If I can see her, I can be her. Developed by Ingenium – Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation, the National Film Board of Canada (NFB), and the Canadian Museum of Nature, #MySTEMjob, an Instagram campaign, tells the stories of twenty inspiring women from across Canada through video shorts designed to spark curiosity in young women and inspire them to pursue STEM careers.

The campaign will launch via @IngeniumCanada and run from February 11th (UN/International Day of Women and Girls in Science) until March 8th (International Women’s Day).

The daily videos will showcase a wide range of STEM careers ranging from mineralogist to deep-sea marine biologist. Each video captures the passion, excitement, and drive of each of these accomplished women, who highlight the diversity of a STEM career in these ever-evolving fields.

Want to get involved? Spread the word!

Before the campaign launches:

• Follow @IngeniumCanada, and encourage your networks to do the same
• Follow the hashtag #MySTEMjob

Once the campaign launches:

• Share the daily videos to your stories, and help bring awareness to the work of these amazing women!
• Keep an eye out for engagement opportunities such as Q&A’s with the featured women

Dolf DeJong, CEO of the Toronto Zoo shares his plans for the future of the Toronto Zoo. He explains his strategy for initiating change, and key projects the Zoo team have been working on. His plans are to restructure and update, as well as change how the zoo and people in core roles are laid out. 

Related Article: https://blooloop.com/features/toronto-zoo-dolf-dejong/

Ninety-six-year-old Jean Moffet has shared her knowledge and passion for ham radio at the OSC for over 30 years and recently staff from the science centre have helped make her dream of meeting an astronaut come true.

On January 22, 2020, Jean got to speak with Commander Parmitano, an Italian astronaut from the European Space Agency aboard the International Space Station.

When asked how long she’s been wanting to do this, Jean said, “Since I was 60… I was an amateur radio operator and my voice was going up to satellites and I could hear astronauts speak, but I could never speak to them.” 

Related Articles: https://globalnews.ca/news/6449743/ontario-science-centre-amateur-radio-volunteer/

https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/96-year-old-ham-radio-operator-makes-an-out-of-this-world-connection-1.4779505

TELUS Spark announced that they intend to be the new organizers of a program that connects girls in 8th grade to leading female professionals in science, technology, engineering and math careers. This program is called Operation Minerva, and will offer workshops, job shadowing, and one-on-one mentorship. Operation Minerva has been around for over 25 years, and TELUS Spark is thrilled to be part of its legacy.

In 2019 Girls Who Code organized a survey which indicated that more than 50% of Canadians can’t name a female scientist or engineer. The hope is to raise more awareness of the underrepresentation of women in STEM fields and supply the resources to inspire young girls. 

Join the movement - Student and mentor registrations are now open!

Join/ sign up: https://www.sparkscience.ca/education/operation-minerva/

Related Article: https://www.sparkscience.ca/assets/Uploads/Operation-Minerva-Media-Release-3.pdf

Espace pour la vie kicks off its 2020 programming with the new exhibition ORIGINS, presented free of charge starting January 28 at the Planétarium Rio Tinto Alcan. ORIGINS is an exhibition of original photographs that evokes, in a profusion of extraordinary images, evolution and life on our planet. Presented in 2018 at the Jardin du Luxembourg in Paris, the exhibition unveils the work of photographer Olivier Grunewald and journalist Bernadette Gilbertas. The immersive effect generated by these large-format images plunges visitors in the contemplation of the beauty of our planet and the discovery of our origins.

"I believe that I can do anything I set my mind to." 

The Canadian Association for Girls in Science (CAGIS) is celebrating the International Day of Women and Girls in Science with a new promotional video.  As part of the video, we talked to girls about their experiences with and perceptions of science, technology, trades, engineering, and mathematics. 

The new video will be premiering on February 11th online at our website at GirlsInScience.ca, on our social media channels at @GirlsInScience, and in person at several events across Canada! Tune in to help us celebrate girls and women in science!

A big boost for the Big Little Science Centre’s relocation efforts to downtown Kamloops.

The society has been given a $50,000-dollar grant from a local foundation.

Executive director Gord Stewart says that is a dollar-for-dollar donation, meaning the foundation will match what the society can fundraise this year, up to $50,000.

He explains where that money will go – as the society is still renovating its new home on Seymour Street.

Learn More: https://www.radionl.com/2020/01/27/50305/

Ingenium is providing seven (7) lessons to remote Indigenous communities through a two-way video. The lessons include; Meet the small farm animals, Hidden Worlds: Under the microscope, and exploring Canada’s energy future. The programming is made possible by Connected North, a program within TakingITGlobal, which uses HD telepresence to take students on virtual field trips and connect them with Indigenous mentors. 

Lindsay Stewart, an education assistant at Ingenium said “We love seeing their faces light up when we show them something they didn’t know. When I’m showing them a new animal that they’ve potentially never seen”. 

Lindsay emphasized that the opportunity allows them to spark curiosity with more youth. Ingenium’s lessons will enrich learning for students who may not otherwise have the opportunity. “It extends our reach further, to people who aren’t able to come to our museums,” said Stewart. 

The hope is that the students learn more than just science with Ingenium’s science education, but also make them feel confident and empowered.

Related Article: https://paherald.sk.ca/2020/01/13/partnership-bringing-interactive-science-lessons-to-remote-sask-schools/

Gordon Stewart can see the light at the end of the Bunsen burner.

The Big Little Science Centre’s executive director confirmed the educational facility will remain closed until the first week of April, when it is expected to re-open at its new downtown location on Seymour Street.

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Humankind likes to think of itself as inventors and innovators, but the truth is Mother Nature has already created it.

A new exhibit at the Okanagan Science Centre opens today that examines how 'man's' great inventions are based on things already found in nature.

Inspiring Nature, Inspired Techno, Biomimicry and Transport opens today.

Carla-Jean Stokes, with the OSC, said the exhibition explores biomimesis – the idea that innovations all around us are inspired by nature.

“Although the word “biomimicry” might not be in everyone’s daily vocabulary, it is visible in our daily lives – such as how the lightweight bones of a bird inspire vehicles’ structure, or how the shape of a kingfisher’s beak was adopted to reduce the noise on high-speed trains,” said Stokes.

Visitors to get up close and personal with the principles of biomimesis through natural specimens, multi-media interactives, experiments and games.

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