Soapbox Scientists win King Charles III Coronation Medal
In celebration of their 175th year, the Royal Canadian Institute for Science (external link, opens in new window) (RCIScience) awarded 30 distinguished Canadians with the King Charles III Coronation Medal (external link, opens in new window) . The medal winners are a veritable who’s-who of science communicators in Canada - including TV hosts, Anthony Morgan and Dr. Sarika Cullis-Suzuki, and YouTube sensations ASAPScience.
RCIScience stated that the medals honour those who “have made significant contributions to engaging the public and policy-makers with science, technology, engineering, math and medicine (STEMM) in Canada; and are fostering inclusive communities within STEMM.”
It is particularly important at this point in time, says Carrie Boyce, Executive Director of RCIScience. "At a time when mistrust of science in Canada is on the rise, it is vital that we recognize and celebrate outstanding science communication working to rebuild trust in science,” she said.
Six of the recipients are past Soapbox Science Speakers - a program hosted by SciXchange for the past eight years. Soapbox Science is a novel outreach platform that celebrates under-represented genders in STEMM while making cutting edge research accessible to the general public. What began as a busker-style public street event in London, U.K. in 2011 has grown to an annual worldwide initiative to raise up women and nonbinary researchers.
Soapbox Science first came to North America in 2017 when Toronto Metropolitan University (then named Ryerson University) hosted the event in Toronto. It has since spread to 12 cities across Canada.
The Soapbox Science Speakers who received the King Charles III Coronation Medal are:
- Dr. Roopali Chaudhary (Waterloo, 2019), Founder and CEO of Lotus STEM
- Dr. Imogen Coe (Toronto, 2018 & 2023), Professor at Toronto Metropolitan University
- Dr. Parshati Patel (Toronto, 2018), Science Communicator, Author and Artist
- Dr. Krishna Sankar (Toronto, 2018), Science Advisor and Partnerships Lead, ScienceUpFirst
- Dr. Samantha Yammine (Toronto, 2017), Science Communicator (aka Science Sam) and Digital Media Producer
Dr. Krishana Sankar, Soapbox Science Toronto, 2018
King Charles III Coronation Medals. Photo: Yianni Tong. Credit: RCIScience
“The medal is an incredible honour and a meaningful opportunity to reflect on my passion for STEM engagement and my contributions to the field,” said Dr. Patel. “It inspires me to continue sharing my excitement and motivating others to explore and appreciate this fascinating field.”
Reflecting on her involvement with Soapbox Science Toronto in 2018, Dr. Patel said “Participating in Soapbox Science provided me with a unique opportunity to engage directly with the public on the streets of Toronto, sharing my passion for science and my research in an accessible and interactive way. It also gave me valuable training and boosted my confidence to further pursue science communication. This experience strengthened my dedication to the field and inspired me to continue making science engaging and relatable for everyone.”
Ms. Boyce also commented on the impact Soapbox Science events have had on science communicators and communities, saying that RCIScience “is grateful for the work of organizations like Soapbox Science that promote female and nonbinary researchers in STEMM, and we’re excited to celebrate the amazing science communicators who have participated in Soapbox, and who are also recipients of the King Charles III Coronation Medal. We recognize the transformative role that representation in science and science communication holds not only for those in the field, but also for inspiring the future generation of science communicators."
Soapbox Science is now recruiting speakers for their 2025 events. SciXchange will be hosting the ninth annual event in Toronto - one of the longest running events outside of the U.K. More information about applying to be a speaker can be found on the Soapbox Science website (external link, opens in new window) .
Dr. Coe presented her research on cell membranes using an imaginative prop of balloons at Harbourfront Centre in 2018.
Samantha Yammine participated in the first North American Soapbox Science event as a PhD student at (then named) Yonge-Dundas Square in 2017.
