Science East extending winter hours

More time to play, discover and learn this winter!

Science East Science Centre is pleased to announce it will now be open 7 days a week, all year round! Beginning September 1st, Science East’s regular hours will be extended to include Sundays and most holidays from 12 noon to 4 pm.

“We’re thrilled to give people another option for fun, hands-on activities during the cold months,” says Science East CEO David Desjardins. “It’s another way we can help families enjoy quality time on the weekends, while contributing to a vibrant downtown Fredericton in the winter.”

Science East’s new fall hours will come into effect on September 1:

Monday – Friday: 12 noon – 5 pm
Saturday: 10 am – 5 pm
Sunday and holidays: 12 noon – 4 pm

Fredericton Community Foundation invests in Science East

(June 23, 2015) Science East is pleased to announce it has received a five thousand dollar grant from the Lillian E. Covey Fund, held by the Fredericton Community Foundation. The grant will be used to purchase a new exhibit for Science East’s outdoor science playground.
The outdoor science playground, which opened in summer of 2001, is located immediately behind Science East’s main building and features a variety of fun and interactive exhibits demonstrating scientific concepts and learning. The current exhibits include a large-scale replica of the galleon ship found on the New Brunswick flag, a human gyroscope, giant chess and more. Each exhibit is carefully selected by Science East educators to engage both body and mind, providing opportunities to experiment with science concepts in physically active ways.

The new exhibit for the playground will be kept top secret until it is unveiled for the public. It’s expected to be installed later this summer.

In Photo L to R: Tim Fox, Executive Director of the Fredericton Community Foundation, Dr. David Desjardins, CEO, Science East Science Centre, Nancy Roach, board member, Fredericton Community Foundation, Michael Edwards, Director of Programming, Science East Science Centre.

Get the creative juices flowing! Science East introduces Mini Mak-r camps

A new Science East summer camp promises to get your kids thinking outside the box – literally! Mini Mak-r is a camp for children ages 8-11 that encourages kids to be creative as they problem solve, tinker and invent.

“Makerspaces are becoming very popular collaborative places for people to work together on unique solutions for different problems and scenarios,” says educator Kayoe Stewart. “Mini Mak-r takes that concept and makes it not only kid-friendly, but kid driven.”

Children in the Mini Mak-r camp will be playing with some high-tech toys, such as Little Bits and Makey Makey. However, they’ll also be using low-tech materials to create sophisticated machines.

“One of our favourite activities is hydraulics,” says Stewart. “We give the kids some plastic tubing, a couple of plastic syringes and some old cereal boxes, and ask them to create a moving bridge that operates on hydraulics. It’s really fun to see what they come up with, using what are essentially recyclables you might find in your home.”

One of the most important concepts of the Mini Mak-r camp is trial and error – kids will be encouraged to try out ideas that may not work the first time, or even the tenth time!

“It’s an important step in the learning process, to see that sometimes it takes a while to get it right. Our campers learn the process of developing an idea, prototyping it, and then testing and tinkering until it works the way they want it to. They learn how to communicate better and how to work hard for a goal – and that makes them more confident, more creative, and more excited about learning.”

Mini Mak-r camps are running July 13-17 and July 27-31 at Science East Science Centre in Fredericton.

More information on all Science East camps here.

Two more science centres added to Science East travel benefits

Science East is pleased to announce that two more science centres have joined the Canadian Association of Science Centres (CASC) – Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada in Toronto, ON, and the Petty Harbour Mini-Aquarium in Petty Harbour, NL. That means Science East members will enjoy free admission to both centres, along with more than 350 other science centres world-wide!

Want to see where Science East membership can take you? Check our our new interactive map!

Don’t miss our June membership drive at Science East!

10% off Science East memberships in June

Don’t miss Science East’s June membership drive! We’re offering 10% off ALLnew and renewed memberships, just in time for your summer travel plans!

Family/Grandparent memberships – $72 (reg $80)
Adult/Senior/Student memberships – $31.50 (reg $35)

Your Science East membership includes:

– Unlimited admission to Science East and the York County Jail

– Discounts on Science East summer camps and birthday parties

– Access to more than 350 other science centres and museums around the world.

See where Science East can take you with our new interactive map!

Science East CEO honoured with Outstanding Career Achievement award

The CEO of Science East, Dr. David Desjardins is honoured to receive the Outstanding Career Achievement award from the Canadian Association of Science Centres (CASC). The presentation was made at CASC’s 2015 awards gala in Edmonton, Alberta on Saturday. The Outstanding Career Achievement award is given to an individual who has made major long-term contributions to the Canadian science centres community.

Dr. Desjardins joined Science East’s Board of Directors executive committee in 1997. He became President in 1999, before assuming the role of CEO in 2001. Under his leadership, New Brunswick’s only hands-on science centre has grown to share quality science experiences with more than 46-thousand people each year, through the Science East science centre, as well as through community and school-based outreach.

In the broader field of science learning, Dr. Desjardins has sat on review panels for the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Canada’s federal funding agency for university-based research. He has also reviewed nominations for the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence. Most recently, Dr. Desjardins was co-host of 2015 Canada-Wide Science Fair in Fredericton, an event he has contributed to as a judge for many years.

Way to go, Dave!!

Stanley High School, Oromocto High School take top honours at 15th annual Envirothon NB

Saint John, NB – Teams from Stanley High School and Oromocto High School won the 2015 Envirothon NB competition, held this week in Saint John. The Stanley High School team, “The Stanley High Buffleheads,” was the non-competitive winner, and the Oromocto High School team, “Lost in the Woods,” was the competitive winner. That means Oromocto High School’s team is eligible to represent New Brunswick at the North American Envirothon, happening in July in Missouri.

“Stanley High School’s team included a student from their junior Envirothon team, an incredible accomplishment for a young student,” says program coordinator Becky Geneau. “Stanley was the overall winner of Envirothon NB. Oromocto came in second, making them the highest placing team eligible for the North American Envirothon, which only takes students grades 9-12.”

The 15th annual environmental science competition culminates a full year’s study in the areas of forestry, aquatic ecology, wildlife, and soils and land use. The participants attended workshops conducted by skilled natural resources specialists, combining in-class teaching and hands-on field experience throughout the school year.

Two founding members of Envirothon NB were also recognized at this year’s event. Chris Pitt and Kelly Honeyman were presented with 15-year service awards at Monday’s awards ceremony.

“Both Chris and Kelly have been committed to the Envirothon NB program for a decade and a half now,” says Geneau. “It’s an honour to have them part of the Envirothon NB team, passing their knowledge and passion for environmental sciences on to the next generation.”

Stanley High School team members are Owen Foreman, Dee Carr, Reilly McWade, Maddie Carr, and Emma McArthur. Dee Carr is in grade 8; she and Maddie Carr are sisters.

Oromocto High School’s team members are Nikita Spencer, Nathan Carrier, Jacob Baird, Bailey Mongrain and Veronica Howe.

See the full list of school rankings here

Five medals, one special award for Team NB at CWSF

Five Team New Brunswick winners at the 2015 Canada-Wide Science Fair

Science East is pleased to announce five medals for Team New Brunswick, plus a special award, at the 2015 Canada-Wide Science Fair. This represents the best ever showing for Team NB at the CWSF, with the most medals ever!

The winners are:

Silver Medal, Junior category:
Maude Couturier, Grade 7, École Sainte-Anne (Fredericton): Les effets nocifs du cannabis

Bronze Medal, Senior category:
Elizabeth Beaulieu, Grade 12, Cité des Jeunes A.-M.-Sormany (Edmundston): La Vénus Lacque

Manuel Dionne, Grade 11, Cité des Jeunes A.-M.-Sormany (Edmundston): La lâcheté triomphe

Bronze Medal, Intermediate category:
Hadia Selouani, Grade 9, École Marie-Esther (Shippagan): SmartOc : un outil pour une cardiotocographie intelligente

Bronze Medal, Junior category:
Nick Cusack, Grade 9, MacDonald Consolidated School (Kingston) – Need a Hand?

International Summer School for Young Physicists Award
Manuel Dionne, Grade 11, Cité des Jeunes A.-M.-Sormany (Edmundston): La lâcheté triomphe

Science East congratulates all the members of Team New Brunswick for their impressive showing at the Canada-Wide Science Fair – we couldn’t be prouder of you all!

Photo:

L to R: Elizabeth Beaulieu, bronze medal (senior); Manuel Dionne, bronze medal (senior) and International Summer School for Young Physicists Award recipent; Maude Couturier, silver medal (junior); Hadia Selouani, bronze medal (intermediate); Nick Cusack, bronze medal (junior); Back: Hon. Stephen Horsman, Deputy Premier of New Brunswick, Solicitor General and Minister of Public Safety

Something for everyone at the 2015 Canada-Wide Science Fair!

Are you ready to celebrate the Canada-Wide Science Fair?

Something for everyone at Science Week!
Canada-Wide Science Fair comes to Fredericton, May 11-16

Science East is pleased to welcome 500 science fair finalists from across the country, as they compete for close to $1-million in prizes! The Canada-Wide Science Fair is for more than just students though –
there are lots of free and fun activities that are sure to entertain and educate everyone!

CWSF 2015 will be open to the public:

Thursday, May 14 1 – 8 pm
Friday, May 15 9 am – 12 pm
Saturday, May 16 9 am -12 pm

All activities will be in at UNB’s Richard J Currie Center

Don’t miss …

Project Zone: Meet the finalists, and talk to them about their projects! Find out more about the path that brought these talented students to the national competition, and about their hopes for the future. A great opportunity to celebrate and encourage young minds, as well as inspiring others to achieve their goals.
On the Podium Speakers Series: Join astronaut Robert Thirsk, astrophysicist Jaymie Matthews, and others as they explore a variety of topics – from internal medicine to outer space! See the full schedule here
Science at Work: If you enjoy Science East‘s Illuminate program, be sure to check out Science at Work! Over 40 different New Brunswick companies and organizations will be showcasing the science, technology, engineering and math they use on the job every day. Full of hands-on, interactive exhibits for all ages levels! See the full list of presenters here
Science in Action: Get a behind the scenes look at some of the research and innovation happening on the UNB Campus, including the Nursing Skills Lab, the Human Performance Lab and the Quartermain Earth Sciences Centre! Tours will be offered on a first come, first served basis to anyone attending the public events.

For more information, email cwsf2015@unb.ca

Introducing Team NB for the Canada-Wide Science Fair

Roster for Team New Brunswick at the 2015 Canada-Wide Science Fair confirmed

Eleven students from New Brunswick have been chosen to represent the province at the 2015 Canada-Wide Science Fair, taking place in New Brunswick for the first time this May. The students were Grand Prize winners at the New Brunswick Regional Science Fairs held in April.

Members of Team New Brunswick will be among 500 students from across the country, competing for close to $1-million in awards, scholarships and prizes. CWSF 2015 will take place at the UNB Fredericton campus May 11-16, and is presented by Youth Science Canada, UNB and Science East.