CSPC 2017

Let’s Talk Science Outreach coordinators are post-secondary students who facilitate the outreach taking place in classrooms and community events across Canada. Together, they lead thousands of volunteers who in 2016 reached more than 260,000 youth and 62,000 members of the general public.
In a time when “alternative facts” abound, it is more important than ever that the public understands the value of science, and the need for research in evidence-based policy. Outreach provides a platform for scientists to engage the public in their research and help them understand the nature of science. While many traditional obstacles related to outreach have disappeared, several remain.
In this talk Melissa Mathers, a site outreach coordinator from York University, will provide insight into the barriers outreach scientists are currently facing, and how they can be overcome. She will discuss the value of science outreach to youth, the public, and also to post-secondary volunteers and the institutions to which they belong.