SFU Applied Sciences Outreach offers fun, engaging workshops and resources that encourage youths to explore topics in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). We aim to not only enhance STEM literacy among youths in BC, but also foster an appreciation of how science can be used to make sense of the world we live in and improve how we do things.
About STEM Speaker Series
The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Speaker Series provides secondary school students with the opportunity to meet and interact with role models in STEM fields. During this event, our guest speakers, which consist of graduate students, faculty members, and/or working professionals, will talk about their career path and what made them pursue the field they are in. They will also present and discuss a meaningful project they have worked on or are currently working on. Finally, there will be a Q&A session for students to ask questions and interact with our guest speakers. This speaker series is also open to the public as we want to encourage parents, guardians, and teachers to join us in supporting youths who are interested in pursuing post-secondary studies in these disciplines.
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Past Workshops
What is Environmental Science?
What is Computer Science?
What is Software Engineering?
Software Engineering is a branch of computer science that involves the designing, development, coding and testing of softwares. It's a dynamic field that challenges people to be creative problem-solvers. If you are an aspriing software engineer, join Dr. Brian Fraser on this exciting talk!
What is Forensic Science?
The Canadian Society of Forensic Science (CSFS) defined forensic science as 'the application of science, and the scientific method to the judicial system.' We will be joined by Dr.Gail Anderson, an SFU professor and the Co-Director of CSFS, to explore the world of forensic entomology (use of insects in criminial investigation). She will also highlight a case in which a miscarriage of justice was corrected using insects, or rather, in this case, a lack of insects, when they should have been there.
What is Bioinformatics?
Bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary field that involves a wide range of scientific disciplines, including genetics, molecular biology, computer science, statistics, and information engineering. Scientists in this field of study employ computational methods and statistics to understand biological phenomena and function. Significant contributions of this field include identifying disease-causing genes, developing software to analyze large-scale biological data, exploring microbial communities in our guts, and many more!
What is Public Health?
Public health is defined as "the organized effort of society to keep people healthy and prevent injury, illness and premature death" by Canadian Public Health Association. This could be achieved through a variety of ways, including research, policies, and educational programs. Additionally, this area of study has become increasingly relevant due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.