The Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics has received a $1.73 million investment from the federal government to encourage more youths to study the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and math. The funding will be put towards the Perimeter Institute’s BrainSTEM educational outreach program, for a series of high impact activities for students, teachers and families across southern Ontario that encourage critical thinking, careers and entrepreneurship in STEM fields.
“By introducing students to the STEM fields at this critical point in their education, we are encouraging the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs and problem solvers, and helping to drive innovation in southern Ontario for years to come,” said Peter Braid, MP Kitchener-Waterloo, who made the announcement on behalf of Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario). “This is how we will establish competitive businesses, and create the high-value jobs of the future and long-term prosperity for the region.”
Perimeter Institute will use the investment to improve its educational outreach program with the BrainSTEM Initiative, which involves activities such as an in-class multimedia module for grade 10 students, teacher training on the content, online resources that merge digital media content creators with experts on STEM, and a public launch event in October of 2013.
“The delivery of this outreach program will debunk misconceptions about STEM careers, and provide opportunities for students to make connections between crucial life skills – like creativity, problem solving and collaboration – and the STEM subjects available to them in Canadian schools,” said Greg Dick, Perimeter director of educational outreach. “The enhanced outreach activities will help show young people that there are emerging and valuable careers available in the STEM subjects, and will help to build a future talent pool in these fields in southern Ontario.”
