A January 15, 2026 Canadian Science Policy Centre (CSPC) announcement (received via email) includes news about an science culture in Canada virtual panel,
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Upcoming Virtual Panel: Towards a (New) Science Culture Framework in Canada
A strong science culture underpins health, innovation, economic growth, and societal well-being, but what does “science culture” mean today, and how is Canada performing? Building on the Council of Canadian Academies’ 2014 report Science Culture: Where Canada Stands, this panel explores how science culture must evolve to reflect diversity, Indigenous Ways of Knowing, changing economic and geopolitical contexts, and the shifting relationship between science and society. Panellists will examine Canada’s strengths and gaps, the role of institutions and systems in supporting an inclusive and engaged science culture, and how reimagining science culture can position Canada as a global leader in science and innovation.
Click the button below for more panel information and to register!
What is the state of the relationship between science and society and how has it changed in recent years? What are the opportunities and challenges for building a stronger relationship between science and society?
How is Canada doing in terms of fostering the skills, knowledge, attitudes and behaviours that comprise a strong science culture? Where are the gaps?
To what extent do the structures, institutions and interconnecting systems that make up Canada’s science ecosystem support or hinder the emergence of a strong, informed, engaged and inclusive science culture?
How should we (re)frame and (re)imagine science culture in Canada with a view to enabling global leadership in science and innovation that contributes to societal and individual well-being?
Join us as we unpack these issues and work together to develop practical recommendations to refresh our understanding of Canada’s science culture.
Tracy Ross Vice President, Network Membership, Actua – Moderator
Tracy Ross is the Vice President, Network Membership at Actua, leading the network member services team, which provides services and support for Actua’s network members, including program leadership, partnership, training, funding, recognition, communication, and day-to-day support. She has a BSc. in Environmental Chemistry (Queen’s University) and an MA in the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology (University of Toronto) and is working towards her Canadian Association Executive designation.
Dr. Marianne Mader Executive Director, Canadian Association of Science Centres
Dr. Marianne Mader is the CEO of the Canadian Association of Science Centres, a member-based organization representing over 90 organizations that collectively engage more than 10 million citizens each year in STEM topics. This network of trusted organizations represents a critical component of Canada’s science, technology, and innovation landscape. CASC builds connections between Canada’s science ecosystem and society, provides enriching professional development opportunities for STEM educators and STEM engagement professionals, and develops and manages public national campaigns focused on STEM literacy, digital literacy, and health literacy, such as Together Against Misinformation Week, National Kids & Vaccines Day, and Science Literacy Week.
Dr. Mader is a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society College, an alumnus of the Governor General’s Canadian Leadership, a recipient of a US Antarctic Service Medal, and an awardee of a King Charles III Coronation Medal for her work in fostering science culture in Canada.
Desirée Sylvestre Director, Inclusive Design Research Centre, OCAD U (Ontario College of Art and Design University), Expert on AI misinformation in the Education sector and schools
Desirée Sylvestre is the Director of Education at Visions of Science, where she leads national and local initiatives focused on advancing STEM equity across schools, community organizations, and the broader science ecosystem. Her work centres on supporting educators, institutions, and partners to move beyond one-size-fits-all approaches to STEM learning and toward more inclusive, culturally responsive, and justice-oriented practices.
Desirée is also a PhD candidate at OISE, University of Toronto, where her research explores how Black preservice teachers think about and practice justice in their science teaching, including how relationships and systems shape their work in classrooms.
Dr. Dan Munro Director, Research and Innovation, Actua
Dr. Daniel Munro is Director of Research & Innovation at Actua, Canada’s leading youth STEM outreach organization. He is also Co-Director of Shift Insights, a research shop that examines the social, technological and economic challenges and opportunities facing Canada, and Senior Fellow in the Innovation Policy Lab at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy. He has taught political science, philosophy and innovation studies at the University of Toronto, Western University, the University of Ottawa, and Queen’s University, was co-host of the Ethics Lab radio show on NewsTalk1310, and Maclean’s Magazine’s Ethics Lab columnist. Dan’s research interests span science and innovation policy, skills and education, and applied ethics, including space ethics. He holds degrees from the University of Toronto (BA), Western University (MA) and M.I.T. (PhD).
Suzi Loney Research Director, Council of Canadian Academies [CCA]
Suzi Loney is the Research Director at the CCA. She oversees the CCA’s research practices, developing policies, processes, and staff skills to ensure research excellence across the organization. Suzi also leads and supports the development of new assessment projects, working with interested groups outside of the CCA to understand their needs and design corresponding expert engagement processes. Suzi continues to support expert panels with project management, research, and writing.
Prior to joining CCA in 2012, Suzi held several policy-related positions within the Government of Canada at the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, the Treasury Board Secretariat, and Environment Canada. Suzi has a Bachelor of Arts, Economics from McGill University and a Master of Arts, Economics from the University of Ottawa, where she focussed her studies on environmental economics. During her time at CCA, Suzi has contributed as a researcher and writer to many assessments including incentivizing antimicrobial availability, disaster resilience in a changing climate, and the state of Canada’s science culture.
OK. So, this is about science culture in Canada and (1) you’ve gathered a group of academics who are (2) either based in Ontario or have achieved their educational goals in Ontario.
I have a few questions: What about the rest of Canada? Where are the people (artists, writers, and musicians) who produce culture, including science culture? Where are the citizen scientists? Also, the moderator and a panelist (in a group of five that 40%) are all from Actua?
Interesting.
As for what is Actua, an organization based in Ottawa, Ontario? There’s this from the About Us, Out Story webpage,
Together with a national network of universities and colleges, Actua engages youth from all corners of the country in transformational STEM learning experiences that build critical employability skills and confidence.
One last comment about the panel, the moderator and two of the members are involved with children’s (Actua and OCAD) STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education as is, arguably, a fourth person who is involved with the country’s science centres which are heavily invested in outreach to children and their families.What about the rest of us?
A September 24, 2025 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) announcement (received via email and available for a limited time here), profiles their upcoming September/October 2025 events, Note: I have not included all of the images,
Register for the Orange shirt beading workshop
Register now — spots are going fast for the Canada Science and Technology Museum’s Orange shirt beading workshop on Sept. 27 [2025]! In honour of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, families can join Ojibway artist Kelly Nahwegahbow Marsolais to learn traditional beading techniques while reflecting on the meaning of the orange shirt and the legacy it represents. Recommended for ages 8 and up, workshops take place in Exploratek at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., with parents welcome to sit in and support their child.
On September 30 [2025], the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum invites everyone to a day of learning, reflection, and community in honour of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Admission is free all day, and visitors can take part in the Indigenous-led Wahkohtowin Buffalo and Moose Hide Experience to help prepare hides while learning about buffalo science and the history of Turtle Island. There are also daily demonstrations, storytime, crafts, and a film, Singing Back the Buffalo, to deepen understanding and celebrate resilience. Don’t miss “Kindness Rocks,” a reflective art activity where you can paint kind words or designs as a reminder of respect, empathy, and shared purpose.
Blast off into adventure at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum during World Space Week, October 4–13 [2025]! Families can explore what it’s like to live and work in space through hands-on activities, from building and launching your own rocket to seeing gravity in action. Get an up-close look at the Canadarm and discover the challenges of daily life aboard the International Space Station. On October 5 [2025] at 1 p.m., join three space experts for a fun and fascinating talk where you can ask all your burning questions about space and learn about the exciting new book Daydreaming in the Solar System.
Celebrate Geodiversity Day at the Canada Science and Technology Museum on October 4 [2025] and uncover the amazing world beneath your feet! Meet experts from Natural Resources Canada’s Geological Survey of Canada, explore real rock, mineral, and fossil samples, and discover how geology shapes our daily lives. Families can enjoy hands-on activities throughout the day, from creating a personalized pet rock to testing your mineral knowledge through a scavenger hunt around the galleries – you might even win a small prize!
For two days only, explore the legendary aircraft of De Havilland Canada — from the rugged Twin Otter to the versatile Dash 8 at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum. On October 8 and 9, [2025] meet pilots and specialists, dive into museum exhibits, and learn about Canada’s aerospace innovation. Plus, register for a chance to experience a once-in-a-lifetime flight aboard a Twin Otter!
Celebrate Science Literacy Week from October 6 to 12 [2025] at the Canada Science and Technology Museum! Explore hands-on activities like coding workshops with Ozobot robots, take part in a strawberry DNA extraction workshop with scientists from Ottawa Bio Sci (registration required), step inside our inflatable planetarium for a journey through the cosmos, and enjoy thrilling science shows that bring Canada’s four seasons to life. Plus, on Friday, October 10 [2025], Ingenium curators will be offering special collection tours at the Ingenium Centre. Don’t miss this chance to spark curiosity, have fun, and see science come alive!
Discover the Orgamites in The Mighty Engine exhibition
Start your engines on October 18 and 19 [2025] at the Canada Science and Technology Museum with the launch of The Mighty Engine, presented by Canadian Blood Services in partnership with Ingenium. This immersive new exhibition introduces the Orgamites — fun, educational characters representing the body’s mighty organs — and invites children ages 5–12 to explore how their bodies work through hands-on activities and car engine metaphors. Designed to spark curiosity, compassion, and family conversations about health and organ donation, The Mighty Engine is a bold new way to learn, play, and be inspired this fall.
I am most interested in Science Literacy Week, (from the About page) which is …, Note: A link has been removed,
… a bold, national communications campaign, presented by the Canadian Association of Science Centres (CASC) in partnership with educators, CASC members, libraries, government agencies and more. By coming together, our goal is to ignite curiosity, celebrate Canadian science, and deepen public engagement in STEM learning.
Through collaborative programming and support for partners from coast to coast to coast, Science Literacy Week connects people to the stories, science, and communities shaping our planet—and our future. The theme for Science Literacy Week 2025 is From Sea to Space. CASC, along with CASC members, educators and a growing ecosystem of STEM learning leaders from across Canada, will showcase the interconnectedness of life on Earth and encourage a shared vision of a sustainable, curiosity-driven future.
CASC is proud to partner with Science Pour Tous to connect, collaborate with, and convene Québec-based organizations, ensuring francophone leadership shines within this national initiative. Together, we will cultivate a vibrant network across Québec that aligns local strengths while spotlighting stories and innovators from coast to coast to coast and de la francophonie.
From Sea to Space logo art by Amy Jiao
If you scroll down the Science Literacy Week home page, you’ll find a map and list of participating Canadian science centres for the countrywide events being held October 6 – 12, 2025 which at this point are exclusively in Alberta and the eastern provinces. I hope the rest of the country gets on board soon.
Before getting to the announcements, here’s a bit about Simon Fraser University’s (SFU) Public Square, from their About page,
SFU Public Square is situated at 312 Main, a centre for social and economic innovation in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. We work across all of SFU’s campuses, supporting faculty, students, staff, alumni and diverse communities to convene accessible, innovative and inclusive programming that brings people together to find ways to meaningfully contribute to the issues that affect our lives.
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It sounds like the SFU’s Public Square is whatever the administration, the current executive director, and her/his team think it is. As it turns out they seem to have an interest in science and technology as per their September 25, 2024 newsletter (received via email), Note: A link has been removed,
Science World Spotlights: Misinformation and the Toxic Drug Crisis
November 19 | 6:00pm-9:30pm | Free | In-person | Science World
Since B.C. declared a public health emergency on the toxic drug crisis in 2016, the province continues to experience the highest number of overdose deaths among Canadian jurisdictions. Exasperating this crisis is rampant misinformation, as it perpetuates stigma, hinders access to resources, and undermines efforts for intervention.
We’ve teamed up with Science World Spotlights for a thought-provoking panel discussion on addressing misinformation, the harm it causes, and the research and actions that can address common misconceptions. Following the discussion, there will be opportunities to connect with organizations tackling misinformation and providing support around the toxic drug crisis.
Science World Spotlights has teamed up with SFU Public Square for a thought-provoking panel discussion on addressing misinformation surrounding the toxic drug public health emergency in B.C. Our expert panelists will delve into the latest research, scientific insights, and community-based learnings to address common misconceptions and foster informed dialogue.
Since BC’s Provincial Health Officer declared a public health emergency on the toxic drug crisis in 2016, British Columbia continues to experience the highest number of overdose deaths among Canadian jurisdictions. The number of lives lost to this crisis has reached alarming levels, with devastating consequences for individuals, families, and communities. Misinformation exacerbates this crisis as it perpetuates stigma, hinders access to life-saving resources, and undermines efforts to implement evidence-based interventions. And misinformation related to equity deserving people in the context of the toxic drug crisis can exacerbate disparities and hinder effective responses.
At this free event, learn ways to contribute to informed dialogue and thoughtful action in addressing this crisis in our communities. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of this pressing public health issue.
Date: November 19, 2024
Time: 6:00pm – 9:30pm
Location:Science World, 1455 Quebec St., Vancouver
Format: a panel conversation with audience Q&A, followed by a networking reception with opportunities to connect with organizations providing tackling misinformation and providing support around the toxic drug crisis.
Register: To register, click the “Reserve a Spot” button.
This event was made possible by financial support provided by the Canadian Association of Science Centres (CASC) and ScienceUpFirst as part of their 2024 Together Against Misinformation Week.
We have asked for some demographic information in the registration form, which will be provided to ScienceUpFirst as part of their grant program.
Bohdan Nosyk is a Professor and St. Paul’s Hospital CANFAR Chair in HIV/AIDS Research at the Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University, and leads the Health Economic Research Unit at the Centre for Advancing Health Outcomes (formerly the Center for Health Evaluation & Outcome Sciences).
Dr. Nosyk’s research seeks to inform complex policy decisions surrounding the prevention and management of HIV/AIDS and substance use disorders. He has led population-level evaluations in these disease areas in China, in the state of California and across urban centers in the US, and locally in British Columbia. He combines simulation modeling methods and cost-effectiveness analyses with econometric and biostatistical analyses of health administrative data to address these issues.
Dr. Cornelia (Nel) Wieman, Chief Medical Officer, is the CMO at the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) in British Columbia, where she has worked since 2018. She is Anishinaabe(Mishi-Baawitigong First Nation, Manitoba) and lives, works and plays on the unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples – the səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations.
Dr. Wieman completed her medical degree and psychiatry specialty training at McMaster University. Canada’s first female Indigenous psychiatrist, Dr. Wieman has more than 20 years’ clinical experience, working with Indigenous people in both rural/reserve and urban settings. Her previous activities include co-directing an Indigenous health research program in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto and the National Network for Indigenous Mental Health Research, being Deputy Chair of Health Canada’s Research Ethics Board, and serving on CIHR’s Governing Council. She has also worked and taught in many academic settings, has chaired national advisory groups within First Nations Inuit Health Branch – Health Canada, and has served as a Director on many boards, including the Indspire Foundation and Pacific Blue Cross. Dr. Wieman served as the President of the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada (IPAC) from 2016-2022. She was one of the 6 Indigenous physician founders of the National Consortium on Indigenous Medical Education (NCIME). She was appointed to the BC Provincial Task Team charged with beginning implementation of the recommendations arising from the “In Plain Sight” report.
Leslie McBain, Chief Executive Officer, Moms Stop the Harm.
After losing her only child, her beautiful son Jordan, to a prescription drug overdose in 2014 Leslie co-founded Moms Stop the Harm, now a national organization with several thousand members who have been impacted by drug harms. Her vision is to support and to save the lives of people who use drugs and to advocate for evidence based, humane drug policies. Leslie has worked with numerous federal and provincial committees to this end. She resides on Pender Island.
MC and Panel Facilitator
Stephen Quinn is host of CBC Radio One’s popular morning show The Early Edition, a post he has often been quoted as saying is his “dream job.” Every weekday, listeners wake up and tune-in for their daily dose of breaking news, traffic, local stories, entertainment, and interviews.
Previously, Quinn was the long-time host of afternoon radio show On The Coast, where he was known for featuring people from the community and covering the day’s local news. He also connected with listeners on social media during shows, allowing citizens to participate in conversations in real-time, adding another dimension to live radio. He spent eight-years as CBC’s civic affairs reporter. This position spearheaded his passion for municipal politics, as well as his unwavering interview style and skill in prompting answers from notable subjects while delving into important issues. Quinn has guest-hosted several CBC shows, news specials and a series on the media for network radio. He is also the creator and host of the very popular Quinn’s Quiz on CBC Radio One.
Questions?
Contact Dana Higgins – dhiggins@scienceworld.ca
Director, Public Programs and Engagement at Science World.
Before moving on to the SFU Public Square news, I checked out the ScienceUpFirst initiative (one of the sponsors), here’s more from their Who We Are page (click on the About tab on the homepage),
ScienceUpFirst is a [Canadian]national initiative that works with a collective of independent scientists, researchers, climate and health experts and science communicators.
ScienceUpFirst emerged out of a critical need. When the pandemic hit, co-founders Timothy Caulfield and Senator Stan Kutcher saw how misinformation was hurting Canadians. Since ScienceUpFirst started in 2020, we have grown into a funded initiative of the Canadian Association of Science Centres, working to fight misinformation and promote scientific understanding.
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Timothy Caulfield, a law professor from the University of Alberta, is well known as a science communicator and tv personality and by using his name as a search term on the blog, you will find a number of posts mentioning him and his work.
Meet Termeh Moini!
I don’t usually feature a new employee/intern but there is a bit of a agricultural technology connection, from SFU Public Square’s September 25, 2024 newsletter, Note: A link has been removed,
Meet Termeh Moini!
We are so excited to introduce new members of our team, starting with our new co-op student, Termeh! Termeh will be working with SFU Public Square and the B.C. Centre for Agritech Innovation as an Events and Communications Assistant. Get to know Termeh with the link below!
The B.C. Centre for Agritech Innovation (BCCAI) supports small and medium enterprises (SMEs), agri-producers and food processors in meeting their innovation needs. We provide our partners access to funding and domain knowledge via experts from academia, industry and government. The centre works with partners to develop and advance technology solutions and training opportunities to solve industry challenges, build resilient supply chains and generate global solutions for food insecurity and climate change [emphasis mine].
Glad to see the focus on food insecurity, climate change, and a global context for solutions.
Originally, the plan was to produce some sort of a Canadian science culture roundup for 2019 but it came to my attention that 2019 was also an end-of-decade year (sometimes I miss the obvious). I’ll do my best to make this snappy but it is a review (more or less) of the last 10 years (roughly) and with regard to science culture in Canada, I’m giving the term a wide interpretation while avoiding (for the most part) mention of traditional science communication/outreach efforts such as university rresearch, academic publishing, academic conferences, and the like.
Since writing that opening paragraph in late December 2019, COVID-19 took over the world and this review seemed irrelevant for a while but as time passed, Iit occurred to me it might serve as a reminder of past good times and as a hope for the future.
Having started this blog in 2008, I’ve had the good fortune to observe a big increase in the number and range of science outreach/communication/culture initiatives, projects, festivals, etc. It’s tempting to describe it as an explosion of popular interest but I have no idea if this is true. I spend much of my time searching out and writing up this kind of work in addition to the emerging science and technology that I follow and my perception is most likely skewed by my pursuits. What i can say is that in 2019 there was more of everything to do with science culture/outreach/communication than there was when I started in 2008.
Coincidentally, I wrote a three-part series about science communication (including science outreach/culture projects) in Canada in Sept. 2009, just months before the start of this decade. In retrospect, the series is sprawling everywhere and it looks to me like I was desperately trying to make something look bigger than it actually was.
I’m looking at the more formal aspects of science communication and so onto mainstream media and education. This is the saddest section but don’t worry it gets better as it goes on.
Mainstream Media
As I note in the following subsection, there are fewer science writers employed by mainstream media, especially in Canada. The only science writer (that I know of) who’s currently employed by a newspaper is Ivan Semeniuk. for the Globe and Mail.
Margaret Munro who was the science writer for PostMedia (publisher of most newspaper dailies in Canada) is now a freelancer. Kate Lunau, a health and science journalist for Maclean’s Magazine (Canada) until 2016 and then Motherboard/VICE (US online publication) until March 2019 now publishes her own newsletter.
Daily Planet, which was a long running science programme (under various names since 1995) on Discovery Channel Canada and which inspired iterations in other countries, was cancelled in 2018 but there is still a Twitter feed being kept up to date and a webpage with access to archived programmes.
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) programmes, Spark for technology and Quirks & Quarks for science on the radio side and the Nature of Things for science, wildlife, and technology on television carry on year after year and decade after decade.
A more recent addition (2019?) to the CBC lineup is a podcast that touches on science and other topics, Tai Asks Why? According to the programme’s About page, the host (Tai Poole) is in grade seven. No podcasts dated after September 2019 have been posted on Tia’s page.
Yes Magazine for children and Seed magazine (for adults) have both died since 2009. On a happier note, Canadian children’s science magazines are easier to find these days either because I got lucky on my search and/or because there are more of them to find.
Thank you to helpwevegotkids.com for their 10 Awesome Magazines for Canadian Kids webpage. First published in 2016, it is updated from time to time, most recently in October 2019 by Heather Camlot; it’s where I found many of these science/technology magazines (Note: I’m not sure how long these magazines have been published but they are all new to me),
Chickadee Magazine: ages 6-9 ( Every month, the Chickadee team creates a package of interactive stories, puzzles, animal features, and science experiments to educate and entertain readers.) It’s from the folks at owlkids.com
OWL Magazine: ages 9-13 (… highlight the elements of science and tech, engineering, art and math ) Also from the folks at owlkids.com
AdventureBox: ages 6 – 9 (… nature with beautiful photographs and fascinating scientific information … Hilarious and adventurous comic-strips, games and quizzes … An audio CD every 2 months) Also from the folks at owlkids.com
DiscoveryBox: ages 9 – 12 ( … Animals and nature, with spectacular photographs … Fascinating scientific topics, with clear explanations and experiments to carry out …) Also from the folks at owlkids.com BTW, I was not able to find out much about the Owl Kids organization.
WILD magazine ( … jam-packed with fun wildlife stories, games and pictures for youngsters of all ages. It’s a great way to get the children in your life engaged in nature and share your passion for the outdoors. Published 6 times per year) From the folks at the Canadian Wildlife Federation (enough said).
Bazoof! (… suited for ages 7-12 … nutrition, personal care, fitness, healthy lifestyles, character development, eco-education—all in a creative and zany style! Filled with short stories, comics, recipes, puzzles, games, crafts, jokes, riddles, pet care, interviews, healthy snacks, sports, true stories, fun facts, prizes and more!) Bazoof! is being brought to you by the team responsible for Zamoof! You might want to read their About page. That’s all I can dig up.
Brainspace (an augmented reality magazine for kids 8 – 14) As best I can determine they are still ‘publishing’ their interactive magazine but they make finding information about themselves or their organization a little challenging. It’s published in Ontario and its publisher Nicky Middleton had this in her LinkedIn profile: “Publisher of Brainspace interactive magazine for kids 8-12. Creating augmented reality content for teaching resources in partnership with Brock University, District School Board of Niagara.”
One more thing regarding mainstream media
While there are fewer science journalists being employed, there’s still a need for science writing and journalism. The Science Media Centre of Canada (SMCC) opened in 2010 (from its Wikipedia entry),
… to serve journalists with accurate information on scientific matters. The centre has a Research Advisory Panel of 20 Canadian scientists who will make their expertise available in a simple and understandable manner. In order to secure objectivity, the centre has an Editorial Advisory Committee of eight journalists. The centre is bilingual.
As of January 2020, the SMCC is still in operation.
Education
It’s been up and down. Banff Centre (for Arts and Creativity) no longer runs a Science Communication programme in the summer but Laurentian University, which in 2009 seemed to offer a single module for one programme, now offers a Masters of Science Communication or a Science Communication Graduate Diploma.
Mount St. Vincent University in Nova Scotia offers a minor in Science Communication (scroll down). I gather it’s a new minor.
The University of British Columbia’s Journalism School (Vancouver) no longer has a Science Journalism Research Group nor does Concordia University (Montréal) have its Science Journalism Project. I have checked both journalism schools and cannot find any indication there is a science programme or specific science courses of any kind for journalists or other communicators but I didn’t spend a lot of time digging. Interestingly, the chair, David Secko, of Concordia’s journalism programme is a science journalist himself and a member of the Editorial Advisory Committee of the Science Media Centre of Canada.
The lack of science journalism programmes in Canada seems to reflect on overall lack of science journalism. It’s predictable given that the newspapers that once harboured science journalists have trimmed and continue to trim back their staffs.
Miscellaneous
Science centres, museums, and the like are considered part of the informal science community with Makerspaces being a new addition. For the most part, their target audience is children but they are increasingly (since 2010, I believe) offering events aimed at adults. The Canadian Association of Science Centres (CASC) describes itself and its membership this way (from the CASC About Us webpage),
CASC members are a diverse group of organisations that support informal learning of science, technology and nature. Our common bond is that we offer creative programming and exhibitions for visitors that inspire a drive to learn, create, and innovate.
If you are a member of a Science Centres, Museums, Aquariums, Planetariums and Makerspaces [these are a 2010s phenomenon] you could benefit from our reciprocal admission agreement. Not all CASC Members are participants in the Reciprocal Admissions Agreement. Click here for more information.
You can find a full list of their members including the Ingenium museums (the federal consortium of national Canadian science museums), the Saskatchewan Science Centre, the Nunavut Research Institute, Science East, and more, here.
I’m calling what follows ‘truly informal science culture’.
Science: the informal (sometimes cultural) scene
When I first started (this blog) there was one informal science get-together (that I knew of locally) and that was Vancouver Café Scientifque and its monthly events, which are still ongoing. You can find our more about the parent organization, which was started in Leeds, England in 1998. Other Canadian cities listed as having a Café Scientifique: Ottawa, Victoria, Mississauga, and Saskatoon.
Now onto the music, the dance, and more
Sing a song of science
Baba Brinkman is well known for his science raps. The rapper and playwright (from British Columbia) lives in New York City these days with his wife and sometime performance collaborator, neuroscientist Dr. Heather Berlin and their two children (see his Wikipedia entry for more), he is still Canadian (I think).
He got his start rapping science in 2008 when I think he was still living in Vancouver (Canada) after gaining the attention of UK professor Mark Pallen who commissioned him to write a rap about evolution. The Rap Guide to Evolution premiered at the 2009 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Here’s a video of Brinkman’s latest science rap (Data Science) posted on YouTube on October 21, 2019,
I find this one especially interesting since Brinkman’s mother is the Honourable Joyce Murray, a member of parliament and the Minister of Digital Government in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s latest cabinet. (My December 27, 2019 posting highlights what I believe to be the importance of the Minister of Digital Government in the context of the government’s science and technology vision. Scroll down about 25% of the way to the subhead titled “The Minister of Digital Government and a bureaucratic débacle,”) You can find out more about Baba Brinkman here.
Tim Blais of A Capella Science first attracted my notice in 2014 thanks to David Bruggeman and his Pasco Phronesis blog (btw: David, I miss your posts about science and music which are how I found out most of what I know about the Canadian science music scene).
Blais (who has a master’s degree in physics from McGill University in Québec) started producing his musical science videos in 2012. I featured one of his earliest efforts (and one of my favourites, Rolling in the Higgs [Adele parody]) in my July 18, 2014 posting.
Dating back to 2012. The Institute of Quantum Computing at the University of Waterloo held two performances of Quantum: Music at the Frontier of Science. Raymond Laflamme, then director of the institute, wrote a September 20, 2012 article (The Quantum Symphony: A Cultural Entanglement) about the performances. You can see a video (15 mins., 45 secs.,) of the February 2012 performances here.
More recently, the Life Sciences Institute at the University of British Columbia (UBC) hosted a performance of Sounds and Science – Vienna Meets Vancouver in late 2019. I covered it in a November 12, 2019 posting (scroll down to the Sounds and Science subheading). The story about how the series, which has its home base in Vienna, started is fascinating. The sold out Vancouver performance was a combination of music and lecture featuring the Vienna Philharmonic and UBC researchers. According to this Sounds and Science UBC update,
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For those who missed this exceptional evening, JoyTV and its CARPe Diem show will be producing an episode focusing on the concert, to be aired in February, 2020 [emphasis mine].
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There is another way to look at musical science and that’s to consider the science of music which is what they do at the Large Interactive Virtual Environment Laboratory (LIVELab) at McMaster University (Hamilton, Ontario, Canada). it’s “a research concert hall. It functions as both a high-tech laboratory and theatre, opening up tremendous opportunities for research and investigation”, you can read more about it in my November 29, 2019 posting.
One last thing, there is data sonification which means finding a way to turn data into music or a sound which can more or less be defined as musical. There may be other data sonification projects and presentations in Canada but these are the ones I’ve tripped across (Note: Some links have bee removed),
Songs of the Ottawa From the website: “Songs of the Ottawa” is the Master’s Research Project of Cristina Wood, under the co-supervision of Dr. Joanna Dean and Dr. Shawn Graham. She completed her Master’s of Arts in Public History with a Specialization in Digital Humanities at Carleton University in spring 2019. She will continue her explorations of the Ottawa River in the Ph.D. program at York University [fall 2020]. Be in touch with Cristina on Twitter or send an email to hello [at] cristinawood [dot] ca.”
The Art of Data Sonification (This January 2019 workshop at Inter/Access in Toronto is over.) From the website: “Learn how to turn data into sound! Dan Tapper will teach participants how to apply different data sonification techniques, collect and produce a variety of sonifications, and how to creatively use these sonifications in their own work. The workshop will move from looking at data sonification through the lens of Dan Tapper’s work sonifying data sets from NASA, to collecting, cleaning and using your own data for artistic creation. Participants will work with pre-gathered and cleaned data sets before collecting and working with personal data and online data sets. Tools will be provided by Tapper created in Pure Data and Processing, as well as versions for Max/MSP users. A particular focus will be placed on how to use data sets and the created sonifications in creative practice – moving beyond quantitative sonic representations to richer material. “
Sonification: Making Data Sound (This September 2019 workshop at the Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies at the University of British Columbia is also over.) From the website: ” Computers and music have been mingling their intimate secrets for over 50 years. These two worlds evolve in tandem, and where they intersect they spawn practices that are entirely novel. One of these is “sonification,” turning raw data into sounds and sonic streams to discover new musical relationships within the dataset. This is similar to data visualization, a strategy that reveals new insights from data when it is made for the eye to perceive as graphs or animations. A key advantage with sonification is sound’s ability to present trends and details simultaneously at multiple time scales, allowing us to absorb and integrate information in the same way we listen to music. In this workshop, Chris Chafe will lead a discussion of the practice and application of sonification in a wide array of disciplines, drawing on his own extensive experience in this field.”
I have been looking for data sonification projects in Canada for years. It’s amazing to me that all of this sprung up in the last year of this decade. If there’s more, please do let me know in the Comments section.
Science blogging in Canada
The big news for the decade was the founding and launch of Science Borealis, a Canadian science blog aggregator in 2013. Assuming I counted right in December 2019, there are 146 blogs. These are not all independent bloggers, many institutional blogs are included. Also, I’m not sure how active some of these blogs are. Regardless, that’s a pretty stunning number especially when I consider that my annual Canadian blog roundup from 2010 -2012 would have boasted 20 – 30 Canadian science blogs at most.
I’m not sure why ASAP Science (Michael Moffit and Gregory Brown) isn’t included on Science Borealis but maybe the science vloggers (video bloggers) prefer to go it alone. or they fit into another category of online science. Regardless, ASAP Science has been around since May 2012 according to their About page. In addition to the science education/information they provide, there’s music, including this Taylor Swift Acapella Parody.
One of the earliest Canadians to create a science blog,Gregor Wolbring, Associate Professor at the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine, started his in 2006. He has taken a few breaks, 2011 and August 2013 – June 2017 but he’s back at it these days. He is in a sense a progenitor for Canadian science blogging. At one time, his blog was so popular that US researchers included it in their studies on what was then ‘the blogging phenomenon’. His focus academically and on his blog is on rehabilitation and disability. This webpage on his blog is of particular interest to me: FUTUREBODY: The Future of the Body in the Light of Neurotechnology. It’s where he lists papers from himself and his colleagues’ in the ERANET NEURON ELSI/ELSA funded by the European Community. (ELSI is Ethical, Legal and Social Implications and ELSA is Ethical, Legal, and Social Aspects.)
Canada’s Favourite Science Online, a competition co-sponsored by Science Borealia and the Science Writers and Communicators of Canada (SWCC), gives a People’s Choice Award annually in two categories: blog and science site. This September 16, 2019 posting on the Science Borealis blog features the finalists in the categories and a pretty decent sampling of what available online from the Canadian science community.
Science in the City is a Canadian life sciences blog aggregator and job and event listing website. The name is an official mark of McMaster University (Ontario, Canada) and it is used and registered by STEMCELL Technologies Canada Inc. Here’s more from their AboutScienceInTheCity webpage,
As scientists ourselves, we know that science is accelerated by collaboration and connection, but that the busy, demanding lifestyle of a scientist makes this challenging. Thus, we saw the need for a central resource that connects local scientists, provides them with a platform to share their ideas, and helps them stay current with the news, events, and jobs within their local scientific community. This inspired us to launch Science in the City in our hometown of Vancouver, Canada in 2017.
Science in the City is your complete source for all the life science news and events happening in your city. The Science in the City website and weekly newsletter provide researchers and medical professionals with breaking news, in-depth articles, and insightful commentary on what is happening around them. By supplying scientists with a resource for the local news and events that affect them, Science in the City fosters learning and collaboration within scientific communities, ultimately supporting the advancement of science and medicine.
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Vancouver is our hometown, so it made sense to launch this exciting initiative in our own backyard. But we’re only getting started! We’ve launched Science in the City in Seattle and Boston, and we’re currently working on bringing Science in the City to several more scientific communities across North America and Europe!
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Do check their event listings as they range past life science to many other interesting ‘sciencish’ get togethers. For example, in early 2020 (in Vancouver) there was,
At a guess their funding comes from STEMCELL Technologies while Science Borealis was originally (not sure what the status is today) bankrolled by Canadian Science Publishing (CSP).
It’s just dance, dance, dance
Ranging from pigeon courtship to superconductivity, Canadian scientists have scored a number of wins in the Dance Your Ph.D. competition founded in 2008 according to its Wikipedia entry and held by Science Magazine and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). The contest requires that the entrant dance either as a solo artist or as part of a troupe.
In 2018, a University of Alberta student won in the physics category and then went on to win overall. I covered it in a February 22, 2019 posting. Because I love the video, here is Pramodh Senarath Yapa with his Superconductivity: The Musical!, again,
BTW, John Bohannon who came up with the idea for the contest wrote this February 15, 2019 article about Yapa’s win for Science Magazine.
While searching for other Canadian Dance Your Ph.D. winners, I found some from the 2010 and 2011 contests. (If there are others, please do let me know in the Comments section.)
McConnell’s video did not win in its division but another Canadian student, Queen’s University (Ontario) biologist, Emma Ware won the 2011 social science division for ‘A Study of Social Interactivity Using Pigeon Courtship‘. For more about McConnell and Ware’s 2011 efforts, you can read Tyler Irving’s October 20, 2011 posting on his eponymous blog. (Side note: Irving is a Canadian science writer who started the blog in 2011 and took a five year hiatus from January 2015 to January 2020.)
Onward dance
Lesley Telford, choreographer and director of Inverso Productions based in Vancouver, seems to have started showing a dance piece inspired by Albert Einstein’s famous description of quantum entanglement as “spooky action from s a distance” in 2017.
I first wrote about it in an April 20, 2017 posting. The title, at that time, was, ‘Three Sets/Relating At A Distance; My tongue, your ear / If / Spooky Action at a Distance (phase 1‘. In 2017, Telford was artist-in-residence at the Dance Centre and TRIUMF, Canada’s national laboratory for particle and nuclear physics and accelerator-based science, both located in Vancouver.
She has continued to work with the concept and most recently her company gave performances of ‘Spooky Action’ in 2019 and will go on tour in 2020 according to her company’s homepage.
Unlike Lesley Telford who has a single science-inspired piece, Blue Ceilingdance in Toronto, is organized around the idea of art (dance) and science according to the company’s About page,
Blue Ceiling dance aims to pierce the soul through investigations at the intersection of art and science, and physical rigour provoked by the imagination. By peering into the mysterious corners of human experience and embodying the natural laws of the universe, we want to inspire empathy and curiosity. Through creation, production, commissioning and touring of new dance and multi-disciplinary works and through the Imaginative Body Classes, Blue Ceiling dance uses the poetry of the body and of scientific language to describe our experience of the world through the lens of poetic naturalism.
Blue Ceiling dance was founded by Lucy Rupert in 2004, as an umbrella for her creative endeavours. …
Our biggest project to date premieres January 23-26th, 2020 at The Theatre Centre [Toronto].
Using the length of time it takes light to travel from the Sun to Earth, we launch into 8 overlapping meditations on the physical behaviour of light, the metaphors of astrophysics, and the soul of cosmology, as they brush against a sense of our own mortality. What would you do with your last 8 minutes and 17 seconds before the lights go out?
Choreographed and conceived by Lucy Rupert with additional choreography by Karen Kaeja, Emma Kerson and Jane Alison McKinney, and Michael Caldwell. With text written by Hume Baugh.
The company’s repertoire is diverse and focused largely on science,
Animal Vegetable Mineral is a site-specific work with a naturalist-led hike. Exploring embodiments of each category of matter, the dancers form an ecosystem under stress, and highlight the interconnectedness of all species and our deep need for one another. Audiences explore their local environment and encounter human embodiments in an intimate performance setting.
Originally made for the High Park Nature Centre in Toronto, the piece is adaptable to different ecosystems and environments.
dead reckoning Perplexing, haunting and slightly mischievous, with choreography by Lucy Rupert and international ballet choreographer Peter Quanz. The launching point for this work of dance-theatre is Sir Ernest Shackleton’s ill-fated expedition to Antarctica in 1914 and the mysterious experiences surrounding his life-or-death situation. Three linked dances offer three views of an explorer pursued by an enigmatic “other”.
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Bye, bye ScienceOnline Vancouver
A ScienceOnline conference and community based in the United States inspired a short-lived but exciting offshoot in Vancouver. With much ado, their first event was held on April 19, 2012. As I recall, by December 2012, it had died.
The volunteers were wildly ambitious and it’s very hard to maintain the level of dynamism and technology they established on their first night. Here’s how I described the first event in my April 20, 2012 posting, ” It was a very technology-heavy event in that there was livestreaming, multiple computers and screens, references to tweeting and Storify, etc.” That’s a lot to do on a regular basis as volunteers. By Christmas 2012, ScienceOnline was gone. It was a great and I’m thankful for it.
Now onto part 2 where you’ll find the visual arts, poetry, festivals, and more.
Canada’s National Science and Technology Week was a ten-day (yes, not a week) affair held annually in October. At one time, it had some decent funding but over the years (under Liberal and Conservative governments) that funding became less adequate. So, I’m delighted to see the current government has decided to pump some new life into the effort, which has been rebranded as Science Odyssey and is taking place from May 6 – May 15, 2016. Here’s more from the event’s homepage (you can find links to event(s) taking place in your community there),
Embark with us on a Science Odyssey, a collaborative event geared to engage and inspire Canadians of all ages with accomplishments and activities in science, technology and engineering and mathematics.
Science Odyssey brings together a series of fun activities across the country from Friday, May 6 to Sunday, May 15, 2016. Events go from science-to-the –streets celebrations, to visits to labs, science fairs, talks and conferences, school field trips, encounters with researchers and scientists, museums and science centres special exhibits, community organizations hosting scientific events, online activities, and much more.
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What is Science Odyssey?
Science Odyssey evolved from the National Science and Technology Week (NSTW) to a celebration of science from the whole of Canada’s prolific scientific community.
Events will come from federal government scientific research and technological initiatives; it will also serve as an occasion to showcase the excellence in science, technology and engineering housed at Canadian universities, colleges and polytechnics; it is also an opportunity to highlight the work of many other institutions, community organizations and groups dedicated to science promotion activities.
Science Odyssey is a collaborative event led by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) in collaboration with many other federal departments and agencies and community organizations.
The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science, announced $4.8 million dollars in awards today for 43 recipients to be supported by the PromoScience program, which enables science outreach across Canada. The announcement was made at the Canadian Association of Science Centres annual conference in Vancouver, British Columbia. The program provides funding to science centres, day camps, after-school programs, science outreach organizations, networks and more to support youth engagement in science
Minister Duncan, along with Dr. B. Mario Pinto, President of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), made the announcement at the start of ScienceOdyssey, a 10-day national celebration of science-based activities and events across Canada. The focus of Science Odyssey is to showcase the wonders of Canadian science, technology, engineering and math to youth and the public at large.
Interestingly, there was another nationwide STEM event taking place. Science Rendezvous was held on Saturday, May 7, 2016. They seem to have allied themselves with Science Odyssey (listed as a sponsor), from the ScienceRendezvous homepage,
Science Rendezvous is an annual festival that takes science out of the lab and onto the street! We work with Canada’s top research institutes to present a coast-to-coast open house and festival that is for everyone. With over 300 events across 30 cities and 1000’s of mind-blowing activities, Science Rendezvous is Canada’s largest celebration of the amazing feats of science and engineering happening right here at home.
In 2015, more than 200,000 attendees participated in our unique brand of hands-on science, a new landmark for such events in Canada.
Science Rendezvous is the only organization that generates this level of public engagement with science, and direct face-to-face involvement with those at the very frontiers of innovation.
and onto the street! We work with Canada’s top research institutes to present a coast-to-coast open house and festival that is for everyone. With over 300 events across 30 cities and 1000’s of mind-blowing activities, Science Rendezvous is Canada’s largest celebration of the amazing feats of science and engineering happening right here at home.