Acadia University’s Jodrey School of Computer Science has been awarded $60,000 over three years through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) PromoScience program to continue robot programming competitions it has coordinated annually since 2005.

“We have seen hundreds of elementary and high school students throughout Nova Scotia explore science, technology, and teamwork with the FIRST Lego League and High School Robot Programming competitions,” said Darcy Benoit, acting director of Acadia’s computer science school. “Partnerships and volunteer support make the event a wonderful community engagement and development opportunity for all involved.”

The Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology), recently announced that 37 organizations across Canada will receive $2.7 million in funding from NSERC through PromoScience. The program offers financial support for organizations working with young Canadians to promote an understanding of science and engineering (including mathematics and technology). Other recipients include universities, interpretive and science centres, and wetland and conservation organizations, among others.

“The hands-on activities provided by today's recipients instill the importance of science in young people's lives and futures, inspiring them to consider careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.” said Minister of State Goodyear.

PromoScience offers financial support to a wide variety of non-profit organizations that motivate youth to take an interest in science at an early age. Through the work of these organizations, budding scientists and young learners are exposed to scientific methods, meet role models and develop valuable critical thinking skills.

“The organizations receiving PromoScience funding today are key to influencing the next generations of Canadian scientists, engineers and mathematicians,” said Janet Walden, Chief Operating Officer of NSERC. “Increasing young girls' and boys' interest and skills in science and engineering at an early age, especially in communities that are traditionally under-represented in scientific and engineering careers, fosters the researchers and innovators of tomorrow.”

NSERC is a federal agency that helps make Canada a country of discoverers and innovators. The agency supports almost 30,000 post-secondary students and postdoctoral fellows in their advanced studies. NSERC promotes discovery by funding approximately 12,000 professors every year and fosters innovation by encouraging over 2,400 Canadian companies to participate and invest in post-secondary research projects.

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Learn more. Visit: 

Jodrey School of Computer Science (http://cs.acadiau.ca) and the RPC webpage (http://robots.acadiau.ca)