Canada Science and Technology Museum Launches Partnership with Let’s Talk Science
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Canada Science and Technology Museum Launches Partnership with Let’s Talk Science
OTTAWA, ON, and LONDON, ON, March 10, 2015 – The Canada Science and Technology Museums Corporation (CSTMC) and Let’s Talk Science, a Canadian national charitable organization, have partnered to help our nation’s youth strengthen their learning about science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and prolong their studies in these fields.
“Science and technology are becoming increasingly important in our world. Canadian youth need strong STEM education to prepare them for success in the 21st century,” said CSTMC CEO Alex Benay. “We are thrilled to team up with Let’s Talk Science given their leadership role and 20 year history of developing and delivering pivotal education programs for children of all ages.”
“Our strategic partnership with the Canada Science and Technology Museums Corporation will help develop the next generation of creative, critical thinkers in our country,” said Bonnie Schmidt, PhD, President and Founder of Let’s Talk Science. “The CSTMC has expertise in creating innovative science content for digital media and other platforms aimed at engaging young Canadians. Together, we can help kids to keep doors open for their futures and the wide array of STEM-based careers that will be emerging over the next 15 years.”
Under the terms of the Memorandum of Agreement signed between the new partners, the CSTMC will share and develop content that will be disseminated by Let’s Talk Science through its various outreach programs and activities, as well as CurioCity, Let’s Talk Science’s web-based program that connects students and teachers with experts in the STEM community.
As a first step in their partnership, Let’s Talk Science and the CMSTC have collaborated, with support from MaRS Discovery District, on a series of three Innovation & Entrepreneurship events where high school students explore how entrepreneurial skills are similar to the inquiry and problem-solving skills taught and reinforced in the study of STEM subjects. This first-in-kind initiative directly addresses:
- the need to engage more students to study science-based programs throughout high school and post-secondary in Canada; and
- the viability of entrepreneurship as a career choice for Canadian youth. Currently, 1.3 billion people all across the world are self-employed.
According to a 2012 report from Let’s Talk Science with support from Amgen Canada, there is a huge drop-off in the uptake of science and math courses once they are no longer compulsory, usually after Grade 10. Additionally, the proportion of students studying these courses in colleges and universities remains flat.
The first event, “Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Thunder Bay”, is taking place today at Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School. The school’s 110 students from Grades 9-12 will spend most of the day with their teachers and facilitators from Let’s Talk Science to practice their inquiry and problem-solving skills, explore self-employment career options and learn from local entrepreneurs.
Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School was approached by Let’s Talk Science for this initiative. The school was interested in this opportunity to enrich their students’ experiential learning to support them in furthering their education, transition to the business world and lead in their communities. Let’s Talk Science is deeply committed to ensuring equitable access to its programs for all youth in Canada, and has been collaborating with First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) communities since 1994 to work together to offer meaningful programs that build youth confidence and interest in learning.
ABOUT LET’S TALK SCIENCE:
Let’s Talk Science is an award-winning, Canadian charitable youth development organization focused on skills development through science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). We create and deliver experiential STEM-based learning programs and services that engage children, youth and educators. Through Let’s Talk Science Outreach, we engage more than 3,500 enthusiastic postsecondary student volunteers at over 40 universities and colleges across Canada inspiring discovery in more than 250,000 children and youth. For more information about Let’s Talk Science, please visit www.letstalkscience.ca.
ABOUT CSTMC:
The Canada Science and Technology Museum Corporation is responsible for preserving and protecting Canada’s scientific and technological heritage and promoting and sharing knowledge about that heritage. The Corporation and its three Museums — the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum, the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, and the Canada Science and Technology Museum — tell the stories of Canadian ingenuity and achievement in science and technology, and demonstrate how these accomplishments have contributed to the building of our country.
ABOUT MaRS DISCOVERY DISTRICT:
MaRS Discovery District (@MaRSDD) in Toronto is one of the world’s largest urban innovation hubs. MaRS cultivates high-impact ventures and equips innovators to drive economic and societal prosperity. MaRS provides expert advice and market research, and makes connections to talent, customers and capital. MaRS startup ventures have created 6,500 jobs and, in the last three years alone, they have raised $1 billion in capital and generated $500 million in revenue. MaRS Health supports over 250 Ontario-grown health technology startups with connections to capital and help navigating the regulatory and procurement systems in Canada and abroad.
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For more information, please contact:
Kim Morningstar
Communications Officer
Let’s Talk Science
kmorningstar@letstalkscience.ca
Olivier Bouffard
Media relations
CSTMC
613-410-5943