2024 Community Champion Award – Queens SR Kingston Winner

Science Rendezvous Kingston

We are thrilled to recognize Science Rendezvous Kingston as a recipient of the 2024 Community Champion Award! This event, funded primarily by the Office of the Vice-Principal (Research) at Queen’s University, was a wonderful collaboration that extended far beyond the laboratories at the institution.

On Saturday May 11, 2024, over 5400 visitors from across southeastern Ontario made their way to Slush Puppie Place and The Tragically Hip Way to experience 60 booths (a new record for Science Rendezvous Kingston), hosted by 485 volunteers. Those who arrived to see the doors officially open at 10:00 a.m. by Barrack the Bear (the official mascot of the Kingston Frontenacs hockey team) and Slush Puppie himself, were warmly welcomed, first by Kingston’s award-winning Town Crier, Chris Whyman; Lindsay (Kawennenhá:wi) Brant; Mark Gerretsen, MP; Ted Hsu, MPP; and Bryan Paterson, Mayor.

Faculty members, students (post-secondary, elementary and secondary), staff and citizen scientists capitalized on the theme of INNOVATION, showcasing ground-breaking research and inventions and celebrating the ingenuity of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, from the time of Leonardo da Vinci to the present.

From exhibits that focused on scientific fun to others that featured life-changing discoveries, visitors to Science Rendezvous Kingston were captivated saw first-hand how complete houses can be made from concrete using 3D printers. They watched as hungry beetles ate their way through plastic—recycling the natural way—and learned how metal corrosion can be stopped. As they peered through solar telescopes, they discovered that Queen’s had the very first Canadian astronomical observatory, and were invited to attend its open houses throughout the year.

The two performers from Great Canadian Invention Circus (and some audience participants) taught us about Canadian inventions such as the light bulb, telephone, snowshoes, the Robertson screw, paint rollers and basketball. The fast-paced show, featuring many special technological (and juggling) effects, kept everyone engaged and informed. A full list of booths can be found at https://www.queensu.ca/science-rendezvous/2024

Prior to the event, efforts to made to improve inclusivity. Volunteers (including a Science Rendezvous partner from Labrador City, Labrador; two international students [Spain and China] and a Professor from the Faculty of Education at Queen’s) recorded promotional videos in Ukrainian, Spanish, Cantonese, and Hindi. The videos can be found at https://youtu.be/Mxgd1osHzkc  For the second year, Science Rendezvous Kingston also provided a Sensory Friendly Zone so that families with neurodiverse children could experience experiments in a physical setting that was less crowded, noisy and brightly illuminated. A new feature in 2024 was the creation of a special resource for families visiting the Sensory Friendly Science Zone, illustrated by award-winning author and illustrator, Peggy Collins. The Welcome to Science Rendezvous Kingston narrated booklet walked our young explorers through all they can see and do at the Sensory Friendly Science Zone in advance of their visit, beginning with the famous “Oyez, oyez!” by Kingston’s town crier Chris Whyman. It can be found at https://www.queensu.ca/science-rendezvous/2024/sensory-friendly

As Dr. Nancy Ross, Vice Principal (Research) said so eloquently when asked why visiting Science Rendezvous Kingston was one of her favourite things to do

…it’s because this event showcases the community’s greatest strength: our people. This includes the faculty, students, and staff at Queen’s who are working together to showcase the transformative research happening inside our labs, libraries, and offices on campus, and off campus, in the field and within the community. These teams spend months planning for and promoting [Science Rendezvous] activities, so that we reach as broad and inclusive an audience as possible.

“Our people” also includes city and regional partners—the local museums, school boards, professional organizations, and conservation groups who participate in the event. These collaborations highlight very clear examples of how applied research impacts our daily lives—from building houses to treating wastewater.

“Our people” captures the thousands of individuals who attended the event – including families and youth – who came with open minds, curiosity and wonder, and a willingness to question and engage. We know they left the arena inspired and open to exploring future studies or even a career in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

Congratulations to Science Rendezvous Kingston for their dedication and commitment to delivering an accessible, engaging, and exceptional event. Your leadership in science outreach and community engagement continues to inspire, and we are grateful to have you as part of the Science Rendezvous community. We can’t wait to see the exciting ideas and innovations you bring to life in 2025!