UBC Geering Up wins Actua Award for Excellence
Breaking barriers. Instilling passion in STEM. Investing in youth.
From Geering Up’s beginnings in 1995 as Mechanical Engineering student Christine Yeung’s capstone project, those are the values that have driven every single decision we’ve made and how we’ve grown as an organization.
That is why we’re pleased to announce that our national network partner, Actua, has presented UBC Geering Up Engineering Outreach with the Award for Excellence for our work in 2022.
Actua is a national network of 43 universities and colleges with a shared mission of engaging youth from all corners of the country in transformational STEM learning experiences that build critical employability skills and confidence. In January 2023, Actua invited all network partners to its National Conference in Ottawa to share resources and discuss how to continue supporting youth. Network members were able to connect in person for the first time since 2019 to learn new perspectives in expert-led workshops. Actua announced the recipients of its 2022 awards during the Conference, and to be named the Award for Excellence winner is an immense source of pride for the Geering Up team.
The Actua Award for Excellence was created to recognize network members who best exemplify year-round excellence in realizing Actua’s goals in all areas of work. Applications are reviewed by an awards committee that is made up of senior Actua staff as well as the previous year’s Award for Excellence winner. The award winner is determined by consistent, evidence-based success in
- providing high-quality, long-term STEM programming for youth;
- establishing a sustainable program by developing strong, long-lasting relationships and local partnerships;
- developing innovative, effective, and well-implemented content;
- having diversity in mentors and role models who engage with community members and youth and meaningful ways;
- providing impact to partnering communities;
- growing through notable gains and improvements; and
- participating in the Actua network.
To have been selected as the 2022 winner of this award is validation that we are well on our way to transforming the lives of youth in British Columbia—and beyond!—when it comes to the world of STEM. With 2022 being Geering Up’s first year of full in-person programming since Covid-19, we managed to extend our reach to over 22,000 students and train 4,255 teachers around the world on integrating STEM content into their classrooms through our camps, clubs, affinity group outreach events and sessions, professional development workshops, public events, and online-based programming, We have also grown our leadership program to encourage a pathway into STEM, provide skills and training, and instill confidence in high school students.
As well, through our bursaries, we awarded $60,627 so that youths and schools with financial barriers could access Geering Up’s workshops, camps, and events and out-of-community teachers could travel for STEM integration professional development sessions.
When Geering Up’s Senior Manager, Andrew Jamison, joined the team, a major focus of his was to focus on expanding our programming into more communities. With that goal in our pocket, Andrew is immensely humbled by what he’s seen.
“Geering Up’s investment in satellite programming for barrier-facing youth represented 33% of our overall reach in 2022.
Inasmuch as Geering Up had a successful 2022, we couldn’t have attained close to the reach and impact we did without the support of and partnership with Actua. The advocacy, funding, training opportunities, support, professional development, and commitment that Actua constantly shows to this amazing network of STEM professionals is astounding and has led to greater diversity in STEM.
This award is such an honor and validation of the Geering Up team’s countless hours, and extra hours the Geering Up team and all its partners have put in. The excellence award is an important recognition we will leverage with UBC, donors, and our partners.”
— Andrew Jamison, Geering Up Senior Manager
Last year, we were proud to be able to grow both our Okanagan and Greater Vancouver Area teams to support the sustained increase in demand for Geering Up programming and the rise in the number of local partners with whom we continue to build relationships after 28 years. This Award for Excellence also marks the second time that Geering Up has achieved this accolade since the award’s inauguration in 2011.
STEM should be accessible to all. This award is as much a symbol of what Actua’s partnership has allowed us to accomplish as it as a testament to what we’ve been able to accomplish with the support of the Faculty of Applied Science (UBC Vancouver) and the School of Engineering (UBC Okanagan). The legacy of our partners, networks, donors, team members, and supporters is a world where more youth have access to hands-on, engaging, and relevant STEM education regardless of gender, sexuality, socio-economic status, race, ethnicity, or geography in the province.
We want to extend a congratulations to our fellow Award for Excellence nominees and 2022 category award winners:
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- Experience Award in Go Where Kids Are: Virtual Ventures | Carleton University
- Experience Award in Teacher Training: Queen’s Engineering Outreach | Queen’s University and Aurora Research Institute STEM Outreach Program | Aurora College
- RBC Future Launch Instructor Recognition Award:
- Elizabeth Norman | UNBC Active Minds
- Eryn Tasseron | Virtual Ventures
- Hunter Johnson | Ontario Tech University Engineering Outreach
- Long-term Leadership Recognition:
- Pamela Neumann | Red Hot Science at Red Deer Polytechnic
- Christine Riddell | Virtual Ventures
- Dan Anton | Youth Moving Mountains at Yukon University
Thank you to our Geering Up community for making it possible for us to do what we do.
Join us and follow along as we GEER UP to inspire the next generations of scientists, engineers, critical thinkers, and leaders.
