activities with approximately 70 students. The younger grades dug for dinosaurs, made fossil footprints, and played with rockets, while the older grades tested their engineering abilities through flight design and bridge building. Great prizes were given away, and I was asked to not leave, ever!

The next day was filled with excitement as the children tracked me down for more science fun, and I was even invited to a birthday party! We made cornstarch goop, set off Coke and Mentos geysers, along with other flying contraptions….all in -33 degree weather.

My time in Fort Severn was much too short, but I plan to head back again this year for more science outreach!

- Deanna Parker

Let's Talk Science Outreach to Aboriginal communities is made possible by support from the Canada Foundation for Innovation and CIBC. Learn more about Let's Talk Science supporters here.

• | Print |

Let’s Talk Science Board Members Receive Notable Achievement Awards

January 21, 2013

Let's Talk Science's very own board members, Mitch Baran and Mark Poznansky are set to receive prestigious awards in early 2013.

Mitch Baran, Founding Chair of Let's Talk Science, and President and CEO of Trudell Medical Group, is one of 91 new appointments to the Order of Canada announced in late December. The Order of Canada is one of Canada's highest civilian honours and recognizes a lifetime of outstanding achievement, dedication to community and service to the nation.

Baran is to receive the Order of Canada for his contributions as an entrepreneur and innovator in the field of medical technology, and for his support for a wide variety of charitable organizations. One of those charitable organizations is Let's Talk Science.

Baran was the Founding Chair of Let's Talk Science and one of the first financial supporters of the organization. Since the beginning, Baran has acted as a mentor to Let's Talk Science President Bonnie Schmidt, and continues to assist the organization as a current board member.

Past Let's Talk Science Board Chair, Mark Poznansky is also set to receive an achievement award in early 2013.

Life Sciences Ontario (LSO), an organization representing Ontario's life sciences sector, is honouring Poznansky with a Lifetime Achievement Award. The award will recognize Poznansky as a "highly respected leader who has inspired and led the community to imagine a bigger future in life sciences" and "an individual who is highly recognized as a significant contributor in more than one domain; industry, government, academia, volunteerism and philanthropy."

Poznansky is President and CEO of the Ontario Genomics Institute and has been a Let's Talk Science board member since 2003. He will receive his Lifetime Achievement Award at an LSO awards gala on February 27th, 2013.

Let's Talk Science congratulates both Mitch and Mark for their hard work and dedication to science.

• | Print |

Welcome Mount Allison University!

December 20, 2012

We are happy to start our holiday season by welcoming our newest Let’s Talk Science Outreach Site - Mount Allison University!

Mount Allison is located in Sackville, New Brunswick, making them the third Outreach Site in the province. The university is a largely undergraduate, English-language school. Over the past year, a group of students started doing local outreach activities and later approached Let’s Talk Science to create a more structured program at their university.

As they start gearing up in the new year, we wish Mount Allison the best and welcome them as our 38^th Let’s Talk Science Outreach Site.