Today, digital technology has completely transformed Let’s Talk Science, and we now offer a robust suite of online programming for students, educators, post-secondary volunteers and families in addition to in-person programs. The pandemic revealed our resiliency, innovative spirit and family culture.¹

Public recognition of the importance of STEM is now high. Public trust in scientists outstrips that of all other public leaders (e.g., industry, government, religious leaders).² The COVID-19 pandemic and the rapid rise of disinformation have shined a bright light on the importance of scientific literacy and effective STEM communication. Furthermore, the urgency posed by climate change and the STEM-based innovation that will be required to drive a green economy means that even more must be done to improve STEM education.

In 1993, as I was preparing to defend my Ph.D., I was approached by Joan Francolini, a remarkable woman who was executive director of the Lawson Foundation at the time. She had heard about my outreach efforts and knew I was planning to leave to pursue post-doctoral studies. Francolini suggested that I instead spend two years focusing on growing my project. The Lawson Foundation provided a modest operating budget and Western University offered space and support. Two years later, Francolini secured a funding extension and assembled an advisory committee of local leaders, including Mitchell Baran, who later became the founding chair of the Let’s Talk Science board of directors, and Gordon Osbaldeston, retired clerk of the Privy Council (the highest-ranking public servant in the Canadian federal government). These three people mentored me on business development, social impact, and the role of public policy. Today, Let’s Talk Science is extremely fortunate to have strong support from industry, governments and individuals, although the funding environment has changed enormously.

Building Skills for Life

In an ever-changing world, children and youth need to be curious, ask questions, and be capable of challenging the status quo in order to succeed. In a world increasingly driven by innovation, the demand for people who can fill science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) jobs will only continue to increase, but the reality is that most students disengage from STEM courses before graduating high school.

An award-winning, national, charitable organization, Let’s Talk Science has provided engaging, evidence-based STEM programs for more than 25 years at no cost for youth and educators in Canada. Through easy access to professional learning resources, educators have opportunities to discover and use effective learning strategies to develop and strengthen students’ questioning and problem-solving skills, and offer experiential and digital programs that engage youth in meaningful STEM learning from early years to high school graduation.

Since its inception in 1993, Let’s Talk Science has impacted more than 9.5 million youth in Canada.

letstalkscience.ca

What Must Change

The world needs STEM, and STEM needs people with diverse perspectives, talents and lived experiences to address the most pressing issues facing our planet. However, long-standing systemic inequalities have prevented full and meaningful participation of many audiences, including women, Indigenous peoples, people of color, people with disabilities, and people who identify as LGBTQ2S+. Additional barriers such as language, geography, access to technology, and financial status have also limited participation. Uptake of secondary school STEM courses remains too low and educators continue to lack resources, training and support to teach STEM. Additionally, we must face our own unconscious biases to address the root causes of insufficient STEM representation, including racism, gender discrimination, poverty, and the school curriculum itself.

Curriculum evolves too slowly. Often it lacks relevance to students’ lives and clear pathways to post-secondary learning and potential careers. Curriculum resources in Canada do not include enough diversity, and the focus on Western science is ubiquitous and seemingly entrenched. The frontiers of STEM fields, such as genomics, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, robotics and more are transforming our world. Traditional knowledge (e.g., Indigenous Ways of Knowing) is increasingly valued for building a more complete understanding of STEM-based issues. Yet high school students too often study material similar to what I studied in high school. Moving forward with fundamentals is critical, but excluding emerging STEM fields and failing to promote the importance of diverse STEM-educated people to tackle our greatest challenges are missed opportunities. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals³ (SDGs) offer a powerful context for education, but too few people know about them.

How I Have Changed

According to my mother, people said I was “bossy” when I was just three years old! Apparently, she countered that I was developing leadership skills. I was fortunate that she did not allow me to be framed by gender stereotypes. I grew up in a cisgender, straight, able-bodied, white environment. I don’t recall ever hearing language in my home that discriminated on race, religion, disability or sexual orientation, but I have since come to better understand the impact of my own privilege. This past year has been especially difficult as I have worked to confront my own biases and learn about systemic racism, the meaning of allyship and my role in supporting anti-racism. I’ve learned that I have much more to learn. I have tried hard to quiet that “bossy” gene and listen carefully to the stories of people who have been negatively impacted by society in ways that I never considered.

Thanks to years of impactful mentoring, I have learned three key leadership lessons:

1. People are the heart of everything and serving them is paramount.
2. A charity can and should be governed and managed like a business.
3. Public policy is critical to achieving long-term, sustainable, system-wide impact.

Changing Tides

I clearly recall the day in 1998 when I announced my pregnancy, rather hesitantly, to Mitch Baran and Gordon Osbaldeston. I was sure that these two wildly successful older men would question my commitment to my work. In fact, their reaction was the polar opposite, as one cheered and the other said, “Now you’ll finally, truly understand why your work is so important.” They were right. My daughter quickly became my primary inspiration, and through her I learned why the work of Let’s Talk Science is so important.

I have been very fortunate to spend my career with an incredible team of staff, volunteers, mentors and partners helping youth become equipped to thrive and contribute in the world. The work is never-ending and even more important now than it was 30 years ago. As I now mentor a remarkable young man in Kathmandu who founded STEM Foundation Nepal, I am learning about the many serious challenges he faces in this small and turbulent part of the world. We both share the conviction that every child deserves to engage in meaningful learning opportunities that unleash and develop their creative genius and critical thinking skills. Investments in STEM education will pay dividends for generations; our future depends on it.

¹Let’s Talk Science’s successful response to the COVID-19 pandemic was published in Policy Magazine (Oct, 2020): https://policymagazine.ca/innovating-through-crisis/
²Edelman Trust Barometer (2021): https://www.edelman.com/sites/g/files/aatuss191/files/2021-03/2021%20Edelman%20Trust%20Barometer.pdf
³The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, providing an action plan described through 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): https://sdgs.un.org/goals.