Discover the Universe has been awarded significant financial support from the PromoScience Program of the National Sciences & Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Frederick and Douglas Dickson Memorial Foundation
Discover the Universe (DU) provides instruction and resources, in French and English, that help science teachers across the country and around the world teach astronomy to their students. DU provides astronomy teaching support through live workshops, webinars and teaching resources for teachers.
“Astronomy is a vast subject and it is intimidating to teach it when you have no training in the field,” says Julie Bolduc-Duval, who founded DU in 2011 with financial support from PromoScience. “That’s why we created Discover the Universe. We’re helping teachers so that more kids will be exposed to our wonderful Universe and understand our place within it.”
DU is offered by the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics, University of Toronto, and the Canadian Astronomical Society, in collaboration with the Centre for Research in Astrophysics of Quebec.
According to Professor Michael Reid, Outreach Coordinator for the Dunlap Institute of Astronomy & Astrophysics, University of Toronto, “The Dunlap’s mission to share the thrill of astronomical discovery with people of all ages has made working with Discover the Universe a natural fit.”
“We’re immensely grateful to NSERC,” says Reid, “without whom we wouldn’t be able to keep delivering innovative, bilingual teacher training to teachers across Canada and around the world. This funding will help ensure that thousands of Canadian kids have eye-opening encounters with the cosmos that we know can inspire them to pursue careers in STEM.”
PromoScience is a NSERC program that offers financial support for organizations that promote an understanding of science, engineering, mathematics and technology in young Canadians. The newly announced award to DU includes funding for three years.
Additional funding was also received from the Frederick and Douglas Dickson Memorial Foundation. The legacy of two brothers, Frederick and Douglas Dickson, the foundation generously supports charities working in education, community services and health in Toronto. Their donation will help Discover the Universe equip teachers to lead astronomy education through bilingual training, webinars and resources.
“The Dunlap Institute is grateful for the recent donation from the Frederick and Douglas Dickson Memorial Foundation,” says Reid. “And our sincere thanks go to the foundation for their partnership.”