A Message from our President, Bonnie Schmidt

I want to acknowledge the profound shock and grief that has compounded an already difficult global situation. I wish it did not need to be said, but I categorically denounce racism. I denounce injustice that stems from discrimination based on skin colour, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status and/or disability. Recent events demand that we reflect more deeply on our behaviours and unconscious biases. We must work harder, together, to build a more just, caring and inclusive society.  

As the Founder and President of Let’s Talk Science for nearly 30 years, I have had the incredible fortune to lead this values-based, purpose-driven organization. And it is within that environment and context that I have focused my influence and actions.  However, it was brought to my attention by a thoughtful group of young volunteers that my silence this week might be misinterpreted.

I acknowledge that we still have much to do and learn and that we are listening and we are trying. I believe education is core to change. Let’s Talk Science is committed to helping all youth in Canada participate in a world that is increasingly shaped by science and technology.  We believe that all children are curious and capable. We offer programs and resources to empower them through STEM-based learning (STEM = science, technology, engineering and math). 

We recognize there are ongoing, systemic inequities. Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusivity has underpinned our efforts from the start and we will continue to improve. 

Let’s Talk Science is committed to incorporating more bias training and universal design for learning principles. We will continue to diversify our team.  We will continue to support learners in all regions of Canada. We will continue to seek advice and guidance from our stakeholders. We will continue to welcome partnerships that can help us learn and continue to improve our impact. 

Let’s Talk Science will continue to live its core values:

• Collaborative Spirit:  We are better, smarter and more creative when we work together in diverse teams to achieve meaningful outcomes.
• Continuous Learning:  We are always learning and view every experience as an opportunity to improve our efforts to build futures.
• Integrity:  We are honest, do the right thing, keep our word and take responsibility for our actions.
• Future Looking:  As leaders, we are nimble, take calculated risks and keep evolving everything we do.
• Empowering Others:  We enable people to participate and contribute to making our world better.

And we will work even harder to foster open and frank discussions about challenging issues.

Bonnie Schmidt, CM, PhD, FRSC

President & Founder