Community Engagement Through Science

The world of science captures the imagination of people in all parts of our society. Generating, stimulating, and keeping that interest in science alive in the community is important to the Faculty of Science.

We work to engage the public and industry by shared experiences in science. Each year, the Faculty of Science interacts with thousands of visitors through our museums and collections, public and industry events, summer camps, and more. We invite you to explore the diverse ways in which we engage our community in science.

Engagement Highlights

Facilities like the Observatory, Shack, and Greenhouses host programs to more than 5,000 members of the public, K-12 school groups, and summer programs.
Museums and collections arrange tours and appointments for the public, university students, K-12 schools, and summer programs of more than 5,000 participants.
K-12 school programs such as High School Physics Experiments, The Iverson Exam, the Young Scientist Conference and others bring more than 3,500 school students to campus on a yearly basis. Off campus, many Faculty of Science researchers, staff, and science student groups visit classrooms regularly.
Public programs like summer camps, public lectures, and science student group events draw more than 6,000 attendees.
Volunteer and paid internship opportunities at the University like volunteering at the Dino Lab, Computing Science High School internships, Museum and Collection volunteers number more than 300 each year.
Online education opportunities in the form of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) like Dino 101, Astro 101, and Problem Solving, Programming and Video Games have provided access to more than 375,000 students since their inception.

Facilities and Points of Interest

Alongside the Faculty of Science collections and museums are some facilities and points of interest that are open to the community to access in the form of tours, appointments, or special events. Each of these facilities is different in respect to access, so please visit their websites for more information.

K-12 School Programming

The Faculty of Science is interested in promoting science to the next generation of scientists. We have several K-12 programs across departments for students wishing to engage in groundbreaking science research or learn more about the Alberta science curriculum.

Museums and Collections

The Faculty of Science is home to world class museums and collections that showcase an amazing depth and breadth of science research. Each year our museums and collections are accessed by thousands of University students, researchers from all over the globe, the public, summer programs, and school groups.

Public Programs and Events

Throughout the year there is a wide range of activities open to the public in the form of events, summer camps, public lectures, and more. Learn more about what is happening on campus, so you can plan your next visit.

Relationships with Industry

The Faculty of Science is a leader in research innovation and home to an expansive array of custom equipment and services. We are on the cutting edge of novel work in many industrial sectors and can assist industry leaders in addressing challenges, research and development, training, or access to high value equipment. Companies can also utilize many government funding sources by collaborating with one of our scientists. We are working hard to make industry-academia relationships easy and beneficial.

Volunteer and Internship Opportunities

For U of A and high school students interested in working in research or industry, the Faculty of Science and other organizations offer several programs to experience science beyond the classroom.