AURORA COLLEGE
Suncor Energy Foundation provides $602,500 to Aurora College - Funds will support and strengthen STEM education across NWT

Aurora College has received $602,500 from Suncor Energy Foundation to support the Aurora Research Institute's Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (ARI STEM) Outreach Team for the next four years.

The STEM programming includes exposure to traditional sciences such as chemistry and physics, workshops designed to enhance coding and digital literacy, and coding camps.

The financial support from the Suncor Energy Foundation will help meet the growing demand for STEM education across the Northwest Territories. Programming will focus on youth in small communities, providing educational opportunities that promote the importance of STEM education.

In 2023, the ARI STEM outreach team received the NWT Premier's for their work expanding STEM outreach across the territory. In 2022-2023, the team hosted more than 450 hands-on science and digital literacy events, reaching in excess of 8,500 students. They also hosted three regional science fairs and initiated a "train the teacher, loan the gear" program. The program trained teachers how to integrate STEM into their classrooms with specially-created loaner kits, many of which are designed to appeal to northern students and are based on northern themes.

Since 2016, the ARI STEM outreach team has delivered hands-on STEM outreach programs and education across 21 communities for youth and adults, primarily operating out of Aurora College's research centres in Inuvik, Fort Smith and Yellowknife.

Quotes:

 "We take great pride in the achievements of our STEM Outreach Team across the region and territory. The substantial support from the Suncor Energy Foundation not only underscores their commitment but also empowers our teams to further excel in providing exceptional education and mentorship. By engaging young students in the North with hands-on learning experiences and reinforcing cultural values, we are shaping a brighter future throughout the Northwest Territories."

- Joel McAlister, Vice President of Research, Aurora Research Institute