Volunteer Spotlight
Sarick Chapagain
Volunteer contributions: Science Literacy Week 2019
We asked Sarick what inspires her to volunteer in science outreach. Here is what she had to say:
"I think science outreach promotes inclusivity of all types of individuals, especially when it is accessible to a community and anyone can participate, which is why I feel so inspired to be volunteering with SciXchange. I think this breaks barriers by making science less daunting and engages all individuals in conversations about science which is essential to change perspectives and gain perspectives as well. Inspiration and creativity in science are very important because in order to build better solutions and approach existing problems from all corners, we need a diversity of ideas and opinions. And that can only happen when everyone is involved."
Taylor Pham
Volunteer contribution: social media team
We asked Taylor where her joy in science lies. Here is what she said:
"Personally, I think the joy in science lies in the hands-on application portion of the field. It is truly astonishing to be able to apply theories I've learned about in textbooks to real-life scenarios that I encounter every day. From learning about inertia in Physics class and being able to see this concept executed every time I step onto a moving vehicle to learning about antibiotics in Biology class and knowing how and why these microbes are able to kill viruses and keep me healthy. To me, I see science everywhere and my passion continues to grow every time I walk into a lecture hall or lab at Ryerson University."
Thanika Poobalasingam & Cassandra Giraldo
Volunteer contribution: Biotechnology Labs
We asked Thanika and Cassandra what they want youth and the general public to take away from their outreach. They said:
"I want the youth and general public that may not have had much exposure to it to learn about science in a fun way and experience the accomplishment of completing an experiment and learning about the world in the process. I want them to be exposed to science, and for this exposure to open themselves to the idea that it's an achievable career option. The goal is to give students an open future by exposing them to a world they may not have considered being able to join previously."
-Cassandra
"I hope that through outreach with the youth and general public there is a spark of interest which will lead them to pursue a career or even a hobby in anything related to STEM. Having more people engaged in science will lead to a more diverse set of ideas and will also lead to more interesting scientific discourse. I also want people to become better critical thinkers and be open-minded to the things that lie outside of what they know/believe. There are so many things yet to be discovered and it all starts with curiosity and the need to know."
-Thanika
Anishia James Selvaratnam & Daljit Singh Sokhi
Volunteer contribution: High school chemistry labs, Elementary Teacher Partnership Program visits
We asked Anishia and Daljit what they want youth and the general public to take away from their outreach. Here is what they said:
"I want students to gain a sense of curiosity or interest in STEM to get them critically thinking about the world around them. Having hands- on experience in STEM that applies to the real world shows students that what we learn in the classroom can be used to solve a variety of challenges that we face individually or as a society. I hope that students continue with STEM in the future and look at the world around them in a different light and use what they learn to inspire change in it."
-Anishia
"My goal as a future educator is to make sure that anyone participating in my outreach workshops or lessons sees the value of genuinely enjoying learning about STEM based criteria. I hope to show that anyone is capable of learning and experience STEM regardless of their current understanding of STEM and that it is not something to be afraid of. I hope that I am sharing something that they haven’t experienced before and ignite a new passion for exploring more ideas in any fields of STEM and continue to expand on their own knowledge. I hope to have participants share their experiences with others when they leave the workshops and continue the learning process with those around them. "
-Daljit