Casey Wong (L), Faizan Waseem (C), and Eisha Ahmed (R) welcome campers to the 2019 Science Summer Camps. Photo credit: John Ulan
Science Summer Camp instructors are passionate and enthusiastic about sharing their love of science with our camps of future scientists. Meet the instructors of this year's Mini Computing Science summer camps.
Casey Wong
Program: BEd, secondary education
Interests: Playing video games, reading, watching TV and movies, cooking
What do you love most about science?
Neil DeGrasse Tyson once said, "The good thing about science is that it is true whether or not you believe in it." If there's something we don't know about the world, the answers are out there. Someone just needs to discover it.
As a returning instructor to Science Summer Camps, what did you find fulfilling about the position in previous years/what made you want to return?
I found that being a Science Summer Camp instructor to be very fulfilling because it always felt like my campers left at the end of the week having learned something. They had a lot of fun, and when their parents came to see what they'd learned at the end of the week, the campers were all excited to show their parents something they learned from me and my fellow instructors.
What is your favourite memory from instructing camps in previous years?
My favourite memory from instructing camps in the previous years was getting to know all of my campers and watching them form friendships with their fellow campers
What was one of your favourite camp projects/activities to share with campers?
My favourite camp activity was code.org and Bitsbox, two of our activities that teach campers coding. Watching the campers gradually learn how to code on their own was very rewarding.
Tell us a fun fact about you!
I own two autographed Rick Riordan books.
Faizan Waseem
Program: BSc, honors psychology
Interests: Badminton, volleyball, basketball, and spending time on the computer
What do you love most about science?
I love how vast it is. The nature of science invites you to explore what hasn't been explored yet. Why do people act the way they do? Why does gravity work the way it does? Being able to methodically dig into these questions, find a possible solution and testing it is what science is all about and is the reason I love it.
Why do you think it is important to promote science to young people, and what makes you a good science mentor?
I'm always so surprised at how much a young person can learn and we, as adults, need to nourish their sponge-like brains with things that will matter. The reason I will be a good mentor is because I know what a child wants. No matter how old I get, my brain always seems to think like a kid. What is fun? What is exciting? I try to bring that energy to our activities.
Why did you want to work with Science Summer Camps?
Science Summer Camps provide a very necessary opportunity for children to learn and advance as citizens of the world. When kids have so many months off from school, why not continue to foster their curiosity? That is exactly what Science Summer Camps do, and the big reason why I am working in this field.
Can you tell us a fun fact about your favourite scientist or scientific discovery?
Here is a quote by psychologist Clive James: "Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at different speeds." You can't have common sense without a sense of humor, it would make life senseless.
Eisha Ahmed
Program: BSc, computing science
Interests: Drawing, painting, reading, and I have recently started knitting
What do you love most about science?
That satisfaction I feel when logic seems to fit like puzzle pieces and I am able to understand how the world works around me.
As a returning instructor to Science Summer Camps, what did you find fulfilling about the position in previous years/what made you want to return?
To the kids, we are more than just their camp instructors. We are role models to them: we share stories, play during breaks, and they surprise me by how much they can learn in one week. Watching them have a good time makes this position extremely rewarding and made me want to return.
What was one of your favourite camp projects/activities to share with campers?
Making a game on GameStar Mechanics Junior. The campers seemed to enjoy this activity the most and creating a game let their creativity shine. I also liked that this activity could be shared with campers of all levels and interests.
Tell us a fun fact about you!
I have a large velvet cloak. Not for Halloween or a costume. Just a cloak for casual wear.