Science Literacy Week 2018
Science Literacy Week (external link) runs annually on the third week of September and is a national celebration of science. SciXchange celebrated all things science while highlighting this year's theme: space! we ran a number of events throughout the week to share our love for science & STEM to the general public and our Ryerson community.
Free Public Talks
On Monday, Ryerson faculty members, Dr. Lynda McCarthy and Dave Kirsch adressed burning questions about our environment and the universe through short, engaging lectures on finding life on other planets and protecting life here on Earth. On Wednesday, it was all about the body! Ryerson's Dr. Emily Agard and Dr. Joseph McPhee discussed our body's immune system and microbiome.
Book Club Night
On Tuesday, in collaboration with the Ryerson Science Society, SciXchange hosted our first book club night. Ryerson students brought their favourite science/STEM books to share with friends and colleagues in the RSS student lounge. It was an evening of great science discussion!
Interactive Activities and Demos in the Student Learning Centre (SLC)
On Wednesday, members of the general public were able to explore the codes of life! From DNA to computers, the virtual and hands-on experiences were out of this world. Programming was developed by Ryerson Student Society, Aerospace Course Union, Computer Science Course Union, Women in Computer Science, Biomedical Science Course Union and Biology Course Union.
On Thursday, the sky was the limit! Participants had fun making clouds, walking on clouds and exploring constellations. Did we mention space ice cream? Programming was developed by Ryerson Student Society, Aerospace Course Union, Medical Physics Course Union, Chemistry Course Union Math Course Union and Financial Math Course Union.
Soapbox Science at Word on the Street Festival (Harbourfront Centre) - Sunday, September 23
Soapbox Science is a novel public outreach platform for promoting women scientists and the science they do. Our events transform public areas into an arena for public learning and scientific debate while promoting female scientists and making their work accessible.
This year’s Soapbox Speakers (external link) hailed from Toronto, Guelph, and London (Ontario) and featured some of the top scientists engaged in science outreach and STEM diversity initiatives in Canada. They discussed topics such as diabetes, whale conservation and food security, astronomy, paleontology, cell biology and bats! It was a great finale to the week celebrating science!
