Government of Canada Investments Promote Science and Engineering to Canada's Youth

FREDERICTON, NEW BRUNSWICK--(Marketwire - July 12, 2011) - Science centres, museums, and other organizations across Canada today received funding to teach young Canadians about astronomy, forest conservation, mathematics, sustainable energy, and other science and engineering fields. The Honourable Keith Ashfield, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway, on behalf of the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology), made the announcement at the University of New Brunswick.

"Our government wants to encourage more young people to explore an education or career in science and engineering in order to keep Canada's economy growing and creating jobs in the future," said Minister Ashfield. "This program will give youth in communities across the country an opportunity to discover the benefits of these fields."

Through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)'s PromoScience Program, the Government of Canada will provide $2.9 million to 58 organizations promoting science and engineering to young Canadians. The organizations include universities, non-governmental organizations, museums, science centres and other groups.

This year's recipients include Actua—a national registered charity that will receive over $198,000 in funding over three years. Through its growing network of 33 member organizations located at universities and colleges across Canada, Actua will deliver hands-on science and engineering outreach programs that reach 600,000 youth in over 500 communities nationwide.

The announcement today was made at Worlds UNBound—an Actua member located at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton. Through Actua's grant, Worlds UNBound will receive funding to support science and engineering outreach programming for youth throughout New Brunswick. Programming is delivered by undergraduate science and engineering students who make excellent role models and inspire youth to imagine themselves in enriching careers.

"Fostering scientific discovery is central to NSERC's mandate," said NSERC President Suzanne Fortier. "These organizations play a vital role in promoting science to children and youth. They provide the spark that, in the right environment, will lead to a lifetime of creativity, generating new knowledge and the researchers of tomorrow."

NSERC is a federal agency that helps make Canada a country of discoverers and innovators for all Canadians. The agency supports some 30,000 post-secondary students and postdoctoral fellows in their advanced studies. NSERC promotes discovery by funding more than 12,000 professors every year and fosters innovation by encouraging more than 1,500 Canadian companies to participate and invest in post-secondary research projects.

A complete list of the PromoScience recipients can be found at www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca.