You are now in the main content area

Science Communication program collaborates with Science North, Health Sciences North and Eastlink to offer Northern MedTalks 2022

Science Communication program collaborates with Science North, Health Sciences North and Eastlink to offer Northern MedTalks 2022

Speaker event features engaging Northern Ontario healthcare providers.

(April 14, 2022) - On April 21, 2022 at 7pm, Laurentian’s Science Communication program, Science North, and Health Sciences North will collaborate with Eastlink to offer Northern MedTalks 2022. This free, fast-paced speakers event will feature ten presentations by Northern Ontario healthcare providers. Each ten minute talk is co-produced by healthcare providers and Master’s students of the Science Communication program whose curriculum is co-delivered by Laurentian and Science North. Co-producing this event is a capstone project for Science Communication students. 

Michelle Reid, Science Communication sessional instructor and Presentation lead for Northern MedTalks 2022 said about the event that “we are providing an entertaining, engaging, and inspiring experience that the public will find valuable.” To produce the event, healthcare providers, who bring insights from their medical practice, are paired with graduate students to support the informative, accessible and engaging delivery of powerful healthcare narratives. Science Communication students not only help guide healthcare providers in the delivery of their stories, but also design visual components that complement presentations. 

Healthcare providers participating range from family physicians, nurse practitioners, paramedics, neurosurgeons and more! Presentations will be hosted live from Science North’s Vale Cavern, but livestreaming will also be available from the comfort of home on Eastlink Community television or on Science North’s webpage. Science North’s Discovery Theatre and IMAX® Theatre will also livestream the event. Those attending the event at Science North will have the opportunity to meet and greet speakers after the event during a social hour in the science centre. 

Julie Moskalyk, Science Director of Science North shared that: “ In 2019 the first Northern MedTalks event took place, and was incredibly successful in reaching, and inspiring, our audiences of all ages. This year we are so pleased to expand the reach with a live stream to further increase accessibility to these powerful presentations, also allowing us to record the sessions for later access. Science North is proud to feature the work of the Science Communication program superstars as they show their skills in action!”

This is the second year that the Science Communication program has paired with Science North to deliver this exciting event. 
 

Laurentian University and Fleming College create unique pathway to master’s degree

Laurentian University and Fleming College create unique pathway to master’s degree

July 25, 2019 – Fleming College graduates from the Environmental Visual Communication (EVC) program now have the option of completing a master’s degree at Laurentian University. It is the first pathway of its kind in postsecondary education in the province.  

The institutions have signed an agreement allowing eligible graduates of Fleming’s EVC program to continue their education in the Master’s of Science Communication (M.S.Com) program at Laurentian. Fleming graduates will receive 21 credits for their EVC certificate and will complete 12 additional credits at Laurentian University to receive their master’s, which can be completed in three academic terms. To be eligible, students must have completed an undergraduate degree in addition to the Fleming certificate.

“This unique pathway to a master’s degree is ground-breaking for Fleming College and we are very pleased to offer this to our qualified EVC graduates,” said Brett Goodwin, Principal of Fleming’s Frost Campus and Dean of the School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences. “This pathway is extremely attractive to students and will offer a seamless option from an Ontario Graduate Certificate into a master’s program. The environmental sector is experiencing strong growth and the EVC program provides students with a unique and highly marketable portfolio of communication skills that will only be enhanced through this pathway into a Master’s of Science Communication.” 

“In many career tracks in Science Communication, a master’s degree is often a requirement to qualify for more senior positions, and the MSCom program is attracting students who already have their EVC credentials,” said Dr. Chantal Barriault, Director of Master of Science Communication program at Laurentian University. “Laurentian is very pleased about this pathway agreement with Fleming College as it will increase the pool of potential applicants.”

Fleming’s EVC program runs in a compressed, intensive format and students are on-campus at the Royal Ontario Museum during their first and second semester.  The program is designed to fill a recognized need for individuals who are passionate about environmental issues and storytelling, and who want to effectively engage people to foster change. 

Laurentian’s Master’s of Science Communication program is Canada’s first and only comprehensive Master’s program in Science Communication. The program is delivered in partnership with Science North, which provides students an experiential learning opportunities for research and application of science communication principles. Recently recognized by the Royal Canadian Institute for Science, the program delivers a multidisciplinary experience that covers the theory underlying good communication, as well as the practical challenges of effectively communicating science and the issues involving science in society. 

 

About Fleming College

Located in the heart of Central Ontario, Fleming College has campus locations in Peterborough, Lindsay, Cobourg and Haliburton. Named for famous Canadian inventor and engineer Sir Sandford Fleming, the college features more than 100 full-time programs in Arts and Heritage, Business, Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, General Arts and Sciences, Health and Wellness, Justice and Community Development, Skilled Trades and Technology, and Continuing Education. Fleming College has more than 6,800 full-time and 10,000 part-time students, and 71,000 alumni.
 

Laurentian’s Science Communication program honoured by the Royal Canadian Institute for Science

Laurentian’s Science Communication program honoured by the Royal Canadian Institute for Science

The program, offered in partnership with Science North, is recognized for its contribution to the public understanding of science

(2018-11-09) Laurentian University’s Science Communication Program, offered in partnership with Science North, is the 2018 recipient of the Royal Canadian Institute for Science’s William Edmond Logan Award, recognizing excellence in promoting the public understanding of science by a Canadian organization. The announcement was made this morning in Ottawa during the 10th annual Canadian Science Policy Conference. 

Laurentian’s Science Communication Program is unique in Canada. It provides science graduates with the training to transform scientific information into accessible and understandable knowledge for the public. Many scientists recognize the value of doing outreach, but not all are naturally skilled at it. This program fosters those skills, delivering a multidisciplinary experience that covers the theory underlying good communication, as well as the practical challenges of effectively communicating science and the issues involving science in society.
 
Graduates of Laurentian University’s Science Communication Program are working in various fields all across Canada and in other parts of the world, including at Science North, the program’s partner. According to Dr. Reinhart Reithmeier, Chair of the Royal Canadian Institute for Science: “These graduates are taking science communication in this country to new heights, helping Canadians of all ages recognize, understand and appreciate science in the world around them. We believe that this is key to fostering a strong science culture in Canada.” 
 
“Trends in science research, industry, and public policy have prompted a need for trained people in this rapidly growing field,” said Dr. Chantal Barriault, Director of the Science Communication Graduate Program. “Laurentian’s graduates are specialists in communicating the work of leading researchers and scientists to diverse audiences, from young children to politicians. We are incredibly honoured to receive this award."

“This is great news and a well-earned recognition for a very creative and hardworking team. Laurentian is proud to be a pioneer in its rapidly growing field and I want to recognize the essential contribution of our partner, Science North, in the delivery of the program,” said Interim President and Vice-Chancellor of Laurentian University Dr. Pierre Zundel. 

“Our core purpose at Science North is to inspire people of all ages to be engaged with the science in the world around them. It's communicating science in a way that people can understand and enjoy. When the Science Communication Graduate Diploma Program, was launched in partnership with Laurentian University, we saw it as a natural extension of what we do every day at our science centres. This award celebrates a great partnership between two institutions and reinforces the importance of the Science Communication Program and how graduates of this program can have a real impact on our understanding and comprehension of science today.”
stated Guy Labine, CEO of Science North.

The program provides students experiential learning opportunities for research and application of science communication principles. It proposes a master’s degree (M.S.Com) or a graduate diploma (G.dip) in Science Communication. 

More information on the program and admission requirements are available on Laurentian University’s website. 

 

ABOUT LAURENTIAN UNIVERSITY

Located on the Robinson-Huron Treaty of 1850 territory, Laurentian University recognizes that we are on the traditional lands of the Atikameksheng Anishnawbek and Wahnapitae First Nation. Laurentian is committed to strengthening the foundation of knowledge in higher education and research to offer an outstanding university experience in English and French with a comprehensive approach to Indigenous education. Together with its federated partners, Laurentian University prepares leaders who bring innovative and intelligent solutions to local and global issues.

 

ABOUT SCIENCE NORTH

Science North is Northern Ontario’s most popular tourist attraction and an educational resource operating the second- and eighth-largest science centres in Canada. Science North’s attractions include a science centre, IMAX® theatre, planetarium, butterfly gallery, special exhibits hall, and Dynamic Earth: Home of the Big Nickel. Science North also oversees an award-winning International Sales unit, which develops custom and ready-made exhibits and multimedia experiences for sale to science centres, museums, and other cultural institutions all over the world. Science North, in partnership with Laurentian University, offers North America’s first and only comprehensive Science Communication program, a joint Master’s and Diploma program. As part of its mandate, Science North provides science experiences throughout Northern Ontario including outreach to schools and festivals, summer science camps and more, and has a permanent base in Thunder Bay providing outreach to the Northwest. Science North is an agency of the Government of Ontario. For more information please visit sciencenorth.ca. For more information please visit ScienceNorth.ca.

 

ABOUT ROYAL CANADIAN INSTITUTE FOR SCIENCE

The Royal Canadian Institute for Science (RCIScience) is a platform for public engagement with leading scientists, featuring free live talks and panel discussions and an extensive online archive. Founded in 1849, RCIS is among the oldest societies of any kind in Canada. For 169 years, we have worked towards the goal of an informed public that embraces science to build a stronger Canada.