Actua

Actua is a Canadian charitable organization^[1] that delivers science, engineering and technology educational programs to young people in Canada.^[2][3][4]

Actua's stated mission is "to provide young Canadians with life-changing science, engineering and technology experiences that inspire youth to achieve their potential and fulfill their critical role in the world."^[5][6]

The organization is a member of the Science and Technology Awareness Network (S.T.A.N.). Actua's president and CEO is Jennifer E. Flanagan.^[7]

Structure and programs

Actua operates on a membership structure, consisting of member organizations located at 31 university and college institutions across Canada.^[8] Actua’s member programs are delivered by undergraduate and high school students^[9] through science camps and workshops, which are customized to the needs of local communities.^[10]

The programs use hands-on activities in fields such as health, mining, biology and ecology.^[11][12] The majority of member organizations also travel outside the urban centers where they are located to deliver camps and workshops in rural and remote communities.^[13]

The programs include:

• National Mentorship Program^[4][14]
• National Aboriginal Outreach Program^{[10][15][16][17]}
• National Girls Program^[18][19][20]
• Go Where Kids Are Program^[21][22]

National members

The program has 33 members throughout the various provinces and territories of Canada.

British Columbia

• Kamloops: EUReKA! Science Program at Thompson Rivers University
• Vancouver: GEERing Up! at the University of British Columbia
• Burnaby: Science AL!VE at Simon Fraser University
• Victoria: Science Venture at the University of Victoria

Yukon

• Whitehorse: Science Adventures at Yukon College

Alberta

• Lethbridge: Destination Exploration at the University of Lethbridge
• Edmonton: DiscoverE at the University of Alberta
• Calgary: Minds in Motion at the University of Calgary
• Red Deer: Science Promotion at Red Deer College

Saskatchewan

• Regina: EYES (Educating Youth in Engineering & Science) at the University of Regina and FNU Health and Science Camp at First Nations University of Canada
• Saskatoon: SCI-FI Science Camps at the University of Saskatchewan

Manitoba

• Brandon: Mini University at Brandon University
• Winnipeg: Eco-Kids at the University of Winnipeg and WISE Kid-Netic Energy at the University of Manitoba

Nunavut

• Iqaluit: Simply Science at the Nunavut Research Institute

Ontario

• Ottawa: Adventures in Engineering and Science at the University of Ottawa and Virtual Ventures at Carleton University
• Guelph: Creative Encounters at the University of Guelph
• London: Discovery Western at the University of Western Ontario
• Toronto: Engineering Outreach at the University of Toronto and Science Explorations at York University
• Waterloo: ESQ at the University of Waterloo
• Kingston: Science Discovery and Science Quest at Queen's University
• Thunder Bay: Superior Science at Lakehead University
• Hamilton: Venture Engineering and Science at McMaster University

Quebec

• Montreal: Folie Technique at École Polytechnique de Montréal
• Trois-Rivières: Génitrucs at Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
• Laval: Musée Armand Frappier at Centre d'interprétation des Biosciences

New Brunswick

• Fredericton: Worlds UNBound at the University of New Brunswick

Nova Scotia

• Halifax: SuperNOVA at Dalhousie University
• Antigonish: X-Chem Outreach Program at St. Francis Xavier University^[23]

Awards

In 2009, the Ontario Trillium Foundation named Actua and its 11 Ontario members the winner of the Minister's Award recognizing not-for-profit organizations that have had "an exceptional impact in their communities."^[24] In 2000, Actua was awarded the Michael Smith Award by the National Science and Engineering Research Council.^[25] In 2000, Actua was awarded the Michael Smith Award by the National Science and Engineering Research Council.^[26]

In 2000, Actua submitted its programs to an independent evaluation process to measure their programs' effectiveness. The three-year research initiative surveyed student participants who revealed that, as a result of their experience with Actua programs:

• 83% felt that they were more confident in their ability to do technology and science;
• 84% stated that their enjoyment of technology and science had increased;
• 81% stated that their knowledge of engineering had increased;
• 84% felt that they would do better in technology and science at school;
• 75% stated that they were more likely to take optional science in high school; and
• 74% stated that they were more likely to study science in university^[27]

References

External links

• Official website