Three All Science Challenges out east this week!
Let's Talk Science volunteers at the University of New Brunswick (UNB) in Saint John and Fredericton and at Dalhousie University in Halifax are gearing up for All Science Challenges for Grade 6, 7 and 8 students this week!
On Wednesday, April 27, Let’s Talk Science at UNB will be hosting the Let’s Talk Science All Science Challenge for the 3rd year at the Fredericton campus and, due to popular demand, for the first time at the UNB Saint John campus. The final elimination round of competition is a videoconference event between competitors at Fredericton and Saint John campuses.
At Dalhousie University, more than 150 Grade 6, 7 and 8 students from 12 schools in Halifax are expected to compete in the Let's Talk Science All Science Challenge on Friday, April 29.
For more information about the All Science Challenge, visit our website.
Earth Week Events
Atlantic Salmon Release
April 15, Cobourg, ON
Sixty high school students participating in the Atlantic Salmon Restoration Program joined Let's Talk Science volunteers from Fleming College to receive a tour of the hatchery and learn about the salmon restoration program on campus. They then traveled to Cobourg Creek to take part in a garbage clean-up and helped plant trees along the banks of the creek to help improve the water quality of the stream before releasing the young salmon fry. In total, the students help to release over 12,000 yearling fish!
Sea to Sky Roadtrip
April 18 to 21, Whistler, Lillooet, Lytton and Merritt, BC
In celebration of Earth Week, more than 500 kids in remote B.C. communities will learn about energy conservation and safety from Let’s Talk Science Outreach volunteers from Simon Fraser University and the University of British Columbia.
Let's Talk DNA on CurioCity - this Friday!
Let's Talk Science is partnering with Genome Alberta to celebrate DNA Day in Alberta on Friday, April 15, 2011. A highlight of DNA Day is Let's Talk DNA — a live chat event with genetics experts, and Jay Ingram, host of Daily Planet, on CurioCity. Live chats in four different rooms will run from 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM MDT on April 15. Descriptions of the four different chat rooms are listed below.
If you plan on participating in this event, it's a good idea to pre-register. You can register by visiting http://www.curiocity.ca/letstalkdna
Genetics 101
hosted by Dr. Gijs van Rooijen
What the heck is a double helix anyway and when is a genetic mutation a good thing? These are some of the questions Dr. Gijs van Rooijen will be on hand to answer. Dr. Van Rooijen is Chief Scientific Officer of Genome Alberta, a not-for-profit research organization based in Calgary. He’ll help unwrap the mystery of DNA strands so you can weave your way through the new vocabulary and new world of genomics.
Genetics in Society
Hosted by Prof. Tim Caulfield
For a few hundred dollars you can get a commercial genetic test but what do you do with the results? Have our current laws and our Health Care system kept up with the incredible pace of genetic discoveries? Professor Caulfield will give you the honest answers to these and other questions about the often controversial issues surrounding genetics. He is currently Research Director of the Health Law Institute at the University of Alberta and a Canada Research Chair in Health Law and Policy.
Genetics on the Cutting Edge
Hosted by Dr. Derrick Rancourt
Is genetic therapy a reality? What does it take to sequence the genome of an entire organism and how did that technology uncover the genome of Neanderthals? Dr. Derrick Rancourt, from the Depts. of Oncology, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Medical Genetics at the University of Calgary will be on hand to take your questions about the fact, fiction, and future of genetic research.
Genetics and Discovery
Hosted by Jay Ingram, host of Daily Planet on the Discovery Channel
Jay Ingram is well known as host of the Daily Planet on the Discovery Channel and as an advocate for science education and science journalism. He’ll bring his passion for science to the Discovery chat room and leave you wanting to learn more about the life science and wondering why science often finds itself living in the back rooms of Canadian culture. He is a Canadian science journalist, author and broadcaster and has been host of the television show Daily Planet since the program first aired in 1995, and is the former host of the CBC Radio show "Quirks and Quarks."
Upcoming presentations in Toronto
Let's Talk Science president, Bonnie Schmidt, along with other members of Let's Talk Science, will be presenting at the following conferences:
Toronto District School Board FUTURES Conference
May 3, 2011, Allstream Centre
website: www.tdsbfutures.com
Navigating Your Path Conference
May 6-7, 2011, University of Toronto
website: http://www.utoronto.ca/conference-path2011/
Chemistry day at UofT St. George
Let's Talk Science volunteers from the University of Toronto, St. George campus, are hosting 50 Grade 10 students at the university's Chemistry Department today. Students will experience hands-on experiments in the teaching lab, cool chemistry demos, go on lab tours and interact with graduate students and faculty.
