Actua is a Canadian charitable organization[1][2] that delivers science, engineering and technology educational programs to young people in Canada.[3][4][5]
The organization is a member of the Science and Technology Awareness Network (S.T.A.N.). Actua's president and CEO is Jennifer E. Flanagan.[6]
Organization
Programs
Actua's programs use hands-on activities in fields such as health, mining, biology and ecology.[7][8] The majority of member organizations also travel outside the urban centers where they are located to deliver camps and workshops in rural and remote communities.[9]
The programs include:
- National Mentorship Program[5][10]
- National Aboriginal Outreach Program[11][12][13][14]
- National Girls Program[15][16][17]
- Go Where Kids Are Program[18][19]
In July 2021, Actua was awarded a $50,000 grant to develop "vaccine safety content" targeted towards students and teachers to combat vaccine hesitancy.[20] The funding was administered jointly by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council through the "Encouraging vaccine confidence in Canada" COVID-19 vaccine funding program.[21]
Membership
Actua operates on a membership structure, consisting of member organizations located at 31 university and college institutions across Canada.[22] Actua's member programs are delivered by undergraduate and high school students[23] through science camps and workshops, which are customized to the needs of local communities.[11]
The program has 34 members throughout the various provinces and territories of Canada.
Alberta
- Lethbridge: Destination Exploration at the University of Lethbridge
- Edmonton: DiscoverE at the University of Alberta
- Calgary: Minds in Motion at the University of Calgary
- Red Deer: Science Promotion at Red Deer College
British Columbia
- Kamloops: EUReKA! Science Program at Thompson Rivers University
- Vancouver: GEERing Up! at the University of British Columbia
- Burnaby: Science AL!VE at Simon Fraser University
- Victoria: Science Venture at the University of Victoria
Manitoba
- Brandon: Mini University at Brandon University
- Winnipeg: Eco-Kids at the University of Winnipeg and WISE Kid-Netic Energy at the University of Manitoba
New Brunswick
- Fredericton: Worlds UNBound at the University of New Brunswick
Nova Scotia
- Halifax: SuperNOVA at Dalhousie University
- Antigonish: X-Chem Outreach Program at St. Francis Xavier University[24]
Nunavut
- Iqaluit: Simply Science at the Nunavut Research Institute
Ontario
- Ottawa: Adventures in Engineering and Science at the University of Ottawa and Virtual Ventures at Carleton University
- Guelph: Creative Encounters at the University of Guelph
- London: Discovery Western at the University of Western Ontario
- Toronto: Engineering Outreach at the University of Toronto and Science Explorations at York University
- Waterloo: ESQ at the University of Waterloo
- Kingston: ASUS Camps at Queen's University
- Thunder Bay: Superior Science at Lakehead University
- Hamilton: Venture Engineering and Science at McMaster University
- Brantford: SNP STEAM Academy at Six Nations Polytechnic
Quebec
- Montreal: Folie Technique at École Polytechnique de Montréal
- Trois-Rivières: Génitrucs at Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
- Laval: Musée Armand Frappier at Centre d'interprétation des Biosciences
Saskatchewan
- Regina: EYES (Educating Youth in Engineering & Science) at the University of Regina and FNU Health and Science Camp at First Nations University of Canada
- Saskatoon: SCI-FI Science Camps at the University of Saskatchewan
Yukon
- Whitehorse: Science Adventures at Yukon College
Awards
In 2000, Actua was awarded the Michael Smith Award by the National Science and Engineering Research Council.[25][26]
In 2000, Actua submitted its programs to an independent evaluation process to measure their programs' effectiveness. The three-year research initiative surveyed student participants who revealed their experience with Actua programs.[27]
In 2009, the Ontario Trillium Foundation named Actua and its 11 Ontario members the winner of the Minister's Award recognizing not-for-profit organizations that have had "an exceptional impact in their communities."[28]
References
- ↑ "Actua". CanadaHelps. Retrieved 2021-02-07.
- ↑ "Charities Listings". Cra-arc.gc.ca. 2008-11-10. Retrieved 2010-09-22.
- ↑ "Having Fun for West Moberly Science Camp", Max Fawcett, Chetwynd Echo, Chetwynd BC, 31 July 2009
- ↑ "Science Camp inspires young minds", Kristjanna Grimmelt, The Record Gazette, Peace River AB, August 25, 2010
- 1 2 "Canada EN : Our Company : Citizenship : GE Canada and ACTUA". GE. 2009-02-06. Archived from the original on 2010-03-28. Retrieved 2010-09-22.
- ↑ The Science and Technology Awareness Network – STAN Archived July 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ "The Science and Technology Awareness Network – STAN". Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2010-09-22.
- ↑ The Science and Technology Awareness Network – STAN Archived July 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ "Video Breakout Player". Cbc.ca. Retrieved 2010-09-22.
- ↑ "Info Synapse – CIHR's Synapse Newsflash – Issue 1 – CIHR". Cihr-irsc.gc.ca. 2009-06-25. Archived from the original on 2010-06-17. Retrieved 2010-09-22.
- 1 2 "Feds invest in science camps", Kassina Ryder and Emily Ridlington, Nunavut News/North, Nunavut, July 19, 2010
- ↑ "Outreach to Aboriginal Communities – CIHR". Archived from the original on February 6, 2010.
- ↑ "Science and camp: a winning combination", Heather Andrews Miller, Alberta Sweetgrass, Pg. 8, September 8, 2010
- ↑ "Aboriginal Health Human Resources Initiative – APC". Apcfnc.ca. 2010-03-31. Archived from the original on 2010-04-19. Retrieved 2010-09-22.
- ↑ "Canadian Women's Foundation". Cdnwomen.org. Retrieved 2010-09-22.
- ↑ "Ados Sciences en vacances au Canada", Le Monde, Paris, France, October 16, 2008
- ↑ "Western Women in Engineering Chapter". Eng.uwo.ca. Archived from the original on 2008-03-01. Retrieved 2010-09-22.
- ↑ "Okanagan Boys and Girls Clubs". Boysandgirlsclubs.ca. 2010-08-16. Retrieved 2010-09-22.
- ↑ "Kelowna Kids Enjoy Actua Science Summer Camp", Okanagan Boys and Girls Club website, August 23, 2010
- ↑ "Encouraging vaccine confidence in Canada - Competition Results". Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). 2021-07-26. Archived from the original on 2022-01-15. Retrieved 2022-09-29.
- ↑ "Encouraging vaccine confidence in Canada". Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. 2021-03-03. Archived from the original on 2021-05-12. Retrieved 2022-09-29.
- ↑ "member locations | Actua". Actua.ca. Archived from the original on 2011-01-12. Retrieved 2010-09-22.
- ↑ "Fun while learning", Darrell Greer, Nunavut News/North, Nunavut, August 4, 2010
- ↑ "Actua – Find a Member" Archived June 11, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. Actua.ca. Retrieved 2012-07-12.
- ↑ Science in Canada (PDF). Canadian Commission for UNESCO. 2001. ISBN 0-9681432-9-6. Retrieved 2016-03-12.
- ↑ "Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada" [Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada]. Archived from the original on 4 November 2010. Retrieved 2010-09-22.
- ↑ "Crombie". Cjc.synergiesprairies.ca. Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2010-09-22.
- ↑ "Great Grants Award Recipients Chosen". Trilliumfoundation.org. Archived from the original on 2010-06-13. Retrieved 2010-09-22.