SciXchange annual report 2025
Highlights of SciXchange's growth and achievements throughout 2025
Let's Talk Science
At SciXchange we offer a number of programs, through Let’s Talk Science, to meet the needs of the organizations that we partner with and by extension the youth that we serve.
1361 elementary students
1179 high school students
474 students from the community
Elementary school
- 30 elementary school visits
- 1361 students engaged
High school
- 30 sessions hosted on TMU campus (chemistry, computer science and medical physics labs)
- 1179 high school students engaged
Community partnerships
We partner with a number of community organizations. These partnerships allow us to go beyond a school setting to engage participants of various backgrounds within their communities. The format of these programs varies based on the requirements of our partner organizations.
- 13 community centres
- 35 visits
- 474 students engaged
New partnership with the Ontario Science Centre
Following the closure of the Ontario Science Centre, SciXchange reached out to help the OSC relocate their popular Grade 12 DNA fingerprinting workshop to TMU. The lab activity, which has engaged thousands of students across Ontario, continues to provide hands-on biotechnology experiences using university-level equipment and facilities.
Delivered by Ontario Science Centre educators at TMU, the full-day workshop teaches students key molecular biology techniques, including DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and gel electrophoresis. Students analyze their results to determine genotypes and explore patterns of inherited alleles, gaining valuable experience with advanced scientific tools and methods. TMU science students also volunteer and help teach the sessions.
Read the full TorontoMet Today story, TMU hosts Ontario Science Centre class for high school sutdents.
Indigenous science outreach and community engagement
Meet SciXchange's new Indigenous Knowledge and Science Outreach Coordinator!
Kayla is part Mohawk from Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory and is a first-generation graduate from Biology at Queen’s University. While at Queen’s, she also held the position of Program Coordinator for STEM Indigenous Academics, and found herself enjoying not just being a part of the Indigenous community but actively building it. That experience deepened her love and passion for mentorship, belonging, and supporting others.
At TMU, Kayla has been making meaningful connections and helping create space for Indigenous voices, knowledge systems, and worldviews within science outreach. She brings a holistic, interconnected perspective to outreach, grounded in Indigenous knowledge.
Fun fact: Kayla finds joy in the simple things—sunlight, coffee, plants, animals, and the occasional deep dive into the esoteric.
Stoodis Science
"Stoodis" is Indigenous slang for "let's do this". Our programming under the banner of Stoodis creates opportunities for elementary and high school students , and the general public to learn from Indigenous knowleddge holders.
True to her mission to make meaningful community connections, Kayla engaged with various groups through events, including:
- Mushkegowuk Council youth;
- Wandering Spirit school;
- Native Learning Centre East;
- Indigenous Orientation at TMU;
- Candle making workshop at TMU.
Summer camp
Learning the chemistry behind making soap at the Jean Augustine Centre For Young Women's Empowerment
The take-home products infused with natural ingredients
In summer 2025, SciXchange partnered with Engineering Outreach at TMU to run summer camp programs with 10 community organizations including youth centres and Toronto Botaical Garden. We hosted some of the activities on campus and travelled to some of the community centres within the GTA.
Key annual public events
Soapbox Science
Soapbox Science is a global public outreach platform for promoting women and non-binary scientists and the science that they do. We held our 2025 Soapbox event at the Word on the Street festival in Seotember at David Pecault Square, Toronto.
Saturday, September 27 - Speakers
- Ericka De Oliveira - PhD candidate, analytical chemistry, TMU
- Dr. Encieh Erfani - Scientist, cosmology, Perimeter Institute, Waterloo
- Rachel Goldberg - PhD candidate, disease ecology, TMU
- Sarah Machado-Marques - PhD candidate, applied mathematics, York University
- Destina Mattrasingh - PhD candidate, microbiology and bioinformatics, University of Guelph
- Jolie Miller - PhD candidate, environmental chemistry, University of Toronto
- Paria Mohammadzadeh - PhD candidate, wireless communication, York University
- Alexx Riemenschneider - PhD candidate, oncology/cell biology, University of Toronto
- Sinthuja Sugathas - PhD candidate, food science, University of Guelph
- Dr. Hina Tabassum - telecommunication engineer, York University
- Ishrat Zahan - PhD candidate, plant agriculture, University of Guelph
Sunday, September 28 - NEW ask-me-anything format
These speakers brought their experties in science, medicine and the environment in a fun, ask-me-anything session.
- Dr. Sila Appak Baskoy - senior scientist, TMU - ask me how cancer spreads
- Reema Kumar - PhD candidate, York University - ask me about the stuff in your green bin
- Dr. Sarah McColman - Postdoc at U of T - ask me about tiny medicine
- Dr. Imogen Coe - Professor at TMU - ask me about how science works
Science Rendezvous
Science Rendezvous (external link) is canada's annual celebration of science. This free festival, targeted to all age groups, makes science accessible to thousands of people with a day of engaging, informative and interactive events.
We held our Science Rendezvous event at TMU on Saturday, May 10. It was a great success.
The numbers:
- 21 dynamic booths
- over 1000 participants engaged (general public)
- 118 volunteers
- TMU community members from physics, computer science, Urban Water TMU, psychology, engineering outreach, ArtSci student group, SPIE and Optics student chapter
- External guests: Arctos 6135 FIRST Robotics team, Runnymede 1310 FIRST Robotics team, Canadian Association for Girls in Science (CAGIS), Visions of Science
Awards
Leigh Paulseth wins Julia Hanigsberg Make Your Mark Staff Award
The Julia Hanigsberg Make Your Mark Staff Award was inspired by Julia Hanigsberg, former vice-president, administration and finance for the positive impact she made in the university. This award recognizes up to six individuals and/or teams, across the entire university, who have demonstrated excellence in one of the following areas: client services, community engagement, innovation and sustainability.
On May 8 2025, Leigh, SciXchange's enrichment and outreach coordinator, was honoured for her excellence in community engagement.
Award citation:
Leigh Paulseth leads transformative science communication and outreach efforts at TMU. Her community partnerships extend to underserved groups, fostering inclusivity through hands-on science. She organizes impactful programming like climate (in)justice symposia and runs Soapbox Science events that provide a platform empowering women and nonbinary scientists. Her leadership in the 2024 solar eclipse project—featuring educational workshops, public viewing parties, and diverse resources—impacted thousands. Leigh exemplifies EDI values, supports environmental and social causes, and builds TMU's public engagement, making her an ideal candidate for this award. Her dedication and innovative outreach significantly benefit both the TMU community and the public.
Photo credit: Alyssa K. Faoro
SciXchange director awarded King Charles III Coronation Medal
The Royal Canadian Institute for Science (RCIScience) awarded King Charles Coronation Medals (external link) to selected Canadians whose work furthers the charity's mission of fostering science culture in Canada, including those who:
- have made significant contributions to engaging the public and policy-makers with science, technology, engineering, math and medicine (STEMM) in Canada;
- are combating mis- and disinformation in STEMM; and/or;
- are fostering inclusive communities within STEMM.
In September 2025, Emily received her medal in recognition of her outstanding contributions to fostering science culture in Canada, engaging the public in STEMM, and building inclusive communities.
Read about RCIScience's King Charles III Coronation Medal recipients (external link) .