Inspiring the Next Generation: FEAS Wraps a Year of Transformative STEM Outreach

As the academic year draws to a close, FEAS is proud to celebrate the success of its 2024/25 outreach programming—an ambitious series of events that brought engineering to life for over 6,567 youth across the Greater Toronto Area.

Through a wide range of hands-on, community-focused experiences, the FEAS Teaching & Outreach team worked to break down barriers and broaden participation in STEM, particularly among girls, Black youth, Indigenous youth, and other underrepresented communities. This year’s outreach efforts were made possible thanks to generous support from Hydro One, Motorola Solutions Foundation, Plan Group, Actua and longtime donor Rodney Yip.

One of the year’s highlights was Badge Day, where FEAS welcomed over 60 Girl Guides to campus for a day of creativity, curiosity, and flashlight building. With support from the Ontario Network of Women in Engineering (ONWiE), Badge Day encouraged participants to see themselves as future engineers—and to recognize that failure, perseverance, and collaboration are essential to the engineering process. FEAS students and alumni offered mentorship and inspiration throughout the day.

The Global Changemakers Engineering Competition returned in full force, offering Grade 7–11 girls and Indigenous students the chance to tackle real-world engineering challenges aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Over two intensive days, participants gained hands-on experience in design thinking, communication, and teamwork—while also forming new connections with mentors and peers.

Other standout programs included Go CODE Girl, Go ENG, Powering Up and Pitch Black, which took FEAS student mentors into classrooms on campus and across the GTA to spark curiosity and confidence in coding, electronics, and the fundamentals of engineering. Meanwhile, the FuturEng program provided a deep dive into the engineering profession for Grade 9–12 girls through workshops focused on emerging technologies and global impact.

As the FEAS outreach team looks ahead, the momentum is undeniable. With a growing network of partners and a clear commitment to equity and inclusion, FEAS is not only inspiring future engineers—it’s helping redefine who sees themselves in the role.

Learn more (opens in new window)  about FEAS outreach initiatives, or want to get involved contact:

Minakshi Suri
Manager of Equity and Community Inclusion
minakshi.suri@torontomu.ca (opens in new window)