Shad’s staff team engages year-round to share knowledge & build community and capacity across Canada. Here are some 2024 examples:
2024 AISES in Canada National Gathering – Indigenous Alumni Panel – Vancouver, BC
Michelle McFarlane, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Manager moderated a panel of Indigenous Shad alumni who shared their experiences exploring post-secondary STEAM pathways and the different career opportunities available. Topics included: entering the workforce, preparing for post-secondary, sharing Indigenous perspectives in STEAM curricula.
Association of Alberta Public Charter Schools Conference – Design Thinking and Mathematical Problem Solving
Educational session presented by Alvina Mardhani-Bayne, Educational Engagement & Recruitment Manager. In this presentation Alvina shared a mathematician’s approach to problem solving; parallels between different problem-solving processes with an emphasis on design thinking; alumni perspectives on mathematical learning and problem solving
Association of Independent Schools and Colleges in Alberta Conference
Educational session presented by Alvina Mardhani-Bayne, Educational Engagement & Recruitment Manager focusing on STEM education and Shad programs
Canada Wide Science Fair Delegate Conference – Navigating Hidden Pathways
In this interactive, world café-style session presented by Alvina Mardhani-Bayne, Educational Engagement & Recruitment Manager, delegates had conversations with Shad Leaders, an extraordinary group of university students who are expanding their leadership and STEAM skills. Learning about the role of educators, extracurriculars, university life, first-gen student experiences, and how to discover and navigate hidden pathways.
Grasslands Summer Teacher’s Institute – University of Lethbridge
Shad Lethbridge staff and participants welcomed educators from the Grasslands Summer Teacher’s Institute and together they learned about the future of biofuels from University of Lethbridge faculty
National Council of Teachers of English – Seeing All Students as Writers: Video-Based Discussion Board Strategies for Remote Classrooms
This article co-authored by Alvina Mardhani-Bayne, Educational Engagement & Recruitment Manager presents a video discussion board assignment designed to foster belonging and academic language practice in a remote classroom. We consider how the assignment supported robust discussion and multimodal composition in Critical Reading and Writing, a course run with synchronous and asynchronous components during the COVID-19 pandemic at a technical college.
National Alliance for Children and Youth
Rob Esselment, VP External Relations provided support with the pre-budget submissions the organization makes to the government
Canadian Federation of University Women
Katie Gingerich, National Program Manager participated in a Gaps in Education panel moderated by the Perimeter Institute
Education 2.0 Conference USA
Tim Jackson, CEO was a featured speaker at the conference in March 2024 and received a Leadership Award for his efforts in leading Shad’s transformational work in STEM education
Association of Professional Futurists – Student Recognition Award
Jennifer Murphy, Director National Programs received an honourable mention award for her research work Wildlife Conservation – Nunavut 2043 with Emilio Castillo, Jaleel Cassim and Paulina Rousseau
Soaring 2024: Indigenous Youth Empowerment Gathering – Ottawa, ON
Michelle McFarlane, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Manager moderated a Shad alumni panel showcasing experiential learning as an important tool for youth development and finding a path to fulfilling their dreams. Workshop highlighted stories of two Indigenous alumni, one in post-secondary and one in high school, who attended the Shad program and shared their personal journey exploring STEAM and post-secondary pathways.
Students Commission of Canada, Centre of Excellence for Youth Engagement
Tim Jackson, CEO plus two Shad alumni participated in a panel on Discovering your talents in the 21st Century during a Take Our Kids to Work Day event
Disability and STEM, Science & Technology Awareness Network (STAN)
Michelle McFarlane, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Manager reviewed evidence-based understandings of the barriers to STEM careers among aspiring youth and adults with disabilities along the STEM pathway. Drawing on the perspectives and lived experiences of medical students and physicians with disabilities.
Empowering Youth Through Access to Information Event
Michelle McFarlane, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Manager virtual presentation about Shad to group that focusses on empowering youth, instilling positive values and celebrating diverse identities.
Black Youth in Technology, Engineering and Science (BYTES)
Michelle McFarlane, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Manager was the opening speaker for the Black Youth STEM Conference and facilitated a presentation about Shad Canada summer experience
