SFU offers free and low-cost programs to encourage grades K-12 students’ interest, skills, and confidence in science and technology. In the summer, SFU is offering a variety of programs including weekly clubs and week-long day camps for elementary and high school students. Some programs are completely free and for others we have a limited number of bursaries and scholarships available of up to 100% depending on need. If you feel like this may be of interest to you, please keep reading!
App Dev Summer Program 2024 (Surrey)
The App Dev Summer Program features fun, engaging workshops on mobile app development using Thunkable, which is a drag-and-drop app builder. In this week-long in-person program, Grade 4-9 coders will plan and prototype their app designs, learn basic coding concepts, code a mobile app, and present and demo their projects on the final day! While this is a paid program for the general public, a limited number of *bursaries* are available for this program for students who experience financial barriers to participating.
Program website: https://sciencealive.ca/app-dev-summer
Dates: Week-long camps offered each week between July 2-Aug 9
Time: 9:30 am-3:30 pm
Grade: 4-9
Location: SFU Sustainable Energy Engineering Building (10285 University Dr, Surrey, BC V3T 0N1)
Registration link: https://www.karelo.com/register.php?BID=648&BT=10&Ev=21759
Bursary link: https://coursys.sfu.ca/forms/apsc-fas-outreach-bursary-and-scholarship-form/
Invent the Future Program 2024 (Surrey)
Artificial intelligence (AI) has become an integral part of our daily lives, from digital voice assistants to self-driving cars, and more recently, in the form of advanced chatbots like ChatGPT. Invent the Future is a week-long summer program that aims to empower students with foundational AI and machine learning knowledge, facilitate meaningful discussions on the social implications of AI and address algorithmic bias, and engage students in hands-on coding activities. On the final day of the program, students will present their work to their peers, program instructors, and family members, and celebrate their accomplishments! While this is a paid program for the general public, a limited number of *bursaries* are available for this program for students who experience financial barriers to participating. Our sponsor, CIFAR, is also providing *scholarships* for Black and Indigenous youth to participate in this program.
Program website: https://sciencealive.ca/invent-the-future-jr
Dates: Week-long between Aug 12-23
Time: 9:30 am-3:30 pm
Grade: 7-9
Location: SFU Sustainable Energy Engineering Building (10285 University Dr, Surrey, BC V3T 0N1)
Registration link: https://www.karelo.com/register.php?BID=648&BT=10&Ev=21782
Bursary & scholarship link: https://coursys.sfu.ca/forms/apsc-fas-outreach-bursary-and-scholarship-form-2/
Science AL!VE Summer Academy (Burnaby)
Science AL!VE’s Summer Academy is back! Calling all aspiring scientists, tinkerers, and creatives to join us to experience a variety of new and exciting summer camps. Are you interested in learning what it takes to develop a game or maybe you’re curious about how pickling preserves our foods? This year, our new summer camp topics answer these questions and many more. Explore the world of STEAM with our fun and new activities while also revisiting fan favourites like slime. Simply bring your curiosity to discover the possibilities and thrills that are available in the various branches of science and technology. While this is a paid program for the general public, a limited number of *bursaries* are available for this program for students who experience financial barriers to participating.
Program website: https://sciencealive.ca/summer-academy
Dates: Week-long between Aug 12-23
Time: 9:00 am-3:30 pm
Grade: 1-8
Location: SFU Burnaby Campus (8888 University Dr W, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6)
Registration link: https://www.karelo.com/register.php?BID=648&BT=10&PrivEv=21773
Bursary & scholarship link: https://sciencealive.ca/financial-aid
May/June Coding Club 2024 (Surrey)
The Coding Club offers a diverse array of in-person workshops tailored for school-age students interested in delving into coding and exploring popular digital tools. From May to June 2024, we present an exciting lineup of workshops covering various topics such as user interface and experience design, programming logic foundations (using Python), web design, mobile app development, and game development. Please review the overview and requirements document for each workshop before registering. Join these *free* workshops to refine your coding skills and unlock your creative potential in the dynamic world of coding and digital innovation!
Program website: https://sciencealive.ca/coding-club
Dates: Thursdays & Saturdays between May-June 2024
Time: Please check website for workshop schedule. Thursdays: 4:00-6:00 pm / Saturdays: 9:30 am-12 pm & 1:00-3:30 pm.
Grade: 4-12
Location: SFU Sustainable Energy Engineering Building (10285 University Dr, Surrey, BC V3T 0N1)
Sign-up here: https://sciencealive.ca/coding-club
STEM Speaker Series (Online, Free)
The STEM Speaker Series provides high school students with the opportunity to meet and interact with university students, faculty members, and/or working professionals in STEM fields. See topics for September and November below. You can also check out past and future events here.
Stem Cell Biology
Apr 20, 2024 | 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm | Sign up here | Grade 8-12
Our guest speaker for April is Dr. Valentina Marchetti . Dr. Marchetti is a senior scientist at Stemcell Technologies and an Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Science at Simon Fraser University. She obtained her PhD in experimental physiopathology at the University of Rome, Italy, and spent 5 years as post-doctoral fellow at The Scripps Research Institute. One of her research interests was studying the role of endothelial stem cells, which differentiate to form blood vessels, in the onset of heart and blood vessel diseases. Join this talk to learn about endothelial stem cells and their applications!
Mechatronic Systems Engineering
June 8, 2024 | 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm | Sign up here | Grade 8-12
Our guest speaker for June is Dr. John Shen. Dr. John Shen is a professor and the director of the School of Mechatronic Systems Engineering at Simon Fraser University. He has over 30 years of academic, industrial, and entrepreneurial experience in the field of power electronics, power semiconductor devices, renewable energy systems, fault protection of DC and AC microgrids, and transportation electrification. In this talk, Dr. Shen will provide an introduction to the dynamic field of mechatronic systems engineering and exciting career opportunities within the discipline. Join us to learn more!