I stumbled across this September 19, 2025 article by Rosie Fernandez for Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s (CBC) radio programme “Qurks and Quarks” highlights science education designed to encourage critical thinking skills in some unexpected populations, Note Links have been removed,
In a world filled with misinformation, geophysicist Philip Heron is on a mission to share the benefits of critical thinking.
He is founder of a program called Think Like a Scientist, which he pioneered in the U.K., and has now brought to Canada.
It’s a brief course — only seven weeks long — that he’s taught in schools, but more surprisingly in prisons. [emphasis mine]
And for some of those who’ve experienced the program, it’s been life-changing.
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As a day job, Heron teaches in the department of physical and environmental Sciences at the University of Toronto’s Scarborough campus, and runs this program in the summer, including at a number of Canadian prisons.
He says he designed the Think Like a Scientist to teach the scientific method to those who don’t necessarily see themselves as students of science, including people who have been incarcerated.
The importance of failure
Heron says one of his aims is to help people understand that failure — in life, as in science — can be a pathway to success.
Heron says that many people in prison have had negative experiences with traditional education methods for a variety of reasons, including learning differences, race, gender, class or neurodiversity. So he avoids structuring his program like a traditional classroom, and instead encourages conversation about the topic he is presenting.
Some of the topics explored are climate change, earthquakes, robotics, space mission and the science of sleep. One of the key points in this course is the idea of embracing failure. Heron says this is a fundamental part of the scientific process.
“Behind the scenes, scientists fail so often that it’s just commonplace,” Heron told Quirks & Quarks host Bob McDonald. “And really what I want to teach the students in prison, as well as to students at the University of Toronto, [is] that failure is part of the process and it’s something that should be accepted.”
“We don’t just fail and stop, we fail and move forward.”
In part of his curriculum about space exploration, Heron shares a quote from Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques about managing mental health in space, given that when conflict arises, there’s nowhere to go and you’re far away from the people you love.
“After I finish …the whole room is like, ‘that’s prison! Throw in terrible food and you’ve got prison. I could be an astronaut!'”
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Some of Heron’s former students in the U.K., such as Phoenix Griffin, say they were so inspired by the course they have gone to pursue academic careers of their own.
“The biggest thing I took away from it was the confidence to try new things,” said Griffin, who is now out of prison and in her third year of university.
“It just gave me a new way of thinking. You learn from your mistakes so if you get it wrong it’s fine. So that was really big for me.”
‘Think Like A Scientist’ is a course designed to improve critical thinking and encourage independent thought for students in any educational environment. We use adaptive education practices to increase accessibility to science education.
Thanks for stopping by! We are a collection of educators trying to make science more accessible. We run science outreach programs but also train graduates to be more accessible in their science communication.
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Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) subjects have historically struggled to be inclusive and accessible to students from diverse backgrounds. STEM subjects at school and university have often been rigid in their teaching structure, creating barriers to education for students with more specific (or unrecognised) learning needs.
Furthermore, exciting and important science topics (such as climate change and space exploration) are often communicated in a way that reinforces these barriers. To discuss these issues, and to combat such barriers to education in academia and in the public, I have been working on creating accessible science frameworks for researchers and educators – in the form of the course and workshop Think Like A Scientist.
Think Like A Scientist started in 2017 in the English prison system and has recently featured in prisons in Australia (2024-2025), Spain (2025), and Canada (2023-present). However, we have run the courses in other settings, including schools, adult learning facilities, and youth work (both online and in person). The success of the course is based around the creation of a classroom dynamic that is accessible, inclusive, and relatable to students from all backgrounds.
A bane of farmers’ existence, it’s estimated that plant-eating pests are responsible for the loss of up to 40 per cent of pre-harvest yields globally. But a new generation of crop treatments that target only “bad” bugs could mean big gains for the Canadian agriculture sector, improving pest management tools in an industry that in 2024 generated over $142 billion.
Dr. Justin Pahara and his team at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s (AAFC) Lethbridge Research and Development Centre are designing new screening methods to learn whether current crop treatments are effective. Their end goal, however, is to develop a method for using nanotechnology to deliver specific chemicals into pests based on their unique DNA – without harming helpful insects.
For example, through methods developed and tested at the Canadian Light Source (CLS) at the University of Saskatchewan, the researchers found that lygus bugs contain regions of enriched minerals pointing to certain proteins that could one day be targeted with tailored agents to prevent them from eating crops. The lygus bug is a common agriculture pest that feeds on many crops, including canola. Pahara and his team’s innovative methods are published in the Canadian Journal of Chemistry.
“We all need food, and if farmers cannot grow their products efficiently and make a living out of it, it’s a problem,” says Pahara. “We need new tools for pest management. Insects are becoming more tolerant to chemicals in the same way antibiotic resistance works in humans.”
Developing targeted pest treatments would also make “carpet bombing” insects with harmful pesticides a thing of the past.
“The ‘spray-and-pray’ approach ends up also killing beneficial bugs such as pollinators, and predatory insects like spiders, wasps, and beetles that help maintain a healthy ecosystem,” says Pahara.
The first step was to study how pesticides get into pests in the first place, how the nanomaterials get into their bodies and where the substances accumulate, information that will help design better solutions.
Pahara and his team used the BioXAS beamline at the CLS to create X-ray images of cutworms and lygus bugs, showing what chemicals were present in the insects and where.
Then, the group developed special software to explore the bug images in 3D models using virtual reality, so they can take an even “closer look” at the inside of the insects’ bodies.
“Designing new approaches is a very challenging problem and people have been working on it for decades, but with little success,” says Pahara. “Ultimately it’s our job at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada to pass on what we learn to Canadian industry to solve key technical problems so industry can take over with less risks.”
Now that Pahara and colleagues know their screening test works, they are expanding their research to weeds and fungi pests and will be able to start testing the delivery of nanomaterials developed by both AAFC and the NANO division of the National Research Council of Canada into insects’ bodies.
This brief CLS video offers a description of how the synchrotron was employed for this project,
The last time I had a pineapple and nanocellulose story it was from Brazil (see my March 28, 2011 posting). This September 23, 2025 news item in Nanowerk describes some more recent research, Note: Links have been removed,
Food waste has long been a global challenge, but a new study shows it may also be part of the solution to desertification. Published in the Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts (“Evaluating Nanocellulose from Food Waste as A Functional Amendment for Sandy Soils: Linking Fiber Structure to Water Dynamics, Soil Mechanics, and Plant-Microbes Interactions”), the research demonstrates how pineapple peels, typically discarded in large quantities by the juice and hospitality industries, can be transformed into nanocellulose fibers that dramatically improve the properties of sandy soils.
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Caption: Study shows food waste-derived nanocellulose boosts sandy soil water retention, nutrient storage, and plant survival in arid regions Credit: Department of Chemical Engineering, Khalifa University of Science & Technology, Abu Dhabi 127788, United Arab Emirates
Led by an international team of scientists, the study focused on converting pineapple peels into fibers through mechanochemical treatments including shredding, alkali processing, bleaching, and ball milling. The resulting fibers, ranging from macro to nanoscale, were then tested in three types of desert sands commonly found in the United Arab Emirates: lithic, quartz-rich, and calcareous sands.
The results were striking. Soils amended with nanocellulose fibers exhibited up to 32.7% greater water-holding capacity and a 58% reduction in permeability compared to untreated sand. Evaporation rates slowed by over half, while soil cohesion and compressive strength improved four-fold in some cases. Importantly, nutrient retention also increased, with phosphorus retention nearly doubling in fiber-treated sands.
Plant growth experiments using cherry tomato seedlings further validated the amendments’ benefits. At moderate concentrations (0.25–1% fiber by weight), plants showed higher survival rates, more leaves, and healthier development compared to controls. However, excessive fiber content (3%) reduced survival, underscoring the need for optimized application levels.
Beyond agricultural performance, the study also assessed the biodegradation of fiber-reinforced soils. While compost-rich environments promoted microbial activity, nanocellulose fibers in sandy soils remained structurally stable, indicating their durability under arid conditions. This resilience could ensure long-term benefits for desert agriculture.
The findings align with broader circular bioeconomy goals, suggesting that food waste can be repurposed into high-value agricultural inputs rather than ending up in landfills. With the Middle East and North Africa importing more food than they produce, the approach offers a sustainable way to recycle organic residues into resources for local farming.
By linking fiber structure to soil mechanics, water dynamics, and plant-microbe interactions, the research provides a roadmap for restoring desert soils and improving food security in arid climates. As the authors note, future work should refine soil-water retention models and explore scaling the process to integrate other agricultural by-products, paving the way for broader adoption in sustainable land management.
I received this request back in March 2026; thankfully, there’s still enough time for folks to participate in Nicolas Mouquet’s (professor at the University of Montpellier; Université de Montpellier, France) latest aesthetic citizen science project,
Dear friends and colleagues,
You are receiving this email because you have previously completed a Biodiful survey or are a collaborator of Nicolas Mouquet.
As part of a scientific study on the visual perception of forests, we would greatly appreciate your help. This work is being carried out by Lùla Marcet within the CNRS [Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique] laboratories CEFE [Centre d’Écologie Fonctionelle et Evolutive] (Montpellier) and SETE [Station d’Écologie Théorique et Expérimetale] (Moulis), under the supervision of Xavier Morin, Nicolas Mouquet, Gladys Barragan-Jason, and Maxime Chauchoix.
The aim of this study is to better understand how forests are perceived by as broad an audience as possible. As part of the BIODIFUL project, we are launching an online campaign.
We invite you to complete a short online questionnaire (about 10 minutes):
It would also be wonderful if you could forward this message to your colleagues, friends, and family, as we are trying to reach the widest audience possible. …
Hello and thank you for taking part in this questionnaire! This survey aims to better understand how people perceive forest landscapes. To do so, you will be presented to photographs. For each pair, simply click on the photo that best matches the given instruction. The questionnaire is and will take about 10 minutes to complete. At the end, you will then be asked to answer a few additional questions. – If you are using a mobile phone, please switch to landscape mode for optimal viewing of the photographs.- The quality of the photos may vary, please try not to take this into account when answering. – The survey is open from February 25 to June 30, 2026 …
By clicking “Answer the survey,” you consent to the use of the collected data for the purposes of our scientific project; this survey is anonymous, and you may withdraw at any time.
Bonjour et merci de participer à ce questionnaire !
Cette enquête anonyme a pour but de mieuxcomprendre comment nous percevons les paysages forestiers. Pour cela, des paires de photos de forêts vont vous être présentées. Pour chaque paire, il vous suffit de cliquer sur la photo selon la consigne annoncée. Vous devrez ensuite répondre à quelques questions complémentaires. Cette enquête ne vous prendra qu’une dizaine de minutes. – Si vous utilisez votre téléphone portable, veuillez le mettre en mode paysage pour une meilleure visualisation des photos – La qualité des photos peut varier, essayer de ne pas en tenir compte dans vos réponses. – Cette enquête est ouverte du 25 février au 30 juin 2026 …
En cliquant sur « Répondre à la campagne », vous consentez à ce que les données collectées soient utilisées dans le cadre de notre projet scientifique; cette enquête est anonyme, et vous avez le droit de vous retirer à tout moment.
¡Hola y gracias por participar en este cuestionario!Esta encuestatiene como objetivo comprender mejor cómo percibimos los paisajes forestales. Para ello, se le presentarán varios pares de fotografías de bosques. Por cada par, solo tiene que hacer clic en la foto según las instrucciones indicadas. La encuesta le tomará aproximadamente diez minutos. A continuación, deberá responder a algunas preguntas adicionales. – Si utiliza su teléfono móvil, por favor póngalo en modo horizontal para una mejor visualización de las fotos. – La calidad de las fotos puede variar, trate deno tenerlo en cuenta al responder.- Esta encuesta está abierta del 25 de febrero al 30 de junio de 2026 …
Al hacer clic en «Responde la encuesta», usted consiente que los datos recopilados se utilicen en el marco de nuestro proyecto científico; esta encuesta es anónima y puede retirarse en cualquier momento.
I have participated in a few of Nicolas Mouquet’s previous aesthetic ecology projects and he seems to be very careful with any personal data you share. I get the occasional email informing me of a new project or notice that he’s published a paper based on my (and thousands of others’) aesthetic observations.
A May 2026 notice from Ingenium, Canada’s museums of science and innovation (comprising the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum, the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, and the Canada Science and Technology Museum) arrived via email on April 30, 2026 (available for a limited time here). Two items are being highlighted here. First,
From apples to insects: The artists who brought science to life
Art and science have always shared a common thread: the power of observation. For centuries, scientists, especially those studying plants and insects, have used art to record and share their discoveries. Since 1913, the Central Experimental Farm has been a hub for this intersection of creativity and inquiry.
Opening May 1 [2026] at the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum, the exhibition, The Art of Science: A century of illustrating agriculture at the Central Experimental Farm , celebrates four artists who have shaped the farm’s legacy. They include Arthur Kellett, Faith Fyles [emphasis mine], and Frank Hennessey, who worked there from 1913 to 1948, and Jessica Hsiung, the current scientific illustrator at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Together, they’ve captured everything from new apple varieties to Canada’s diverse native insects, leaving a lasting mark on both science and art.
Concurrently, “the Ottawa Art Gallery/Galerie d’art d’Ottawa (AGO/GAO) has an exhibition dedicated to one of the artists featured at the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum exhibition, “Faith Fyles: In Full Bloom,” which runs until September 27, 2026. (You can find more about it here in my March 27, 2026 posting.
Double the discount for CAA [Canadian Automobile Association] members!
CAA Members: join us for a day of fun and discovery with Ingenium! On May 23 [2026], CAA members will enjoy 50% off admission to all three Ingenium museums. That’s double the usual discount! Present a valid CAA card to receive discounted admission for up to four people.
Can’t visit on May 23 [2026]? No problem! Thanks to CAA’s partnership with Ingenium, CAA Members always save 25% on individual museum tickets and 10% on Ingenium memberships.
It’s always good to learn more about South Korea’s science policy. On that note, Jin-ho Lee’s April 27, 2026 article for Digital Today outlines South Korea’s plans for its science and technology efforts, with particular emphasis on nanotechnolgy,
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The National Science and Technology Advisory Council held its sixth deliberation meeting on April 27 [2026] in the council’s main conference room, chaired by Vice Chair Lee Kyung-soo (이경수). It was the first deliberation meeting held since the launch of President Lee Jae-myung’s first-term administration on Feb. 26 [2026].
The meeting reviewed and approved 2 agenda items, including the sixth nanotechnology master development plan for 2026 to 2035 and the direction for upgrading the national strategic technology framework.
The sixth nanotechnology master development plan is a comprehensive plan set up every 5 years to build a foundation for nanotechnology research and foster it systematically. …
Through the plan, the government presented strategies and 13 priority tasks to help South Korea become one of the world’s top 3 nanotechnology powers. It will pursue innovation in the nanotechnology industry through measures including global technology leadership through nano convergence, fostering the nano convergence industry, expanding nano convergence in the AI and quantum transformation, and creating a sustainable nanotechnology innovation ecosystem.
In particular, the government will support first-of-its-kind research in 5 major areas of nanoscience: sub-nano control, artificial nanomaterials, nano intelligence, nano transformation and nano-bio hybrids. This year it plans to select and support pilot projects within the nanomaterials technology development programme.
The government will also upgrade the national strategic technology framework. It strengthened links and convergence among technologies under 3 missions: leading the AI transition, taking initiative in trade and security, and building the foundation for future innovation. Based on this, it derived “NEXT national strategic technologies” spanning a total of 55 technologies.
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It newly included key defence and security technologies such as defence semiconductors, bio artificial organs and blood, brain-computer interfaces, reusable launch vehicles, drones, and eco-friendly autonomous ships. The government plans to invest 60 trillion won in national strategic technologies over the next 5 years and foster the full cycle, including securing foundational technologies, commercialisation, building industrial ecosystems and preventing technology leaks.
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Lee Kyung-soo, vice chair of the National Science and Technology Advisory Council, said, “We will ensure that the deliberation meeting does not remain a formal procedure but functions as a venue for substantive policy discussions.”
MSIT Unveils First Master Plan for Developing Critical and Emerging Technologies (2024-2028): A Blueprint for National S&T Sovereignty
– Aiming for national S&T sovereignty and global leadership in 12 Critical and Emerging Technologies (CETs), with plans to expand current leading positions from 3 areas to 6 – Investing over KRW 30 trillion over the next five years in 12 CETs ― such as AI, semiconductors, advanced biotechnology, and quantum technologies ― with flagship projects to support rapid commercialization – Significantly enhancing technological security capabilities through robust strategic technology partnerships with like-minded countries and capturing the golden time for emerging technologies
The Ministry of Science and ICT (“MSIT”; Minister Yoo Sang-Im) announced the First Master Plan for Developing Critical and Emerging Technologies (2024-2028): A Blueprint for National S&T Sovereignty on August 26 (Monday) at the Deliberative Council Meeting of the Presidential Advisory Council on Science and Technology (PACST).
In 2022, during the Plenary Council of PACST chaired by President Yoon Suk Yeol, the Korean government identified 12 CETs* and 50 key technologies crucial for securing supply chains, emerging industries, foreign affairs, and national security. The government has since concentrated its R&D investments and policy support on these technologies.
* The 12 CETs are ① Semiconductor and display, ② secondary cell, ③ advanced mobility, ④ next-gen nuclear power, ⑤ advanced biotechnology, ⑥ aerospace and marine technology, ⑦ hydrogen, ⑧ cyber security, ⑨ AI, ⑩ next-gen communications, ⑪ advanced robotics and manufacturing, ⑫ quantum technology.
The First Master Plan ― a five-year strategy outlining the mid- to long-term outlook and policy direction for the development of 12 CETs ― is the culmination of comprehensive efforts across the government. Developed collaboratively by 22 government ministries, offices, and agencies in accordance with Article 5 of the Special Act on the Fostering of Critical and Emerging Technologies, this plan represents a unified approach to advancing national technological capabilities.
Named the Blueprint for National S&T Sovereignty, the plan focuses on three major policy tasks designed to propel and leapfrog the country beyond mere national survival. It also details key policy directions for each of the 12 CETs, aiming to position Korea at the forefront of global technological competition and enhance national capabilities.
The main components of the First Master Plan are as follows:
Background and Outlook
As the OECD [Organization for Cooperation and Economic Development] pointed out that there is a growing “securitization of STI policy,” the competition for technological dominance has become a new normal in the global arena of science and technology. In particular, the formation of technology blocs is growing and strengthening among like-minded countries focusing on critical and emerging technologies such as semiconductors, AI, and advanced biotechnology. Concurrently, the quest for science and technology sovereignty, grounded in world-leading technological capabilities, is increasingly viewed as essential for driving national growth.
With the enactment of the Special Act on the Fostering of Critical and Emerging Technologies and the establishment of the First Master Plan, the government has laid out a national innovation strategy centered around CETs. This is expected to contribute to Korea securing next-generation technologies and enable the country to advance through private sector-led technological innovation. The focus is on incorporating a wide range of poilcy mix, including not only government research and development but also the promotion of technology commercialization, strengthening international cooperation, strategic investment in mission-oriented projects, performance management, and public-private collaboration.
The masterplan sets forth three main objectives under the vision of “A Nation of Science and Technology Sovereignty, Armed with Unrivaled ‘Super-Gap’ Technology”: i) comprehensive support for the swift commercialization of the CETs, ii) significant enhancement of proactive measures for technology security, and iii) innovation in mission-oriented research and development.
[Task 1 – Future growth engines] Concentrated support for swift commercialization of the CETs
➊ (Expanding R&D linked to commercialization) R&D in the 12 CETs will receive more than KRW 30 trillion in support over the next five years, centered primarily on private demand. Investment in the three ‘game-changer’ fields will be significantly increased. To achieve tangible results, 10 CET projects with a cumulative value of KRW 3 trillion (based on preliminary feasibility studies) will be actively pursued. Additionally, the Ministry will identify new Flagship 2.0 projects in key R&D areas that lack sufficient research, such as advanced robotics, manufacturing and hydrogen.
* For the three key game-changer fields, support will be increased to KRW 3.4 trillion in 2025 from KRW 2.8 trillion in 2024 (24% y-o-y growth, data from the PACST draft plan)
As for R&D support for small and medium-sized enterprises, over 50% of new project funding will be allocated to key areas within the 12 CETs. There will also be a focus on strengthening public-private partnerships to foster the growth of highly advanced, strategic technology-based startups, along with providing funding support through the fund of funds.
➋ (Blockbuster Innovation Groups & Support for demonstrations) In accordance with the Special Act on the CETs, the Ministry will focus on identifying and supporting the BIG 100: Blockbuster Innovation Groups. Specialized research institutes will be established to lead mission-oriented research and commercialization of CETs, along with specialized training institutions to nurture innovative talent. Additionally, regional technology innovation centers will be developed in connection with balanced regional development efforts. To quickly transfer research outcomes in the CET areas, support will also be provided for the advancement of leading universities and corporate research institutes.
➌ (Improving Business-Friendly Policies for the CETs) Following this year’s introduction of the “super-gap special listing procedure” for qualified companies officially recognized for possessing specific CET-related technologies, the government will expand growth support measures. This includes enhanced policy financing from relevant ministries and increased public procurement of innovative products. Multiple ministries will collaborate to enhance policies that are tangible and beneficial for businesses. This includes providing tax benefits and patent acquisition support for CET-related companies, as well as implementing proactive regulatory innovations for promising strategic technologies in a phased manner.
➍ (Customized Talent Development) Recognizing that talent is a valuable asset for industries, Korea will strengthen talent development programs, including specialized graduate schools in the CET fields and initiatives to enhance the skills of current employees. Data-driven talent policies will be implemented, utilizing workforce maps and job posting data to analyze job positions, as well as integrating researcher information with employment databases. Efforts will be intensified to make Korea a “melting pot” for global expertise by attracting top international talent and implementing measures to prevent the outflow of exceptional domestic talent.
➊ (Robust strategic technology cooperation with like-minded countries) Strengthen cooperation with like-minded partners such as the U.S., Japan, and the EU in all aspects of research, legislation, and security to solidify technological security. Actively respond to the formation of technology blocs through mechanisms such as the Dialogue on CETs and the AI Summit, and advance Korea-led agendas and norms in international organizations and other science and technology arenas.
In addition, based on the data analysis provided by the Global R&D Strategy Map, tailored cooperation strategies will be developed, taking into account the technological advantages of each partner country, the types of cooperation needed for key technologies, and the list of partner organizations. The Ministry will select and support international collaborative R&D projects in CETs that require significant investments.
➋ (Securing the golden opportunity for CETs) Korea will rapidly embark on an initiative to quickly identify, support, and secure strategic technologies that will be pivotal in the global tech race. Through inter-agency information sharing and AI modeling, an early analysis and forecasting system tailored to future technology supply chains will be established. This system will be utilized for assessing emerging technologies and predicting key countries’ policies. To support rapid research and development, the Ministry will abolish the preliminary feasibility study system for R&D budgets, reduce the time required for deploying research equipment, and introduce greater flexibility for international R&D. At the same time, the Ministry will focus on securing cutting-edge future materials that support the CET initiatives.
The CET support mechanism will be periodically updated in response to changes in the global race for technological dominance. Similar to the U.S. White House’s CET system*, Korea’s CETs will be updated every two years based on data and public-private demand, following deliberations from the Presidential Advisory Council on Science and Technology (PACST).
* (Example: U.S.’ Critical and emerging technologies) Since the announcement of the National Strategy for Critical and Emerging Technologies in October 2020, the U.S. has updated the CET list twice. As of February 2024, the list now includes 122 technologies across 18 areas, from 103 technologies in 19 areas.
➌ (Strengthening technology protection and research security) In preparation for intensifying global competition for technological dominance, support for security management in research environments will be enhanced. Guidelines for strategic technology protection will be established for researchers, and research security systems will be strengthened to address data requests from foreign institutions and overseas research funding.
➍ (Investment and cooperation in dual-use technologies) Research and development for the selected 10 strategic defense technologies, structured around the 12 CETs, will receive concentrated support. In particular, cooperation between military and civilian research (spin-on/off) will be continuously strengthened to facilitate the rapid integration of strategic civilian technologies into defense systems and to leverage the outcomes of defense R&D.
[Task 3 – Mission-oriented innovation] Establish a mission-centric R&D system to produce visible outcomes
➊ (Concentrated support for mission-oriented R&D) Projects directly linked to securing leading-edge technologies and maintaining competitiveness will be designated as Mission-Oriented Visionary Projects (MVPs) under the Special Act and will receive intensified support. These designated projects will benefit from broad support measures based on the Special Act on the CETs, including budget utilization, project agency designation, and alleviating corporate burdens. The Ministry plans to introduce the National Science & Technology Lab (NSTL), an open collaboration system designed to break down barriers between different research institutions. This initiative will be implemented starting this year, alongside the expansion of the designated Global Top Strategic Research Groups.
* Mission-Oriented Visionary Projects (MVPs): Projects that are directly related to fostering CETs, which will receive mission-centric support and management.
➋ (Integrated performance management) A performance management system will be established to outline the key missions and timelines for achieving goals, based on the implementation plans developed by the relevant ministries* for each CET sector after delieration by the PACST. This system will conduct a comprehensive review that encompasses not only technology development and key project performance, but also talent development, international collaboration, and the need for institutional improvements to foster a thriving ecosystem. The results of this review will be linked to investments and evaluations. Additionally, the national R&D analysis and future projection systems will be integrated with the 12 CET sectors to improve the status, outcomes, and evidence-based policy development.
* Mission-oriented, Strategic Roadmap for the Critical and Emerging Technologies (2023.8-2024.2, Special Committee on the CETs under the PACST)
➌ (Online platform for joint innovation through industry-academia-research institutes-government collaboration) Establish a coordination and collaboration system between high-level policy bodies (for the three game changer areas, space, etc.) such as the National Artificial Intelligence Committee and the Quantum Strategy Committee, and the Presidential Advisory Council on Science and Technology. This includes operating a policy collaboration system between industry, academia, and research institutes, including launching a CETs Innovation Forum to gather public views on advancing the technologies. In addition, efforts will be made to establish a K-Technology security think tank to lead discussions on issues related to the 12 CETs on the global stage.
12 CETs: Key Support Strategies by field
The MSIT will provide tailored support for the 12 CETs-based on domestic technology advancement levels, categorizing them into leading fields, follow-up and competitive fields, and pioneering future fields.
▲ (Leading fields) In leading fields directly related to Korea’s flagship industries, such as semiconductors and secondary cell, the focus will be on achieving top global technological leadership and maintaining a strong position in the international supply chain. To enhance technological superiority over competitor countries, the Ministry will support large-scale R&D initiatives conducted jointly by the public and private sectors. In response to increasing global regionalization, a proactive response system will be established that integrates diplomacy and security. Additionally, recognizing the importance of supply chain stabilization, the Ministry will provide strategic support for the domestic development of critical and emerging materials.
▲ (Catch-up & competitive fields) Korea is striving for global leadership in this category of fields such as AI, advanced biotechnology, and next-generation nuclear power. Efforts will will focus on accelerating the early commercialization of CETs supported by a robust research ecosystem. Given the close connection of these areas to digital and AI transformation, support will be provided to expand research infrastructure, including AI computing resources. Additionally, we will strengthen industrial linkage projects that act as a catalyst for the commercialization of foundational deep-tech technologies based on CETs.
▲ (Pioneering future fields) Korea aim for a “technology leap-frogging” in fields such as quantum technology, aerospace, marine, and hydrogen. The focus is on the public-sector-led innovative and frontier research projects and the formation of a “Blockbuster Innovation Group” which are expected to help quickly bridge the technology gap with leading countries. Given the high significance of these fields in international STI policies ― particularly in terms of diplomacy, security, and carbon neutrality ― the goal is to strengthen cooperation with like-minded countries and active engagement in multilateral cooperation mechanisms to secure technological sovereignty.
Goals and Objectives
Through these efforts, Korea aims to expand its world-leading technological capacities in the 12 CETs, from the current 3 leading areas to 6, and produce 15 new unicorn companies based on the CETs to drive the country’s future growth.
In particular, the government has set a goal to maintain Korea’s top position in technology competitiveness within its flagship industries―memory chips, secondary cell, and next-generation displays. Additionally, Korea is striving to propel itself into the top three global leaders (G3) in three transformative technological fields: AI chips, advanced biotechnology, and quantum technologies.
Minister Yoo Sang-Im said, “To gain a significant lead in the global market, it is essential for Korea to secure its scientific and technological sovereignty through the advancement of the 12 CETs.” He added, “In line with the name ‘A Blueprint for National S&T Sovereignty,’ my Ministry will collaborate with other government ministries, academia, industry, and research institutes to diligently implement the policy tasks outlined in the First Master Plan for Developing Critical and Emerging Technologies. This initiative will not only enable Korea to stay relevant in the global tech race but also allow a pivotal step forward in securing future growth engines and technological security capabilities.”
For further information, please contact the Public Relations Division (Phone: +82-44-202-4034, E-mail: msitmedia@korea.kr) of the Ministry of Science and ICT.
Canada’s Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics (PI) in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada sent an April 27, 2026 (received via email) notice with an invitation for an in person, live taping of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s (CBC) Ideas radio programme,
CBC IDEAS at Perimeter
The Numbers That Shape Our Universe
Wednesday, May 6, [2026[ at 7:00 pm ET
From π to the speed of light, from Planck’s constant to a physicist’s personal “favourite number”, some numbers do far more than describe the universe – they help define it. But what do these numbers actually mean? Why do they matter? And what would the universe look like if they were even slightly different?
Join us for a special episode recording of CBC IDEAS, featuring three Perimeter Institute researchers exploring the fundamental numbers behind reality. Through a mix of fast-paced lightning rounds and deeper reflections, the conversation will bring together vivid explanations, surprising stories, humour, and those unforgettable moments of awe that reveal just how strange – and beautiful – our universe really is.
If you’re unable to attend in person, a recording will be available on our YouTube channel.
Please note that a limited number of tickets are available to the public for this special event.
Nahlah Ayed has been the host of CBC IDEAS since 2019. Since then, she has conducted dozens of interviews on-stage and off with some of Canada’s – and the world’s – most prominent thinkers.
A bestselling author and award-winning veteran of foreign reporting, Nahlah was previously based in the Middle East where she spent nearly a decade covering the region’s many conflicts. And later, while based in London, she covered some of the biggest stories of our time: the rise of authoritarianism, the return of war to Europe, and the worldwide refugee crisis.
A former parliamentary reporter for The Canadian Press, Nahlah is a graduate of Carleton University’s Master of Journalism program. She also holds a Master’s degree in interdisciplinary studies (Philosophy, English and Science) and a Bachelor of Science in genetics from the University of Manitoba.
About CBC IDEAS
IDEAS is a deep-dive into contemporary thought and intellectual history. Anchored in a powerful legacy and expansive archive spanning over five decades, its topics are boundless. The nature of consciousness. The history of toilets. The roots and rise of authoritarianism. Near death experiences. No idea is off-limits.
Each episode cracks open a concept to see how it’s played out over place and time – and uncovers why it still matters today.
Tickets
Tickets are free and must be reserved through Eventbrite, as there is no on-site box office.
TICKETS ARE VALID UNTIL 6:45 PM THE DAY OF THE EVENT.
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I just checked (Tuesday, April 28, 2026 at 9:08 am PT) there are a few tickets left. In-Person Tickets
Tattoo artist Daniel Riday says this ancient tattoo of big cats hunting is a ‘masterpiece.’ (Daniel Riday/Antiquity) [downloaded from https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/ice-mummy-tattooos-1.7601132]
Stunning, eh? Margherita Bassi’s August 4, 2025 article for the Smithsonian Magazine provides more detail about the tattoos and the woman who wore them, Note Links have been removed,
Tigers, stags and a leopard twist around each other, the animals’ stylized and intricate details spread in ink across a woman’s forearm. On her hand is the delicate outline of a bird with a fluffy tail. It sounds like something you might see from a tattoo artist today, but these designs appear to be preserved on a more than 2,000-year-old “ice mummy” from Siberia’s Pazyryk culture.
The Pazyryk culture existed in the Altai Mountains—which extend through parts of Russia, China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan today—from the 6th to 2nd centuries B.C.E. Pazyryk people were horse riders associated with the nomadic Scythian culture, and they’re now known for carving petroglyphs and building frozen burial mounds called kurgans.
In a study published last week in the journal Antiquity, archaeologists used high-resolution digital imaging techniques to analyze the tattoos of a mummified Pazyryk woman like never before, shedding light on the craftsmanship and tools that such an artistic endeavor would have required.
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Sheena Goodyear’s August 4, 2025 article for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s (CBC) As It Happens radio programme takes a deep dive into the tattooing aspects of the story, Note: Links have been removed,
More than two millennia ago, a woman sat for hours on end in the ancient grasslands of a Siberian mountain range to have her body adorned with elaborate tattoos of creatures both real and mythical.
When she died, her body was preserved under the permafrost for thousands of years, but her tattoos faded and became invisible to the naked eye.
Now researchers have used high-resolution, near-infrared photography to bring those ancient tattoos back to life and worked with modern tattoo artists to shed light on the tools and techniques that made them possible to begin with.
“These tattoos are incredibly impressive,” Daniel Riday, a traditional tattoo artist from Les Eyzies, France, who worked on the research, told As It Happens guest host Rebecca Zandbergen. “This kind of research is almost a direct window into the past … and it’s very humbling to really be so close to the roots of this practice.”
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‘A very technical skill’
Tattooing is a long-standing practice in many cultures around the world, with the oldest known tattoos dating back 5,300 years to Ötzi the Iceman, a prehistoric hunter whose tattoo-clad remains were found preserved in glaciers in the Italian Alps in 1991.
But it’s a difficult field to study because preserved tattoos on human flesh, like Ötzi’s, are exceedingly rare.
For this study, researchers looked at the remains of a 50-year-old woman from the Pazyryk culture, Iron Age pastoral people who lived in the Altai Mountains of Central and East Asia. She’s one of several Pazyryk ice mummies whose remains were found preserved inside the mountain’s ice tombs in the 19th century.
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Scientists have long known that the Pazyryk mummies were tattooed, but it was impossible to study the faded images in real detail.
“Prior scholarship focused primarily on the stylistic and symbolic dimensions of these tattoos, with data derived largely from hand-drawn reconstructions,” Gino Caspari, an archaeologist at the University of Bern in Switzerland and the study’s senior author, said in a press release.
But three-dimensional scans of the Pazyryk woman’s tattoos have revealed them in stunning detail.
On her thumb sits a rooster with swirling tail-feathers. Her left arm bears a mythical griffon attacking a large stag, while an elaborate scene of leopards and tigers hunting two deer with intricate antlers is on her right forearm.
The latter, Riday said, is particularly impressive and likely would have taken two sessions of four or five hours each to complete.
“It’s graphic, it’s well placed, it’s imaginative. It’s really a masterpiece,” he said. “We think that the left arm was done by an artist of less skill, or maybe the same artist earlier in their career.”
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The tattoos appear to have been done using a stick-and-poke technique, Riday said, which means someone used ink-dipped needles to create the images one single dot at a time.
The researchers suspect that small clusters of either thorns, or iron or bronze needles, dipped in a pigment of soot and animal fat were used.
It suggests, he said, the work of a true professional.
“It’s a very technical skill to create these kinds of tattoos, especially so long ago,” Riday said. “The person doing the tattoos would need to know what they’re doing and how to do it safely, and be able to create this sensational imagery that we’re seeing. It takes time and skill.”
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Riday, a stick-and-poke artist, himself, said he’s currently working to recreate a tattoo needle in the style of the Pazyryk so he can tattoo one of the woman’s pieces onto his own body and learn more about the ancient technique.
He said it’s been amazing to connect with the deep history of his chosen profession.
An international team of archaeologists has used high-resolution digital imaging techniques to examine tattoos on an over 2000-year-old ice mummy from the Pazyryk culture of Siberia, shedding light on individual craftsmanship in prehistoric Siberian tattooing for the first time.
Tattooing was likely widespread during prehistory, but the lack of surviving tattoos means it is difficult to investigate. The so-called ‘ice mummies’ of the Altai mountains are an exception, since their deep burial chambers encased in permafrost sometimes preserve the skin (and therefore tattoos) of those buried within.
“The tattoos of the Pazyryk culture- Iron Age pastoralists of the Altai Mountains -have long intrigued archaeologists due to their elaborate figural designs”, states senior author of the research, Dr Gino Caspari from the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology and the University of Bern.
Despite this, detailed studies of the tattoos are rare, as high-resolution images were not previously available. Therefore, most studies have been based on early schematic drawings of the tattoos.
“Prior scholarship focused primarily on the stylistic and symbolic dimensions of these tattoos, with data derived largely from hand-drawn reconstructions”, explains Dr Caspari. “These interpretations lacked clarity regarding the techniques and tools used and did not focus much on the individuals but rather the overarching social context.”
To provide a more accurate means to explore ancient tattooing, archaeologists produced a 3-dimensional scan of one tattooed Pazyryk mummy using newly available sub-millimetre resolution, digital near-infrared photography.
By working with modern tattooers, they examined the tattoos in greater detail than ever before, identifying the individual tools and techniques used to make them.
The researchers found that the tattoos on the right forearm were more detailed and technical than those on the left. This suggests that different tattooers, or the same tattooer during different stages of their development, contributed to the art.
Importantly, this indicates tattooing was not simply a form of decoration to the Pazyryk culture, but rather a skilled craft that required formal training and technical ability.
“The study offers a new way to recognize personal agency in prehistoric body modification practices”, says Dr Caspari. “Tattooing emerges not merely as symbolic decoration but as a specialized craft – one that demanded technical skill, aesthetic sensitivity, and formal training or apprenticeship.”
By identifying the individual hands behind ancient tattoos for the first time, the researchers show that prehistoric tattooers in Siberia were not unlike modern professionals today.
“This made me feel like we were much closer to seeing the people behind the art, how they worked and learned and made mistakes”, Dr Caspari concludes. “The images came alive.”
I am particularly interested in the imaging technique that made visualizing these tattoos possible, I have an excerpt from the paper following the link and citation offered here,
Since floodlights with a wavelength of 850 nm were used, I have an excuse for including this research here. From the paper, Note: Links have been removed,
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Methods
A three-dimensional digitisation of the female mummy from Pazyryk tomb 5 was carried out at the State Hermitage Museum using digital photogrammetry, including data in both the visible and near-infrared range. A modified Nikon D3100 camera with a dismantled hot mirror was used for near-infrared photography. Floodlights with a wavelength of 850nm were installed around the mummy during the shoot. The Agisoft Metashape software was used for photogrammetric processing, resulting in a 3D polygonal model of the mummy with two textures (Figure 1). The model is publicly accessible on Sketchfab, courtesy of the Laboratory for Interdisciplinary Research in Archaeology (‘Artefact’) of the National Research Tomsk State University (https://skfb.ly/oVoEt).
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The new digital imagery was compared with data from a recent experimental study examining the physical characteristics of tattoos created using different pre-electric techniques and tools (Deter-Wolf et al. Reference Deter-Wolf, Riday and Sialuk Jacobsen2022). In that investigation, a series of tattooing tools were created based on archaeological, historical and ethnohistorical data and used by one researcher (D. Riday) to tattoo their own leg with eight identical patterns. Each tattoo was created using a separate tool and/or technique and included both lines and filled areas. By monitoring and documenting these tattoos as they healed, investigators were able to distinguish specific physical differences between the marks, correlating to tool type and/or technique. The results of this experiment have subsequently been applied to the evaluation of tattooing techniques used on the Chalcolithic Iceman from the Tyrolean Alps, and on mummified bodies from the Andes in South America (Deter-Wolf et al. Reference Deter-Wolf, Robitaille, Riday, Burlot and Sialuk Jacobsen 2023 a, Reference Deter-Wolf, Robitaille, Fromme, Gerst and Riday 2024a & Reference Deter-Wolf, Auten, Robitaille, Riday, Manni and d’Errico b).
In a recent survey of global patterns of pre-electric tattooing technologies, Robitaille and colleagues (Reference Robitaille, Deter-Wolf, Sialuk Jacobsen, Manni and d’Errico 2024) describe a diversity of techniques used to insert pigments beneath human skin. Those are classified within two principal categories: puncture tattooing and tattooing by incision. Puncture tattooing takes place when the skin is pierced with a pointed implement that conveys pigment into the epidermis. Specific technologies within this category include both hafted and unhafted implements featuring one or more points. When applied directly to the skin by hand, these tools fall into the subcategory of ‘hand poking’. This technique is the most prevalent pre-electric tattooing method and appears historically on all continents except Australia and Antarctica (Robitaille et al. Reference Robitaille, Deter-Wolf, Sialuk Jacobsen, Manni and d’Errico 2024). A separate subcategory of puncture tattooing involves tools with one or more points that are hafted at an angle to the handle, which are struck into the skin with a secondary implement. This technique, today known as ‘hand tapping’, appears historically limited to Oceania, and portions of insular Southeast Asia, mainland Southeast Asia and the Himalayan slope (Robitaille Reference Robitaille, Gates St-Pierre and Walker 2007; Robitaille et al. Reference Robitaille, Deter-Wolf, Sialuk Jacobsen, Manni and d’Errico 2024). The final subcategory of puncture tattooing is subdermal tattooing, in which an eyed needle or awl is pushed horizontally through pinched skin to create adjacent wounds. Pigment is introduced into the opened channel on pulled thread or sinew, or on the tip of a second implement (Deter-Wolf et al. Reference Deter-Wolf, Riday and Sialuk Jacobsen 2022). Subdermal tattooing appears primarily among circumpolar cultures, as well as along North America’s Northwest coast, in Brazil and southern South America (Robitaille et al. Reference Robitaille, Deter-Wolf, Sialuk Jacobsen, Manni and d’Errico 2024). Tattooing by incision involves slicing the skin with a sharp implement such as a metal blade or lithic tool. Pigment is then introduced to the wound by rubbing in from the surface. Incision tattooing is historically documented on all continents except Antarctica and Australia, but as a global practice is much rarer than puncture tattooing (Robitaille et al. Reference Robitaille, Deter-Wolf, Sialuk Jacobsen, Manni and d’Errico 2024).
The image above highlights a May 2, 2026 Citizen Science Birding Panel in Vancouver. An April 19, 2026 Stanley Park Ecology Society’s (SPES) notice (received via email) reveals more,
We’re reaching out with a special invitation to join us on May 2 [2026] for an engaging evening of conversation and connection.
Your Observation Matters: Citizen Science in Birding is a panel discussion that explores how everyday bird sightings (yes, even yours) can contribute to real scientific research and conservation efforts. Whether you’re an experienced birder or just starting to notice the birds around you, this event will offer insight into how small observations can make a big impact.
The evening will also include a reception with light refreshments, a live audience Q&A, and guided bird walks, so you can connect, learn, and experience birding in action.
Your Observation Matters: Citizen Science in Birding Panel
May marks the middle of spring avian migration for Vancouver. During this incredible time, millions of birds follow the pacific flyway from as far south as Argentina to their spring…
Problems using the ticket form below? You can also get tickets here.
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SPES uses the Zeffy platform to process payments, so your entire purchase goes to us. If you’d like to help Zeffy keep running its services, you can choose to tip them. If you don’t want to, choose “Other” in the drop-down menu and then enter $0.
May marks the middle of spring avian migration for Vancouver. During this incredible time, millions of birds follow the pacific flyway from as far south as Argentina to their spring breeding grounds as far north as Alaska. Every year in May, World Migratory Bird Day, and the Greater Vancouver Bird Celebration promote birding and bird conservation opportunities. The 2026 World Migratory Bird Day conservation theme is: Every Bird Counts, Your Observations Matter, highlighting the importance of Citizen Science in contributing to bird conservation efforts.
Your Observation Matters! Join Stanley Park Ecology for a hybrid remote/in-person panel discussion on citizen science in birding, featuring local scientists and community leaders. Hear how your iNaturalist and eBird observations are used to help birds in BC and around the world.
What is citizen science? How can it be used to help birds in Greater Vancouver? How can I get involved? Hear from leaders in birding with backgrounds spanning from academic research to Indigenous law. The panelists will explore the opportunities and impacts of citizen science, followed by an audience Q/A section, and reception with refreshments.
Your ticket includes: admission to the panel discussion, refreshments during the reception, and discounts for additional bird walks. A limited number of tickets will be available with front of house seats, and complimentary parking for the day in Stanley Park.
Special thank you to our neighbors at Stanley Park Pavillion for hosting us in the Lord Stanley Ballroom.
Accompanying Bird Walks:
Interested in spending more time with the birds? In addition to the hybrid remote/in-person panel discussion, we will be hosting bird walks in Stanley Park with members of the panel. A discount code to these bird walks will be included with your registration to this event. Stay tuned for more information.
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Bird Walk with Dr Bird: Date TBC [Note: I had to include a bird walk with Dr. Bird]
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Speaker Bios:
Scott Loarie Dr. Scott Loarie is the Executive Director at iNaturalist, and holds degrees in Biology and Environmental Science. At iNaturalist, Scott champions the power of Citizen Science as more than just a tool to record observations, but as a fundamental infrastructure to supercharge connection to nature, and to drive data based conservation efforts.
John Reynolds Dr. John Reynolds is a professor at Simon Fraser University, where he holds the Tom Buell Chair in Aquatic Conservation. He has won several international awards for his scientific research, is the past Chair of COSEWIC (Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada), and has been inducted as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. His research has always been driven by his obsession with natural history. His addiction to citizen science initiatives, including iNaturalist and eBird, led to his co-founding of the BC Biodiversity Program, which has amassed over 1.4 million mapped records of plants, animals, and fungi across the province.
David Bird As an Emeritus Professor of Wildlife Biology at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec and now living on Vancouver Island, David has co-authored over 200 peer-reviewed papers, supervised 50 graduate students, mostly on birds of prey and human-wildlife conflicts, and has written and/or edited more than a dozen nature books, including Birds of Canada and Pocket Birds of Canada. David has earned several awards for his research and education efforts and is heading a team to make the Canada Jay Canada’s National Bird. Besides his innumerable public lectures and radio and television appearances, he contributes regularly on bird watching to BWD and Canadian Wildlife magazines.
Jeffrey Nicholls Jeff is a member of the Ganhada – ‘Raven Clan’ of the Tsimshian Nation, president of RAVEN Trust, and Lawyer for Ratcliff LLP. RAVEN works to support Indigenous Nations upholding their rights in court through fundraising and public education campaigns. His work in birding connects the importance of birds, habitat, and Indigenous law. He has spoken at the 2025 Frontiers in Ornithology Student Symposium, and was featured in the Summer 2021 edition of Wingspan Magazine.
Trenton Schulz-Franco Trentön is an advocate for Indigenous-led stewardship, an artist with a background in law, ecology, and geo-political commentary, as well as being passionate about photography, canoe guiding, and cricket. Originally from the traditional and ancestral lands of the W̱SÁNEĆ communities and the lək̓ʷəŋən-speaking peoples on Vancouver Island, Trenton is the founder of the Special Bird Service Society (SBS), International Swift Stewardship Society (ISS) & the Nest Network. SBS is a community-focused organization dedicated to making nature more accessible for our Global Majority and 2SLGBTQ+ communities across the Salish Coast. Through birding-centered education, recreation, and habitat restoration initiatives, SBS fosters connection, inclusivity, and environmental stewardship.
Event Schedule:
9:30 AM – Doors Open
Join us in the Lord Stanley Ballroom. Pick up some coffee and tea at the reception area and find your seat.
Join us in congratulating a special leader in local bird conservation. The Alan Duncan Award celebrates community leaders in the interdisciplinary arts and sciences. The 2026 winner will be announced on May 1st!
11:00 AM –Moderated Panel Discussion
Hear about our panelists work, relationships to citizen science, and more.
12:30 pm – Audience Q&A [question and answer]
Join in the discussion! We will have an opportunity for audience members to ask questions of the panelists.
1:00 PM – Reception
Your ticket includes refreshments following the panel discussion. Connect with other birders and enjoy.
1:30 pm – Event Ends
We recommend enjoying lunch at Stanley’s Bar and Grill.
2:00 PM – Optional Post Panel Bird Walk
Join us for more informal discussion as we look for birds in Stanley Park.
Thank you for supporting Stanley Park Ecology.
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They are keeping tickets affordable with prices ranging from $10 – $30.
Addendum: art/science and the Alan Duncan Bird Conservation Award
The Greater Vancouver Bird Celebration hosts the Alan Duncan Bird Conservation Award webpage, Note: the 2026 winner will be announced on May 2, 2026 (Your Observation Matters: Citizen Science in Birding Panel) at 10:20 am,
The Stanley Park Ecology and the Vancouver Bird Advisory Committee are pleased to offer the Alan Duncan Bird Conservation Award. The award was established to help encourage local bird conservation initiatives through the arts and sciences including critical research on resident, migratory and over-wintering bird species. Presented annually, the award celebrates individuals, groups or organizations that are leading the way in bird conservation within our region.
Alan had a long career as the Vancouver Park Board’s first Environmental Planner and retired in 2020. His passion and dedication to bird conservation could be seen throughout his career. Alan was an active member of the Vancouver Bird Advisory Committee and championed a wide range of bird conservation efforts in our region including the Vancouver Bird Strategy established in 2015, World Migratory Bird Day celebrations and, since 2010, Greater Vancouver Bird Celebration to raise awareness of and appreciation for birds in the city and its environs
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About the Award
The award will celebrate the achievements of individuals, groups or organizations based on the following criteria that embody Alan’s work and values:
Contributing to Bird Conservation
Work in Habitat Protection, including:
land stewardship
invasive species removal
bird friendly gardens
Work that encourages more people to care about birds.
Work that makes birding more accessible.
Interdisciplinary in Nature
Work that mixes art and science, including:
Poetry
Sketching
Photography
Writing
Design
Bird Surveys
Community Science
Strong Community Connections
Work that brings people together across southern coastal BC.
The winner will receive a cash prize of $1500, be recognized through different media including social media and our website, and will have the opportunity to speak about their work during the Greater Vancouver Bird Celebration.
The winner will be selected by a subcommittee of the Vancouver Bird Advisory Committee.
Please note that you must be located in British Columbia to participate.
Trenton is a multimedia artist with a background in law, ecology, and geo-political commentary, as well as a passion for photography, canoe guiding, and cricket. …
Melissa has been nominated multiple times over the last few years for her dedication to inclusivity in birding as a beacon of change towards making the birding world more accessible and welcoming to all ages, genders, and races. …
Kevin is a lifelong birder with a long list of accomplishments in bird conservation within the Greater Vancouver region. As a retired nature educator and as a current board member of the Wild Bird Trust of BC. Kevin’s proudest achievement …
Adam is the creator of Find the Birds, a free, educational, mobile game about birds & conservation. It’s being played by thousands in BC, across Canada, and in 46 other countries. …
2021 – Carmen Rosen
Founding Artistic Director of Still Moon Arts Society. Carmen’s work as an artist focusses on protecting and restoring the habitat in Renfrew Ravine and Still Creek Watershed. Carmen was actively engaged with artists to put together the Birds, Birds, Birds! Project that lasted two years featuring …
Thanks to the Stanley Park Ecology Society’s (SPES) April 15, 2026 newslette for their list of upcoming May 2026 events (received via email and available here online for a limited time) including the upcoming May 2026 Greater Vancouver Bird Celebration being highlighted here,
Get ready for the Greater Vancouver Bird Celebration! May 1 – 17 [2026]
The Greater Vancouver Bird Celebration is a two-week series of exciting events from May 1-17, 2026 that invites everyone to explore the amazing world of birds.
Enjoy bird-themed walks, talks, workshops, exhibitions, and family-friendly activities hosted by passionate community groups throughout the Lower Mainland.
According to the SPES newsletter, that’s a barn swallow in the ‘celebration’ banner.. Their event schedule is here and this is a selection of the events in no particular order,
Big Sit Birding at Iona Beach Regional Park
Richmond Public Library & Birds Canada Tues, May 5 [2026] 6 PM – 8 PM Iona Beach Regional Park,Richmond
Owls in the Twilight
City of Burnaby Sat, May 2 [2026] 7:30 PM – 9 PM Burnaby Fraser Foreshore Park, Burnaby
Listening and Learning from the Land: Birds, Trees & Plant Medicines
Nature Vancouver Sun, May 10 [2026] 9 AM – 11 AM Jericho Beach, Vancouver
Forest Explorers: Feathered Frenzy
Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre Tues, May 12 [2026] 9:30 AM – 11 AM Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre, North Vancouver
Bird Survey in Everett Crowley Park
Everett Crowley Park Committee & Champlaign Heights Community Association Sat, May 16 [2026] 8:30 AM – 10 AM Everett Crowley Park, Vancouver
