UBC Indigenous science camp gets boost from NSERC

Five UBC projects that support hands-on learning, including an Indigenous science camp, have received funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) PromoScience Program.

Two UBC Science initiatives will receive a total of $135,000 over a period of three years: the Cedar Science Camp and Mentorship Program, geared towards Indigenous youth, and the Pacific Museum of Earth outreach program, which focuses on the geological sciences.

“This support from PromoScience will enable us to expand our programming for Indigenous youth,” says Joel Liman, UBC’s Indigenous Science student coordinator. “It will help us extend the Cedar camp from one to two weeks in the summer and to create an Indigenous mentorship program that runs throughout the school year.”

Every year, Cedar Summer camp enables 45 British Columbia Indigenous youth between the ages of eight and 12 to explore UBC through fun and interactive programming. Campers get a whirlwind tour of the research being conducted by students and researchers around the Vancouver campus. They also take part in daily arts and crafts and outdoor recreational activities. All the while, campers learn about the wealth of post-secondary educational opportunities that exist right in their own backyard.

Other UBC programs receiving support from NSERC are Geering Up Indigenous Outreach Across BC, Intergenerational Landed Learning on the Farm Program, and the UBC Summer Science Program.

NSERC's PromoScience Program offers financial support for organizations working with young Canadians to promote an understanding of science and engineering.