Student Outreach
All Science Challenge
The All Science Challenge is an exciting jeopardy-style competition, with fun hands-on challenges that inspire students from grades 6, 7 and 8. Participants work in teams and study the All Science Challenge Handbook, which covers a range of science material. Classmates are invited to cheer for participating teams and take part in hands-on activities. Prizes are awarded to competition winners and participation certificates are awarded to all team members. Registration packages are available starting in January. This event will be held in April.
Contact: Jeff Perttula
519-888-4567, ext. 38804
scienceevents@uwaterloo.ca
Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing (CEMC)
The CEMC administers mathematics and computing contests for students in grades 7 to 12. (See the Contests and Competitions section for more details.) They also offers free web resources for students and teachers, publish books, visits schools to talk to students about problem-solving and careers in mathematics and computer science, and holds workshops and seminars on campus for students and teachers. For more information visit the CEMC website at www.cemc.uwaterloo.ca.
Workshops and Seminars:
• Math Circles: A weekly evening enrichment program held at the University of Waterloo for students in grades 6 – 12
• Think About Math!: A long-weekend conference for girls in grade 9 designed to showcase the opportunities and careers to which mathematics can lead. Students are accepted by online application beginning in early March. There is a $75 fee for those selected to attend. All other expenses (accommodations, meals, etc.) are covered by the CEMC
• Seminar for Computer Science for Young Women: A week-long seminar for girls in grades 9 and 10 designed to spark their interest in computer science. Held in May in Waterloo and June in Calgary. There is a $150 fee for those selected to attend. All other expenses (accommodations, meals, airfare, etc.) are covered by the CEMC. Students are accepted by online application.
Online Resources at www.cemc.uwaterloo.ca:
• MathFrog: aimed at students in grades 4 – 6; combines paper-and-pencil worksheets with online mathematical games to teach and reinforce concepts
• WiredMath: aimed at students in grades 7 – 9; focused on helping students reinforce concepts through paper-and-pencil worksheets
• Emmy Noether Circles: aimed at students in grades 5 and 6; individual or group problem-solving activities
• Contest Preparation Resources: over 10 years of past mathematics and computer science contests available free-of-charge to download, plus workshops designed to help students prepare for contests
• Math Circles Online: aimed at students in grades 6 – 12; supports the weekly Math Circles program and includes summaries of weekly sessions and audio archives
Publications:
• The CEMC publishes books aimed at students, teachers and parents in grades 4 – 12. The books include those that help support the curriculum in a classroom context and those that can be used by students working independently to develop their mathematics skills. Most of the books focus on problem-solving in mathematics.
Contact: Ian VanderBurgh
519-888-4567, ext. 32358
iwtvande@uwaterloo.ca
Day with a Difference
Day with a Difference is an annual event held on a Saturday in April or May. It is a one-day series of workshops for girls in Grade 8 that involves hands-on experiments in science and technology as well as presentations by various practitioners from the community. Approximately 250 students attend each year.
Contact: Martin Scherer
519-888-4567, ext. 35238
mscherer@uwaterloo.ca
Explorations
Explorations is a student-organized annual event held in March geared toward students in Grades 6 to 8. Children and their parents can discover the diverse world of engineering through presentations, displays, and tours conducted by engineering students, staff, and faculty. Approximately 2,000 people participate or contribute to this event each year.
Contact: Rohini Wittke
519-888-4567, ext. 35239
rwittke@uwaterloo.ca
Fall Open House
Fall Open House is an opportunity for prospective students and their parents to visit the University of Waterloo. The day consists of campus tours, visits to the residences, academic and financing sessions, and academic booths. It is held annually in the fall – November 7, 2009.
Contact: Kim McKee
519-888-4567, ext. 33614
vcinfo@uwaterloo.ca
Formula Motorsports team
The Formula Motorsports team is composed of 50 students who design and build from scratch an open-wheel, formula-type racing car for an international design competition called Formula SAE. More than 120 schools from around the world attend this event. The Formula SAE car is often on display at community events. For more information visit http://fsae.uwaterloo.ca/. To schedule a visit go to fsae.uwaterloo.ca/?p=outreach.
Contact: Tom Ngo
519-888-4567, ext. 35904
tngo@uwaterloo.ca
GoEngGirl
GoEngGirl is a one-day event to show young women and their parents the wide range of undergraduate programs and careers that are available in engineering and to encourage young women to consider studying engineering. It is part of a provincial initiative at universities offering programs in engineering. This annual free one-day event is for girls in Grades 7 to 10.
Contact: Stacey Scott
519-888-4567, ext. 32236
s9scott@uwaterloo.ca
www.eng.uwaterloo.ca/wie/Events/GoEngGirl.htm
Gustav Bakos Observatory
The observatory, named in honour of the first astronomer at the University of Waterloo, houses a 12-inch telescope located on the roof of the Physics building. Free tours are available to the public. These include monthly public tours; scheduled tours for groups such as girl guides, boy scouts, and elementary and high school classes; and tours for viewing special events such as eclipses and comets. The observatory is open for public tours on the first Wednesday of each month, offering a chance to look through the university's telescope. This will be preceded by a short 30-minute talk on astronomy which includes an opportunity to ask questions, followed by a tour of the dome. In the event of bad weather, observing will not be possible, but the talk and tour of facilities will take place in room 308 of the Physics building. Start time is 8 p.m. during winter months (November to March inclusive) and 9 p.m. for the rest of the year (April to October inclusive).
Contact: 519-888-4567, ext. 35130
observe@astro.uwaterloo.ca
www.astro.uwaterloo.ca/observatory
March Break Open House
The March Break Open House is an action-packed event which gives prospective students and their parents an excellent overview of all aspects of living and studying at the University of Waterloo. It is held annually on Tuesday of March Break.
Contact: Kim McKee
519-888-4567, ext. 33614
vcinfo@uwaterloo.ca
Midnight Sun
The Midnight Sun team builds a competitive solar-powered car that promotes design, innovation, and teamwork among students. The team visits elementary and secondary schools, community events, and trade shows to promote solar energy and to inspire people to strive for a greener earth through the use of renewable resources. The team competes in the American Solar Challenge and the World Solar Challenge races.
Contact: 519-888-4567, ext. 32978
mail@midsun.uwaterloo.ca
Rendezvous Science
Rendezvous Science is an all ages event that encourages curiosity to grow beyond the classroom. Held at various locations across Ontario, Rendezvous Science provides students with fun and educational learning experiences. Students can explore the wonders of science by participating in hands-on exhibits, informal discussions with passionate scientists and by visiting state-of-the-art research labs. This event will take place on May 8, 2010.
Contact: Jeff Perttula
519-888-4567, ext. 38804
scienceevents@uwaterloo.ca
Shad Valley
Shad Valley is an innovative Canadian summer program promoting excellence in science, technology, and entrepreneurship. Participants are top students in Grades 11 and 12 with demonstrated intellect, creativity, interpersonal skills, initiative, and drive. Students participate in a four-week intensive residential experience involving stimulating lectures, hands-on labs and seminars, project work in technology and entrepreneurship, motivational guest speakers, and excursions.
Contact: Kim Boucher
Centre for Knowledge Integration
519-888-4567, ext. 38573
kabouche@uwaterloo.ca
http://www.shad.ca
Shadow Day
Shadow Day is an opportunity for high school students to be partnered with an engineering student to experience a day in the life of a university engineering student. The program gives students an insight into the nature of engineering and the importance of science and technology in society. Students attend regular classes and labs.
Contact: Devon MacDonald
519-888-4567, ext. 37799
devonmac@uwaterloo.ca
TEAM-UP School Outreach Program
The Waterloo Region Record TEAM-UP School Outreach Program is a community outreach program organized by the Department of Athletics. TEAM-UP brings varsity athletes into local schools to discuss the 'Six Keys to Success' and how they relate to their athletic and academic lives. The six keys include topics on setting goals, working hard, positive attitudes, being a team player, positive role models, and making choices. These inspirational presentations are intended for students in Grades 3 to 8. The program is free to all schools and runs each year from September to March. Each year the program organizes approximately 50 presentations speaking to more than 5,000 young students.
Contact: Jenny Mackay
519-888-4567, ext. 37126
jmmackay@uwaterloo.ca
Waterloo Off-Road Mini Baja Team (WOMBaT)
The Waterloo Off-Road Mini Baja Team is a group of engineering students who design, build, test, and race an off-road vehicle that participates in the Mid-West Baja SAE Competition. The competition involves a series of events such as acceleration, mud bog, suspension and traction, maneuverability, and finally a gruelling four-hour endurance race. While preparing the car for competition, the team displays the vehicle at various university events and speaks to student groups regarding the project. Students from any faculty can become team members.
Contact: Duane Cronin
519-888-4567, ext. 32682
baja@engmail.uwaterloo.ca
www.eng.uwaterloo.ca/~baja/
Waterloo Unlimited
Launched in November 2004, Waterloo Unlimited is built upon the cornerstones of transdisciplinarity, intrinsic motivation, community, and self-enrichment. These values provide a framework for a unique enrichment experience by bringing together students of exceptional promise from across the country during the school year. Unlimited students will live and study in a creative, articulate community of scholars where the students, staff, and professors share a common vision: that a university is a place where people of extraordinary ability and accomplishment come together in their pursuit of knowledge, experience, and excellence across the traditional boundaries of academic disciplines. Programs are available for students in Grade 10 (May of each year, ‘Vision’ theme), Grade 11 (March of each year, ‘Design’ theme), and Grade 12 (November of each year, ‘Roadmap to Research’ theme).
Contact: Rae Crossman
519-888-4567, ext. 35159
crossman@uwaterloo.ca
www.unlimited.uwaterloo.ca