2021 Outstanding Volunteers

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Science Rendezvous would not be possible without our passionate and dedicated volunteers. Nearly 6,000 researchers, undergraduate and graduate students make these events come to life each year all across Canada.

Our volunteer coordinating teams commit nearly 8 months of planning to develop Science Rendezvous events in their community; often in addition to their full time employment, research, studies and teaching schedules. Our passionate and creative volunteers are really what make Science Rendezvous so special.

Scientists, researchers and students come together to bring their love for STEAM to life in interactive and exciting ways. 2021 was particularly challenging as our first ever fully virtual edition. We cannot thank our volunteers enough for what they do. Below we have profiled the top coordinators, and exceptional volunteers at each event site as nominated by their peers.

Outstanding Volunteers

Alex Wright

What is your academic background, and where are you employed or continuing your education?

I have a PhD in physics and am a Research Scientist with the Institute of Particle Physics and a Professor in the Department of Physics, Engineering Physics, and Astronomy at Queen’s University.

What research (or other STEM outreach/promotion/communication) do you do?

My research area is particle astrophysics. In this field we study tiny subatomic particles that reach the Earth from space. This lets us learn more about the particles themselves, and to better understand how those particles influenced the evolution of the Universe.

Why Science Rendezvous?

I really enjoy sharing my love of science and discovery.

How and when did you get involved?

I believe the first Science Rendezvous event I participated in was in 2016. I joined up with a group of other particle astrophysics researchers who were planning a station for Science Rendezvous, and it grew from there.

Favourite memory?

I really enjoy watching our Science Rendezvous visitors try a quick science activity, perhaps experience an outcome different than what they were expecting, and hopefully leave with a bit more understanding of how fun and exciting science can be.

What is your favourite demonstration?

That’s a tough one – the smoke ring cannon was a lot of fun, as was the vacuum powered rocket launcher.

Final thoughts for 2021, and will you be back in 2022?

The online event in 2021 went well, and I am very much looking forward to being back in person for 2022!
Annette Tavares

10-Year Volunteer

Science Rendezvous Durham

Academic Background:
Stream Ecology/Zoology

Employed at:
Ontario Tech University (formerly University of Ontario Institute of Technology – we have a new name now!

Why Science Rendezvous?
Because it is the quintessential science outreach event!

How and when did you get involved?
As a volunteer presenter from 2008 to 2012, and then as organizer when previous organizer moved on to a different university.

What is your favourite demonstration?
I love them all but if I had to choose, I’d say the Biodiversity Gallery, followed by Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream and the Forensic Fun Zone as close seconds.

From Science Rendezvous: Thank you Annette Tavares for being a true Science Rendezvous champion. A 10+ year volunteer, and still as passionate and excited to share your love of STEAM each and every year. Science Rendezvous Durham is so lucky to have you on their team. Keep on STEAMing Big!
Brenda Reed

What is your academic background, and where are you employed or continuing your education?

Head Education Librarian at Queen’s University Education Library

What research (or other STEM outreach/promotion/communication) do you do?

With my colleague Catherine DeNoble we supported the 2021 Kingston Science Rendezvous by providing reading guides that supported activities on each day of the event.

Why Science Rendezvous?

Having the opportunity to support Science Rendezvous is one of the highlights of my career as an Education Librarian. The Kingston Science Rendezvous is a world class event driven by the most dedicated leaders and scientists I have ever known — Dr. Lynda Colgan and Kim Garrett. The opportunities they organized in 2021 for anyone interested to learn from top Canadian scientists was beyond amazing for me. To have the chance to create reading lists to complement the presentations of such brilliant scientists was exciting and rewarding and also just so much fun! Through the work of identifying children’s books on topics covered in Science Rendezvous 2021 I learned of many titles for our library to purchase, including beautiful Indigenous books and titles in French.

How and when did you get involved?

I started working on booklists to support Science Rendezvous a few years ago — maybe in 2019? But this is the first year that Science Rendezvous has taken place over so many days and the first year Catherine and I challenged ourselves to produce a reading list for all 16 days of the event! We loved the challenge and learned a lot along the way. Even better, we got to attend many of the Science Rendezvous events because they were online and we could schedule our work days to include science learning.

Favourite memory?

Hearing Dr. John Smol talk about the melting permafrost. Maybe more of a scary memory!

What is your favourite demonstration?

I loved hearing Dr. Kristine Spekkens speak about her work as an astrophysicist and I can imagine that hearing her talk about her work was an inspiration for young scientists in school today. It was really exciting to hear her talk about her studies of the Milky Way and how she seeks to understand more about how the universe works. I loved that she had photographs of the Milky Way galaxy and the telescope in Australia that she uses in her research visible behind her in her talk — it really helped to see how tools on earth can help us to learn about the mysterious universe.

Final thoughts for 2021, and will you be back in 2022?

I can’t wait for Science Rendezvou 2022! Really excited to hear about the themes and speakers and activities and demonstrations and workshops at this year’s events and to start looking for resources that could offer further reading on the topics covered.
Cailin Correia

Science Rendezvous Victoria

National SciComm Team 2021

“I think it’s particularly interesting how Science can serve as a means of measuring environmental health and how it can be used alongside other forms of knowledge to create innovative solutions to the environmental challenges we are facing.”

Cailin is a recent graduate of McGill University where she studied Environmental Biology and has recently moved to Victoria, BC, close to the mountains she grew up with. Cailin just started volunteering with Science Rendezvous this month, and is looking forward to having others join her excitement about the endless possibilities that Science has to offer! She hopes that through this position, she can contribute to the “Green Team”, and inform communities across Canada on how to participate in local action projects and educational opportunities.

“Science Rendezvous is so important because it makes science accessible among large and diverse audiences. The event features visual and interactive components, creating a space for all who are interested to share their knowledge, thoughts and ideas.”

Cailin discovered Science Rendezvous through her recent position as a Communications Coordinator with Ocean Networks Canada, a not-for-profit organization based in Victoria, BC, that pursues marine research and promotes ocean literacy. Currently, Cailin is also volunteering for a community meal program and works as a senior caregiver. This coming summer, Cailin will be trying her hands at farming and is looking forward to being outside among the vegetables she loves so dearly.
Catherine McKenzie

Canadian Association for Girls in Science

What is your academic background, and where are you employed or continuing your education?

I graduated from McMaster University with a Bachelor of Arts and Science, and earned a Bachelor of Education at Brock University. I’m working as a Project Coordinator with the Canadian Association for Girls in Science.

What research (or other STEM outreach/promotion/communication) do you do?

I work with CAGIS coordinators, volunteers, and our guest experts in putting together hands-on activities for our CAGIS Virtual program and doing outreach to schools and community groups.

Why Science Rendezvous?

We need science more than ever! And Science Rendezvous makes science accessible to families — something I appreciate as a parent.

How and when did you get involved?

This is my first year being involved on the content creation side! But I’ve attended events with my kids in the past.

Favourite memory?

I loved working with our team from CAGIS and hearing their ideas and enthusiasm for the event.

What is your favourite demonstration?

It’s so hard to pick just one! But I enjoyed seeing leaves “breathe” underwater.

Final thoughts for 2021, and will you be back in 2022?

Congratulations to all on a successful year. Definitely will be back in 2022!
Cynthia Henson

5-Year Volunteer

Simon Fraser University

What is your academic background?
Master in Business Administration, Bachelors degree in Broadcast Communication, Provincial Instructors Diploma program (teaching and learning)

Where are you employed?
Simon Fraser University – Faculty of Science, Manager for Outreach and Engagement. Work experience includes post-secondary teaching, curriculum design, work on student-engaged learning, brand management and event planning and coordination

What research (outreach/promotion/communication) do you do?
Outreach and Engagement initiatives for the Faculty of Science at SFU

Why Science Rendezvous? How and when did you get involved?
SR is an opportunity to engage the general public in science through creative hands-on activities and demonstrations, inspire their curiosity to learn science and deepen their appreciation for science applications in everyday life. Started organizing SR events for SFU in 2014.

What is your favourite demonstration?
Chemistry Magic Shows!
Douglas Chung

University of Toronto – St. George Campus

What is your academic background, and where are you employed or continuing your education?

My academic journey started at McMaster University where I completed my bachelor’s degree in Biology and Psychology. I am currently a PhD candidate at University of Toronto and Princess Margaret Hospital studying cancer immunology under the supervision of Dr. Pamela Ohashi.

What research (or other STEM outreach/promotion/communication) do you do?

My research involves understanding the role of innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) in promoting or suppressing the immune system within the ovarian tumour microenvironment. Outside of research, I am passionate about STEAM outreach and science communication. I have led the organization of science conferences for high school students (i.e. Let’s talk Cancer 2019 & IMMspire Immunology Symposium 2019) and redeveloped the High School Cancer Outreach Program during my term as Co-Chair of Canadian Cancer Society – Cancer Research Outreach Team. I am also involved in patient advocacy and partnership programs with BioCanRX, working to provide public-friendly educational material about current advances in cancer research. I also enjoy fencing, rock climbing, and hiking!

Why Science Rendezvous?

My first interaction with Science Rendezvous was when I volunteered as in our Department of Immunology booth back in 2018. I remember scrambling early in the cold May morning to wheel over an unsteady cart of microscopes, and dripping red dye into milk to mimic “fake blood” for our booths activity. As I stumbled through the instructions for our activity, trying to make sense of something I should’ve read the night before, I found myself surrounded by an ever-expanding crowd of young students captivated by the fake crime scene demonstration I have set up. After 3 hours of demonstrations which felt like they’ve flew by, I looked up for the first time at the rest of the festival and was genuinely astonished by the sheer scale of enthusiastic participants, jaw-dropping demonstrations, and passionate scientists who took time our of their busy schedules to inspire the next generation of young scientist. As cliché as this sounds, the breathtaking atmosphere of my first Science Rendezvous experience encouraged me to apply year after year to be a part of the Science Rendezvous Executive Team at University of Toronto.

Once I joined the executive team, I was instantly captured by the passionate and inspirational co-chairs Trinh Vo & Surath Gomis. They had always encouraged our executive team in turning our novel STEAM outreach ideas into reality. Through their leadership, the Science Rendezvous UofT team created numerous new initiatives, including: “Science Pitch”, “Stand Up and STEAM”, “I am a scientist”, and “SRHacks”. Finally, the entire executive team throughout these three years has been phenomenal and has made volunteering at Science Rendezvous the best experience out of all my other outreach initiatives thus far!

How and when did you get involved?

In 2018, I started my time at Science Rendezvous UofT as the Head of the Programming Team. It was an amazing opportunity working with Mallory Wiggins, Nikki Case, and Chelsea Sagil to put together the new “Stand Up and STEAM” stage to promote music, dance, and arts within STEAM. I remember them running around with speakerphones, headsets, and clipboards making sure all the needs of our departments, clubs, and organizations had everything they need to deliver an amazing science festival to the kids!

In 2019, we initiated a new branch from our executive team – “Outreach Team” – to promote STEAM throughout the Toronto community beyond our SR festival day.

In 2021, our Outreach Team (i.e. Mimi Le, Eduardo Garcia, Blake Ciolfi, and Adaeze Ibik) launched the first ever Science Rendezvous Hackathon (SRHacks) to encourage students in grades 6-8 to solve our worlds problems through programming and engineering. The challenge for SRHacks this year was for the students to create an innovation that will help make living-at-home easier during the COVID-19 pandemic. We had a diverse range of student participants with over 45.7% of students identify as female, 13% were newcomers to Canada, 41.3% identified as visible minorities, and 19.6% of students reported that SRHacks was their first science outreach/enrichment event they have ever participated in! Furthermore, 80% of students that replied to our feedback mentioned “SRHacks encouraged me to consider a career in science, programming or engineering”.

Favourite memory?

My favorite memory is by far the night before/morning of the Science Rendezvous UofT Festival in 2019. I remember all 30 of the volunteers staying up until midnight the night before the big event at McLennan Physical Building to prepare for the next day. Our team bonded over pizza and stressing out over the enormous task we had ahead of us. The next morning, we all woke up at 4:30am to start closing down St. George Street and setting up over 60 pavilions. That entire day flew by as we helped over 80+ departments set up their booths, helped lost children at the event find their parents, diverting people to booths that were hard to find tucked away in a building, and shouting schedules for the next event for our “Stand up and STEAM” event through the megaphones. Rarely do you see a team of 10000+ volunteers work so seamlessly together with the common goal of inspiring the next generation of young scientists. As we ended the day exhausted yet exhilarated from the large turnout, we went out to celebrate and was already bouncing off new ideas we could do for next year on SR festival day. That continuously energy and passion was infectious.

What is your favourite demonstration?

My favourite demonstration is the do-it-yourself hydraulic lift which I did live at The TVOKid Show with Monica Brighton as the host. This event was symbolic because we have just wrapped up the inaugural SRHacks 2021 and was now introducing our event and our finalists to all everyone across Canada through TVOkids network! It reminded me of how much work that our team has put to result in a month-long hackathon with over 860+ attendees, 80+ project submissions, 82+ volunteers, and 7 seminars and events.

The hydraulics workshop was also symbolic because it was one of the first science principles I learned through Air Cadets when I was 12 that inspired me to pursue a career within STEAM. I hope that this workshop and all the STEAM outreach events we have done as Science Rendezvous would be just as inspiring for other kids and students out there.

Final thoughts for 2021, and will you be back in 2022?

Despite a global pandemic happening, 2021 was an amazing time for me within Science Rendezvous. Everyone was extremely supportive and passionate about all the amazing virtual events we pulled off as a team! I hope to be back in 2022 as an advisor for SRHacks 2022 organizing team within Toronto, and hopefully help expand our event nation-wide.
Dr. Vita Martez

Southern Alberta Institute of Technology

What is your academic background, and where are you employed or continuing your education?

Academic Background: Ph.D in Environmental Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering University of Calgary: Employment with: Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, Department of Applied Research and Innovation Services (ARIS)

What research (or other STEM outreach/promotion/communication) do you do?

Our STEAM/STEM programs encompass participation/volunteering in the past for many years at the Calgary Science Fair, Beaker Head, Telus Spark, Lunch n learn, Faculty of excellence show case, First robotics, World Water Day, Earth day and Womens day locally; Thanks to the efforts of Science Rendezvous and their amazing support from Ontario, we have been able to host the STEAM events where teams of 51 capstone student teams were able to showcase innovation from many disciplines to our local community pre-COVID 19. This year we were able to participate in the Science Chase and we are looking forward to participating in the million tree project as well.

Why Science Rendezvous?

Science Rendezvous is unique because it is catalyzed by top notch thought leaders and their executive leadership in Canada. It provides support to science and innovations created by scientists and innovators, and the next generation of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) students, including people from all walks of life who are highly passionate about STEAM, from across Canada.

How and when did you get involved?

Katie Miller has been an inspiration and introduced us to Science Rendezvous in 2017. Her direct engagement, tireless efforts to encourage us and provide valuable support through her team particularly Celia Du helped us to get top management commitment to host this event at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. We have been involved since 2018.

Favourite memory?

The True North Project – Film by Emil Agopian: Emil Agopian won the first prize at the Science Rendezvous 2018 in the Arts Category of the STEAM. While all other winning teams comprising STEM were excellent, Emil’s True North Project was truly unique. It elevated the importance of the inclusion of “A” in STEM. It provided an avenue for a then young student (Emil Agopian) to blend multi-media plus information technologies into artistic pursuits and showcase it to Calgary’s local community of approximately 400 people.

Science Rendezvous 2018 at SAIT helped Emil springboard his project further. The True North Project, has garnered international awards for Directing and Editing, was a finalist for the European Cinematography Awards, won Best Documentary at the Monaco International Film Festival and was screened worldwide. Feel free to check it out. https://www.emilagopianfilm.com/

What is your favourite demonstration?

The water bike. We demonstrated a stationary bike which with pedal power was able to take turbid water and filter out suspended particles to generate clear water.

The project was called “WATER” YOU CAPABLE OF. The water bike was a favourite demonstration because we had a score board and a timer to encourage participants to pedal on the bike and filter out the highest volume of water in a minute. Needless to say this demonstration was sought by teams of young people pre-secondary and post secondary who pedalled hard to up their pedal time and increase the volume of filtered water!

Final thoughts for 2021, and will you be back in 2022?

Science Rendezvous is a world-class STEAM outreach program from Canada. Its governance model is modern and its approach inclusive. It coordinates the efforts of all participating institutions, reinvents public engagement with science through festival programming, and offers direction for event organizers successfully. It is a one of kind festival which promotes physical in-person and virtual experiences in science with Canada’s top researchers and scientists. The virtual 2021 Science Chase event had a staggering 17 million out reach which participants from around the world. We want to extend our deepest appreciation for the leadership team on Science Rendezvous. We hope to be back in 2022. Thank you
Emily Fung

University of Toronto – St. George Campus

National SciComm Team 2021
Erin M. McConnell

Science Rendezvous Ottawa

What is your academic background, and where are you employed or continuing your education?

I have a B.Sc. in neuroscience and a Ph.D. In chemistry, and I currently work as a postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Ottawa where I study single-molecule detection using nanotechnology.

What research (or other STEM outreach/promotion/communication) do you do?

I am a volunteer with the Canadian Association for Girls in Science – a group for girls ages 7-16 to explore their passions for STEM. I’m also involved with several initiatives that aim to support women in science.

Why Science Rendezvous?

I LOVE Science Rendezvous because there is something for everyone!

How and when did you get involved?

I first got involved with Science Rendezvous a few years ago, and have been involved in various capacities ever since!

Favourite memory?

My favourite memory so far was when we got to hold an in person event at the Burlington, Ontario, library. It was such a fun space and we met so many cool exhibitors and families!

What is your favourite demonstration?

Elephant’s toothpaste is my favourite demo of all time I think! But I also really love any demo that shows how different metals burn different colours (think fireworks!)

Final thoughts for 2021, and will you be back in 2022?

The Science Chase event was an amazing way to pivot virtually, but also allowed people to access science content all across Canada! It was definitely an amazing experience. I’ll be back for sure 🙂
Gurinder Kaur

College of the North Atlantic, Labrador West Campus

National SciComm Team 2021

What is your academic background, and where are you employed or continuing your education?

PhD in Physics with Postdoc from Japan. Currently Physics instructor at College of the North Atlantic (CNA)

What research (or other STEM outreach/promotion/communication) do you do?

My research work is focused on development and synthesis of glasses and materials in nanoforms for applications in electronic, optoelectronics and pharmaceutical industry. I am an active member of Canadian Association of Physicists, American Ceramic Society, Chalcogenider’s forum and Semiconductor Society of India. I received the Japan Society for Promotion of Science (JSPS) prior to coming to Canada. I have actively served on organizing committees of international conferences and chaired sessions since early stages of my career. Last summer I was invited to be judge at the students poster session at the International conference on Materials Science and Technology in US. Earlier this year I did a workshop session on effective science communication titled “Finding Order in Disorder” at the Connected learning Workshop at CNA.

Why Science Rendezvous?

I have always been passionate about promoting science. I think Science Rendezvous promotes science in a very systematic and effective manner. It does not put any pressure for excessive activities, I can spare time from my teaching and research for hosting the once a year event. At the same time, being the only researcher in Labrador West, it gives me an opportunity to stay tuned with the rest of the Scientific community.

How and when did you get involved?

In 2017 after publishing my book, I started looking for science promotion activities in Canada and came across SR through Google search. I immediately called the telephone number given on the SR site and talked to Katie. Since it was too late to join the 2017 event, we decided to go for the next one. The idea was well received by the college Research office and the campus administration as well..

Favourite memory?

For the 2021 event, getting together on campus for group photographs and doing the Mentos and Energy stick experiments while wearing a mask and maintaining physical distance was an enjoyable experience.

In 2018 we held our first SR event which was very well received by the local community in Labrador West, on the college campus as well as across the Province of NL. The event was attended by 700 members including 400 school students. There was a lot of excitement on the event day and in fact the Middle school students started dancing in the rooms showing the Light demos and northern lights and wherever they went. At one place I heard them communicating in a language unknown to me, there were no words only sounds and lot of excitement. That was my favorite memory.

What is your favourite demonstration?

National Science Chase demos and Mentos experiment for the virtual event in 2021 and Stacking chairs and Color changing beads for on campus event in 2018

Final thoughts for 2021, and will you be back in 2022?

The Virtual event in 2021 was a great learning experience for all participants. At one end it made all of us quite tech-savvy, while on the other end it required extra efforts and more time due to the constraints imposed by the covid-19 situation which restricted movement and limited access to resources and facilities. This also limited the number of volunteers for the event. But on the whole it was an enjoyable experience!

Yes, we hope to be back in 2022.
Jil Antonia Busmann

Canadian Association for Girls in Science

What is your academic background, and where are you employed or continuing your education?

I did my undergrad degree in biology and then switched to biochemistry for my grad studies. I am currently doing my PhD at Simon Fraser University in a chemical glycobiology lab.

What research (or other STEM outreach/promotion/communication) do you do?

I am a CAGIS coordinator of the CAGIS Vancouver chapter and facilitate educational science events for girls. I want to empower girls so that they can see themselves as smart and confident future scientists.

Why Science Rendezvous?

Science Rendezvous offers a great platform for reaching out to and engaging girls in cool science experiments. The activities at Science Rendezvous are very versatile and fun and enable girls to get in touch with science in a fun and easy way.

How and when did you get involved?

I got involved as a CAGIS coordinator a couple of years ago.

Favourite memory?

Making slime with the girls 😀 They were fascinated!

What is your favourite demonstration?

Making slime was my favorite demonstration because of the sheer number of girls that participated and asked excellent questions about the science behind making slime.

Final thoughts for 2021, and will you be back in 2022?

I think it was great making Science Rendezvous available online to continue to engage our future generation of scientists in experiments and activities. I would be very happy to be back in 2022!
Justine Tishinsky

Science Rendezvous University of Guelph-Humber

National SciComm Team 2021

As a new volunteer for Science Rendezvous, Dr. Justine Tishinsky is looking forward to working alongside others to promote the breadth and depth of scientific research happening across Canada. “To me, Science Rendezvous is all about inspiring the next generation of scientists and innovators.” Says Justine. “It’s about connecting with our community and making science both exciting and tangible for people of all ages.”

Justine completed her PhD in Human Health and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Guelph in 2012. Since then, she has been working as a coordinator of a large first year Biology of Health course at U of G, as well as teaching in nutrition and biology. Most recently, Justine was appointed as Interim Assistant Program Head of Kinesiology at the University of Guelph-Humber. It was here that Dr. Agnes Coutinho, Acting Program Head of Kinesiology, introduced her to Science Rendezvous.

“As soon as I heard about past Science Rendezvous events at the University of Guelph-Humber I knew I wanted to get involved.” Says Justine. “I’m very passionate about knowledge mobilization and education at all levels, and the mission of Science Rendezvous is something I deeply believe in.”

The University of Guelph-Humber has partnered with Let’s Talk Science and Astronomy in Action to offer their Virtual Science Rendezvous Event this May. The theme for their event is: I can live in space! Participants will be able to visualize their trip to space where they will learn about how the human body eats, sleeps, and exercises in a weightless environment. In keeping with the main Science Rendezvous STEAM GREEN theme, participants will also learn about climate change on earth from space. Space-based imagery and video will allow for a better understanding of Earth’s context in our universe. “We will be discussing life-sustaining properties of different planets which will really emphasize the fragility of our own environment here on Earth and how important it is to think green here in 2021!” says Justine.
Kim Garrison

Queen’s University

What is your academic background, and where are you employed or continuing your education?
I have a Psychology BA from Queen’s University and I was employed as the Operations Manager for the Clinical Simulation Centre for the Faculty of Health Sciences at Queen’s for 9 years. As of Monday, Dec. 2, I am working at the Clinical Education Centre.

What research (or other STEM outreach/promotion/communication) do you do?
As the Operations Manager, I coordinated the promotion, communication and marketing around the Clinical Simulation Centre. That includes outreach and recruitment pieces for the School of Medicine.

Why Science Rendezvous? How and when did you get involved?
We responded to an email request sent several years ago. Science Rendezvous has always been a delightful way to educate the public on science related projects and learning opportunities.

Favourite memory?
Watching a long line of youngsters waiting to try our trainers.

Final thoughts for 2019, and will you be back in 2020?
The CSC will be back in 2020. The new Operations Manager will organize the crew.
Lidya Salim

Durham College , Science Rendezvous Durham

National SciComm Team 2021

What is your academic background, and where are you employed or continuing your education?
I recently completed a PhD in Applied Bioscience at Ontario Tech University, where I currently work as an Educational Developer.

What research (or other STEM outreach/promotion/communication) do you do?
I worked in the Desaulniers Lab at Ontario Tech. My research involved the chemical synthesis of short interfering RNAs (siRNAs), small strands of RNA used to silence or reduce the expression of specific genes. I specifically worked on improving their delivery to target cells and tissues. I was also part of the Women in Science group at Ontario Tech as well as a founding member of the Ontario Tech-Trent Women in Chemistry (OTT-WIC) Chapter of the Canadian Women in Chemistry (CWIC) Network. Through these groups, we aimed to promote equity, diversity and inclusion in science. We also participated in various local events focused on STEM outreach and collaborate with the Durham District School Board to deliver workshops to elementary and high school students. Last, but not least, I am part of the Science Rendezvous team at Ontario Tech and Durham College.

Why Science Rendezvous?
Science Rendezvous is a one-a-kind event and the ultimate celebration of Science. I love the fact that so many institutions and organizations across Canada can come together to execute this amazing festival. We make science accessible for all through a variety of workshops, tours, activities and demos, and our attendees truly enjoy it!

How and when did you get involved?
I first heard about Science Rendezvous from one of my undergrad instructors, Annette Tavares, who is our lead organizer at Ontario Tech. I have always had a passion for STEM outreach and thought Science Rendezvous would be a great fit, so signed up as a volunteer. I have had the opportunity to perform different demos – from levitating orbs to artificial snow – and even helped develop a few activities. For the past couple years, I have been part of the organizing committee at Ontario Tech and have helped with the logistics of the event. It truly gets more fun every year!

Favourite memory?
My little brother Ryan is a Science Rendezvous fanatic, and he started volunteering with us a couple years ago. As a big sister, it’s been awesome to see him get involved and become so curious about Science thanks to this event.

What is your favourite demonstration?
We have so many great activities at the Ontario Tech/Durham College campus, but I particularly love our anatomy demos (journey into the brain, you gotta have heart, body building 101, breathe in breathe out, to name a few). I may be biased, but I was an Anatomy TA after all. We also have a really cool biodiversity gallery and a very hands-on forensics fun zone!

Final thoughts for 2019, and will you be back in 2020?
Science Rendezvous seems to get better every year. It’s great to see the enthusiasm and support from our community. It is so rewarding, and can’t wait for the next one! I will definitely be back in 2020.
Lisa Breen

Memorial University of Newfoundland
Mark Richardson

What is your academic background, and where are you employed or continuing your education?

Ph.D. Astrophysics from Arizona State University (2014), and a current M.Ed. student at Queen’s University. I am the Education and Outreach Officer at the Arthur B. McDonald Canadian Astroparticle Physics Research Institute based at Queen’s University.

What research (or other STEM outreach/promotion/communication) do you do?

My astronomy research is on how galaxies form and change through cosmic time. My education research is on museum-participant engagement and inquiry self-efficacy. I do lots of different astronomy, astrophysics, and astroparticle physics outreach, promotion, and communication and am always eager to find new ways to share the excitement of science with new people.

Why Science Rendezvous?

Science Rendezvous is a fantastic opportunity to engage people from all corners with a broad collection of science and scientific wonders. Many outreach efforts happen on university grounds that may have physical and social barriers for members of the public. Science Rendezvous overcomes these barriers by embedding itself in and with the community. Further, the cross-disciplinary structure of Science Rendezvous means that there will be something to speak to everyone, while also revealing fascinating connections that exist in the sciences that are so often difficult to see when we stay in our departments and offices.

How and when did you get involved?

I first got involved in 2018/2019 through existing Science Rendezvous efforts from Queen’s University Physics under Alex Wright’s lead. Science Rendezvous Kingston is such a huge event that is always finding new ways to innovate, and so I’ve also had the opportunity to work with the lead organizers in opportunities to promote and grow Science Rendezvous in Kingston.

Favourite memory?

In 2019, the kids screaming in delight as they were hit with smoke rings from our vortex cannon, while behind me other kids were giggling at their sibling’s hair standing on end as they touched a Van de Graaff. I’ll never forget the sounds of excitement happening throughout the whole hall.

What is your favourite demonstration?

My favourite demonstration was Dippy the Diplodocus at Science Rendezvous Kingston 2019. No matter where you were in the hall, you could see Dippy and how he excited every kid as they came in.

Final thoughts for 2021, and will you be back in 2022?

2021 was a difficult year for engaging the public, but also a fantastic opportunity! We had the ability to pivot to a virtual space where we could reach even more people, and it was so much fun to create a new way to educate and entertain people at home. I can’t wait for 2022!
Marty Byrne

College of the North Atlantic, Labrador West Campus

What is your academic background, and where are you employed or continuing your education?

Bachelor of arts Memorial University of Newfoundland

What research (or other STEM outreach/promotion/communication) do you do?

Art research

Why Science Rendezvous?

To share art and the science behind art.

How and when did you get involved?

In 2021 I was approached by Gurinder to help out and I have enjoyed working with her ever since.

Favourite memory?

The thought of kids enjoying my art demos and it inspiring them to create is my favorite part.

What is your favourite demonstration?

The potter’s wheel demo.

Final thoughts for 2021, and will you be back in 2022?

Yes hopefully I will be back in 2022 for in person demos after the pandemic.
Michelle Barry

College of the North Atlantic, Labrador West Campus

What is your academic background, and where are you employed or continuing your education?

Bachelor of arts Memorial University of Newfoundland

What research (or other STEM outreach/promotion/communication) do you do?

All of my role at CNA is promotion and communications – internal and external.

Why Science Rendezvous?

Gurinder Kaur has put a lot of energy and time into organizing the Labrador West campus event, and asked me to be part of the event hosting and promotion … was only too happy to do so!

How and when did you get involved?

2018

Favourite memory?

Receiving my Science-Rendezvous T-shirt in the mail during COVID times 🙂

What is your favourite demonstration?

Hovercraft

Final thoughts for 2021, and will you be back in 2022?

Absolutely! I am sure that as the world slowly returns to in-person, on-campus events, this one will be back in no time from being solely virtual. It’s a great opportunity for youth to explore their STEAM in a fun way!
Michelle Bondy

5-Year Volunteer

University of Windsor

What is your academic background, and where are you employed or continuing your education?
I have a BSc and MSc in Biology, and a Bachelor of Education. I am an Experiential Learning Specialist for the School of the Environment and Faculty of Science at UWindsor.

What research (or other STEM outreach/promotion/communication) do you do?
My educational background is biology – for my Masters I studied population genetics and population ecology in songbirds. I am no longer doing scientific research though in my current role I still get to engage in research projects related to teaching and learning. I teach experiential learning courses for undergraduate science students, and I coordinate several outreach programs and events in the Faculty of Science, including Science Rendezvous of course!

Why Science Rendezvous?
Science Rendezvous is so exciting and important because it brings together a wide variety of groups and individuals in our community who want to celebrate STEM! At the UWindsor event, we have research labs and student groups participate, as well as community groups from off-campus. We all come together to share our love for science with the youth and families who visit throughout the day. An event like Science Rendezvous highlights how collaborative the scientific community is, which is important for young people to see.

How and when did you get involved?
I began volunteering for Science Rendezvous Windsor in 2012. I was introduced to Dr. Chitra Rangan, who organized the first Science Rendezvous Windsor in 2010 and had continued to serve as the Faculty Advisor. I was a volunteer that year, and loved being a part of it. I was lucky enough to get hired by the University of Windsor the following year and it became part of my job to help organize the event. It was a big jump from volunteer to organizer but I learned a lot from Dr. Rangan.

Favourite memory?
I have a lot of good memories from various Science Rendezvous events over the years, I’m having a hard time picking just one! When I think back on some of those memories the reason they stand out is the people that are in them. I have had the pleasure of working with fantastic students, staff, faculty, volunteers, and fellow science outreach professionals from the community because of Science Rendezvous and I am grateful for that.

What is your favourite demonstration?
Fire tornado! Dr. Steve Rehse, who is now head of the UWindsor Physics Department, debuted this around the time that I began getting involved with Science Rendezvous in 2012. I never get tired of seeing it. It’s exciting to watch and demonstrates the conservation of angular momentum in a very clear way. It’s always the highlight of the “Phunky Physics” show at Science Rendezvous Windsor!

Final thoughts for 2019, and will you be back in 2020?
I will definitely be back! We will be forming our 2020 student organizing committee very soon.
Surath Gomis

University of Toronto – St. George Campus

What is your academic background, and where are you employed or continuing your education?

I am currently completing my PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Toronto, having done my undergraduate degree in Engineering Physics from the University of Saskatchewan!

What research (or other STEM outreach/promotion/communication) do you do?

My research focuses on creating devices to help many aspects of human health. I’ve previously created devices to isolate stem cells for retinal therapy, used machine learning for drug discovery, and currently am developing rapid tests for patients to monitor chronic and infectious diseases from home.

Why Science Rendezvous?

Throughout my time at Science Rendezvous, I’ve seen all of the Canadian sites and partners promote STEAM literacy in fun and unique ways. With activities, demonstrations, shows, talks, and galleries just to name a few, SR always tries to inspire youth, makes science accessible, and encourages questioning and curiosity. SR provides the encouragement to show that anyone can become a scientist!

How and when did you get involved?

I got involved with SR in 2017, early in my graduate studies and just a year after moving to Toronto from Saskatoon. I was involved with science outreach in the past and wanted to find similar opportunities in Toronto. SR was a perfect opportunity, and I joined the Science Chase team and fell in love with SR. It offered so many unique activities, and it was so fun to work with such a motivated team!

Favourite memory?

My favourite memory has to be the whole experience at the SR 2019 festival at the University of Toronto St. George (UTSG). This was my first year as Co-Chair for the event, along with my fellow Co-Chair Trinh Vo, and seeing the whole year of planning come together was such a cool experience. While a lot of the day was going around the festival to make sure all our sub-team activities, booths, and volunteers had everything they needed (I clocked in around 35km of walking that day!), every so often I was able to take a small break to watch an activity. Seeing the kids mesmerized as a volunteer spoke, demonstrated the activity, and the “woooooww” yelled out if something cool happened was the real treat of putting on the festival.

What is your favourite demonstration?

I have a soft spot for all the Science Chase demos (I was an SC exec member in my first year of SR)! Over the years the demos included making edible water bottles, extracting DNA from fruit, and using a gadget to use anything (like bananas) as the buttons to play Pacman!

Final thoughts for 2021, and will you be back in 2022?

SR 2021 was a whole new experience for our exec team in transitioning the whole festival into a virtual format. My fellow Co-Chair and I are so proud of what our SR UTSG team was able to achieve, creating a full day webinar series with 30+ booths, and going above and beyond with a new series of video interviews called I Am A Scientist and an outreach competition called SRHacks. Our team has grown so much over the years, with so many new ideas having turned into even more sub-teams, and I can without hesitation say that the SR team has been the best group of inspired, dedicated, and passionate people I have ever worked with. Having been Co-Chair for the last three years, it is now time to pass on the torch. I will still be involved in 2022 to advise and provide support for the new SR UTSG team, and am excited to attend the 2022 festival!
Tabitha Wood

10-Year Volunteer

University of Manitoba
Timothy Lo

5-Year Volunteer

Science Rendezvous Ottawa

What is your academic background, and where are you employed or continuing your education?

My academic background is in botany with a focus on bacterial diseases. I then did a 180 and am now entering the third year of my Medical Degree where I hope to pursue psychiatry or family medicine.

What research (or other STEM outreach/promotion/communication) do you do?

I volunteer with Let’s Talk Science where I teach elementary school kids about different areas of STEM! I was also the Team Lead for the medical student volunteers this past year at the University of Ottawa where I trained volunteers and advocated on their behalf.

I am also part of the advisory committee of ArtSci Salon, which is a group of scientists and artists that aim to bridge the gap between Art and Science. My role is to provide ideas and help put together events for the public to increase awareness of the intersection of Science and Art.

Why Science Rendezvous?

I love Science Rendezvous and what they stand for! I think STEM research is incredibly hard to understand if you’re not active in that specific field. SR’s aim of bringing scientists and youth together makes it worthwhile for everyone. Scientists learn how to communicate their research/passion in a more understandable manner and also get to be creative in making interactive and engaging booths. Meanwhile, youth and the public get to perform and see some fascinating experiments, learn about different areas of STEM and meet the people that are doing the research.

How and when did you get involved?

I got involved in 2013 at the University of Toronto when my friend Jennifer Duan asked if I wanted to volunteer for Science Rendezvous. She had volunteered for many years before and told me about her awesome experiences, so I thought I would finally give it a try!

I loved it so much that I continued as a volunteer before deciding to apply and become a volunteer coordinator in 2016. I had an amazing time working with the volunteers and making sure they were having a great experience. I really wanted everyone to love SR as much as I had!

Then in 2017, I applied to become a Co-Chair for SR2018 and I had a wonderful Co-Chair, Meghan Lysko, and amazing team. It was quite a step up from volunteer coordinator and I am so thankful to everyone on the team that helped bring together an amazing festival. I’m still so proud we got to start the SciArt Gallery and listen to feedback and bring in food trucks to make the festival experience even better!

I then switched over to the University of Ottawa and I’ve been trying to spearhead SR there ever since. With SR2021, I created an online scavenger hunt that incorporated local features to engage youth!

Favourite memory?

The first was my first time volunteering at the liquid nitrogen booth. I had so much fun teaching kids about water through liquid nitrogen. I would tell the youth that water was in all living organisms including the flowers in front of us. However, it wasn’t until they froze the petals and crushed it like ice, that I could see them make the connection. Seeing that moment of connection on their faces always brings a smile to me.

The second is when Ravitej Rekhi and I created the first SciArt Gallery for SR. We had to come up with everything from scratch and I am so thankful for Ravitej for helping put it together and really leading it on event day. It was quite a challenge coordinating all the artists and ensuring they had the space and equipment they needed for their exhibits. Ravitej and I learned so much about planning an art gallery and from the artists themselves. We got such great feedback about the SciArt Gallery and I’m so proud it has continued on since!

What is your favourite demonstration?

My favourite demo is probably one about the microbiome and learning about how bacteria and our digestive system work together. It was a really cute demo with small toy toilets and kids could create their own poop. I didn’t get to do it, but I saw all the kids and parents really engaged about learning about the microbiome in this very non-academic manner!

Final thoughts for 2021, and will you be back in 2022?

I loved seeing all the different event sites and what they did virtually; It was a truly impressive effort all across Canada and I hope people enjoyed it!

I hope to be involved with SR in some capacity! It will probably not be the lead of an event site as I will be starting rotations in the hospital this coming Fall, though I hope to help as much as I can!
Trinh Vo

5-Year Volunteer

University of Toronto – St. George Campus

What is your academic background, and where are you employed or continuing your education?

I am a fellow UofT Alumnus (HBSc, 2018) and majored in Genome Biology and Health & Disease during my years as an undergrad. Currently, I am working as a Program Manager at the Creative Destruction Lab – Toronto (CDL-Toronto) at the Rotman School of Management, where big ideas become even bigger actions. CDL-Toronto is a non-profit organization that provides science- and technology-centric companies with business expertise from our mentors in an objectives-based program that enables them to massively scale their ventures.

What research (or other STEM outreach/promotion/communication) do you do?

During my undergrad, I was very fortunate to spend the majority of my years as a research student in the Desveaux Lab under the Department of Cell & Systems Biology (very notable mentions as well to the Guttman Lab and Provart Lab) and I am especially fond of all of my graduate student mentors (some of which are now my very dear friends) and supervisors for all of the support they gave me.

I’ve always had a passion for sharing knowledge to younger students which began when I was a camp counsellor for the Boys & Girls Club of Canada. After that chapter, I became an avid volunteer in health care for 7 years and eventually led and trained student volunteers at the Michael Garron Hospital. But when I found Science Rendezvous at UofT, that became my next passion project – an opportunity to be involved in STEM outreach for youth while also navigating my budding love for complex project management and large-scale event planning. My time at Science Rendezvous is what enabled me to flourish in my current role as Program Manager at CDL-Toronto and since I will always have a passion for STEM outreach, I am very happy to be involved with the CDL Apprentice Program that’s geared for young women 14-18 years of age with a keen interest in how science and technology has been revolutionizing the world around them and the opportunities available to them as future leaders.

Why Science Rendezvous?

As I’ve been involved with Science Rendezvous for the past 5 years, I find it hard to remember exactly what went through my mind when I initially heard of SR but the idea of being involved in something big while enriching students with STEM was one of the reasons I chose SR over just any club. What I gravitated towards eventually brought me to where I am today and I am positive that it was a mixture of feeling ambitious to try something new, a wanting to befriend other students at such an overwhelmingly large campus and the hope that pushing my comfort zone will enable me to be less afraid of the unknown.

How and when did you get involved?

When the call for applications came in fall of 2016, I was excited to try something new but equally nervous that it would be a bit outside of my comfort zone since I had never heard of Science Rendezvous prior to that. I still remember going into my interview and feeling a huge amount of anxiety. Even when I didn’t get my first pick, although a bit disappointed, I was very thrilled to be a part of the Science Chase team as an executive and eventually I loved it so much that I took on the Science Chase Head Exec role the following year and from there onwards I served as Co-Chair for the next 3 years.

Favourite memory?

Having been involved for 5 years gives you an album of memories worth cherishing for a lifetime – so finding a favourite is near impossible! I will say that one of the most fondest memories I have involve my SR executive team and Co-Chair, Surath, where we were all prepping the night before SR and had gathered inside the McLennan Physical building. It was getting quite late into the night and our passion project then became making customized staff ensemble with our names graffitied on the back of bold, red SR t-shirts using black spray paint. Not only did we make a huge mess (which took a lot of muscle power to clean up), it was the first time we had official team attire for our execs. Amidst the stained hands frantically scrubbing away at the floors and the contagious laughter, these were the moments that kept our team together and it was what made SR so special to me. Notable mentions of course include: all of the pizza boxes we must have collected from our team meetings, humorous quips between Co-Chairs, team socials involving copious amounts of board games or bubble tea and sitting around our storage room (exhausted) at the end of SR 2019 comparing how many steps we each took that day with triumph. Every memory I have is indeed a magical one and I owe it to the folks that make up our executive team throughout these years.

What is your favourite demonstration?

When I first joined SR on the Science Chase team, I was determined to bring a new activity that allowed young participants to be more hands-on – cue the unveiling of the edible water bottle experiment; both a gastronomical delight in the culinary world and an innovative way to keep runners hydrated during marathons by having small, edible gel pouches contained with water. By pouring a small amount of a sodium alginate solution into a solution of calcium lactate, a spherification reaction will occur when the calcium ions react with the alginate to form a gel membrane encasing the sodium alginate into a clear, almost-fully transparent water bubble that can be held with your hands.

Final thoughts for 2021, and will you be back in 2022?

SR 2021 was one of the most difficult years for us but amidst the uncertainty we all faced both in our personal and daily lives, along with the many hurdles posed by COVID, our UofT SR team rose to challenge with exceptional leadership, grace and skill. My Co-Chair, Surath, and I owe it to our team for their time, dedication, enthusiasm and commitment to planning and executing our program operations in a fully virtual space. We measure success through the engagement and impact our events have on the youth and their families in our communities so the amount of positive feedback we received was indicative of this. All of our events were phenomenal this year and our team was even ambitious enough to unveil new initiatives such as the interview-based video series, “I Am A Scientist”, which follows successful scientists in their daily lives and laboratory environments such as immunologist Dr. Akiko Iwasaki, astrophysicist Dr. Renée Hložekand, and political candidate Dr. Phil De Luna. We also launched an entirely new program called “SR Hacks”; a first-ever youth coding and engineering hackathon where students find unique solutions to real-world problems. Throughout 28 days, SRHacks showcased a series of workshops and speaker sessions to provide over 860 attendees with interactive STEAM learning and we received 260+ hackathon registrants, with 80+ project submissions and provided $1220 in prizes. SR 2021 will be my final year as Co-Chair but it will not be my last SR; I will be taking on an advisory role to provide insight to our next year successors and I look forward to being involved for the years to come where we will be able to bring science from our labs back out onto the streets so science and people can finally meet again, in-person!
Valerie Miller

Future Energy Systems at TELUS World of Science – Edmonton

What is your academic background, and where are you employed or continuing your education?

BSc in Biology and Environmental and Resource Science from Trent University, PhD in Land Reclamation from University of Alberta; currently Coordinator for Land Reclamation International Graduate School and Outreach and Engagement Coordinator for Future Energy Systems at University of Alberta

What research (or other STEM outreach/promotion/communication) do you do?

I finished my PhD in land reclamation, focused on building soils using mine waste materials at a northern mine. Throughout my PhD, I found a passion for science communication, volunteering with Nature Kids, Alberta Envirothon, Telus World of Science, etc. Now as the Outreach and Engagement Coordinator at Future Energy Systems, I help researchers studying various aspects of energy to share their research with the community in a variety of ways like videos, social media, tours, public talks, etc. As Coordinator of the Land Reclamation International Graduate School, I get to help other students passionate about land reclamation expand their knowledge and opportunities.

Why Science Rendezvous?

Science Rendezvous is an amazing organization that helps people connect with STEM, something that I am very passionate about.

How and when did you get involved?

I learned about Science Rendezvous at the STAN conference in February and quickly connected with Katie and joined in March. Despite Science Rendezvous only being a couple months away, we were so excited and put together our first Science Chase.

Favourite memory?

With the event being online, we didn’t get to directly interact with our Science Chasers, but I loved interacting with all the other organizers. It was great to see everyone’s passion for sharing STEM. And it was great to see the viewership of our videos increasing, and knowing that it meant people were engaging and learning about energy.

What is your favourite demonstration?

It is impossible to select my favourite demo, each one has a special place in my heart. Due to my background in land reclamation, I do love the germination experiment as it combines ecology, math and a bit of mystery to discover what conditions make your seeds germinate.

Final thoughts for 2021, and will you be back in 2022?

We will absolutely be back in 2022! This year was a wonderful introduction to the program and we can’t wait to see what is possible next year.