SciXchange

Come join us for the “Medicine in the Garden” event on September 19th at the Medicine Garden, located on the 8th floor DCC rooftop farm at Toronto Metropolitan University! 🌾 The event will be held from 12-2 pm for the Indigenous community and from 2-4 pm for the general public.

This special occasion honors Indigenous knowledge and medicinal practices. You’ll have the chance to learn about traditional Indigenous medicines and foods from speaker Taylor Parker and explore Indigenous medicine practices with speaker Asha Frost. Additionally, Toronto Metropolitan University’s School of Medicine will present their Indigenous initiatives from Indigenous Health lead Jamaica Cass! Enjoy an interactive tour led by Indigenous-Led Programs coordinator Samantha Williams and savor a delicious lunch catered by Wisinidaa.

Please note that this event is RSVP-only due to limited capacity. We look forward to your participation!

https://forms.gle/XQJFDsTToSQs6H9JA

Hey TMU students and STEM enthusiasts! 🌟 Looking to make a real impact? Volunteer with us to lead exciting after-school and community programs that bring STEM to life for youth in our city! 🚀🔬 Whether you’re passionate about coding, robotics, or cool science experiments, you can inspire the next generation of innovators. 💡 Open to all who are passionate about making STEM accessible and exciting for everyone.

We are looking for volunteers:
Mondays and Wednesdays from 4PM - 7PM
& Saturdays (in Mississauga) from 11AM - 1PM

Sign up today using the Volunteer Newsletter link in our bio or the link down below and be a part of something amazing!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdSduqNd0OCyQxf8KMHvNM8bd6s5opL9MkkaQzwju2WYzwxSA/viewform?usp=sf_link

🌟 Join Our Volunteer Info Session! 🌟

Want to make a difference? Learn more about our exciting volunteer opportunities and our Micro:Bits program! Drop by anytime on Sept 12 (Thursday) between 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM outside of our office at KHE 124. We can’t wait to meet you! 🙌✨

Take a look at what this talk will delve into:

“Scientists are finding new ways to use tiny bubbles and sound waves to help fight breast cancer. By combining ultrasound and special bubbles, doctors hope to make treatments more effective and work better for patients.”

Be there on September 28th to dive deeper into Eleanor’s fantastic work!

Speaker: Eleanor Cloves
Talk Title: Can Ultrasound and Microbubbles Treat Breast Cancer?
Institution: Toronto Metropolitan University

Get a preview of what this talk will dive into:

“Ever wondered how proteins in our bodies interact with each other? Just as we bond strongly with our closest friends and family, proteins too have a preference to interact strongly with only a select few in their close proximity. We use the latest technology to determine the degree of interaction that can then be modified to restore healthy states from diseased ones.”

Join us on September 28th to learn more about the incredible work Fatima is doing!

Speaker: Fatima Lukmani
Talk Title: Molecules to Medicine: Protein Interactions in Kidney Disease
Institution: Toronto Metropolitan University

Take a look at what this talk will delve into:

“While humans aren’t yet able to explore Mars themselves, our robotic proxies on the surface and in orbit have been drawing back the curtain on the red planet’s secrets. Learn about some of the most exciting discoveries we’ve made in the recent past, how we explore Mars from the comfort of Earth, and what mysteries are still to be solved.”

To hear more about Alex’s amazing work, join us September 28th!

Speaker: Alex Innanen
Talk Title: Uncovering Martian Mysteries
Institution: York University

Here's a teaser of what you can expect from this talk:

“Imagine a grain of sand; now imagine something five hundred times smaller. I'm a scientist who makes particles that small that help treat and diagnose diseases, heal wounds, and monitor what's going on in our bodies.”

Don't miss out on September 28th, when Sarah will reveal her incredible discoveries!

Speaker: Sarah McColman
Talk Title: Nanomedicine: Small Particles, Huge Impact
Institution: Toronto Metropolitan University

We have two openings in our office this fall - available to TMU students looking for part-time work. Applications reviewed on an ongoing basis.

🧪 Chemistry Lab Lead Facilitator
🌍 Climate Change Coordinator

We are hiring for Fall 2024! We're Hiring for Fall 2024! Check out our positions for science outreach in fall 2024. August 27, 2024 Chemistry Lab Lead Facilitator Join a national network of enthusiastic science communicators working together to make a difference in the science literacy of young Canadians! As a Lab Lead Facilita...

Here is a sneak peak of what this talk is about:

“How can we use real-life superpowers such as X-ray vision and artificial intelligence to detect lung disease? Come meet an everyday superhero (an imaging scientist!) to find out more about their superpowers!”

Join us on September 28th to hear Meghan share her groundbreaking discoveries!

Speaker: Meghan Koo
Talk Title: Superpower Scientist: X-Ray Vision and Artificial Intelligence!
Institution: Toronto Metropolitan University

Take a look at what this talk will delve into:

“Imagine if we could understand the secret language of small particles, the fundamental building blocks of our environment. What if we could decipher their interactions to unlock new ways to protect and restore our ecosystems? With cutting-edge technology, we can now make this vision a reality.”

Save the date—September 28th—for Taha’s exciting talk on her breakthrough discoveries!

Speaker: Taha Sajjad
Talk Title: Tiny Messengers, Big Secrets
Institution: York University

Interested in getting involved? We are looking for volunteers to help make Soapbox Science, a unique event that brings cutting-edge science to the public in a fun and interactive way, a success!

What is Soapbox Science? Soapbox Science is an innovative public outreach platform that promotes women and non-binary scientists by bringing cutting-edge research to the public in an engaging, accessible way. Speakers use props instead of slides to connect directly with audiences of all ages.

🙋 Sign up here: https://buff.ly/4cGZ1gr

Here's a brief preview of what this talk will discuss:

“Why do plants smell the way they do, and what does that have to do with insect pests? Tomato plants, like many others, produce smelly chemicals called terpenes through tiny hair structures, which can deter harmful insects. Join me to uncover the hidden strategies plants use to thrive in a world full of hungry insects!”

Mark your calendars for September 28th to hear Andreea unveil her groundbreaking discoveries!

Speaker: Andreea Bosorogan
Talk Title: Smelly Shields: How Plants Outsmart Insects
Institution: University of Toronto

Here is a sneak peak of what this talk is about:

“In our homes, we say that we shouldn't dump fat or oil into our sinks because they clog up pipes, slowing down the flow of water. Fats also clog up the pipes in our bodies - our blood vessels - making it harder for blood to pass through and potentially leading to health problems like heart attacks or strokes; this is called atherosclerosis. I look at how athero develops and how we can detect it at its early stages before it progresses to stroke.”

Join us on September 28th to hear Crizza share her groundbreaking discoveries!

Speaker: Crizza Ching
Talk Title: Clogged Pipes and the Role of Plumbers in Heart Health
Institution: UHN STEM Pathways (University Health Network)

Introducing our Speakers for Soapbox Science on Saturday, Sept. 28. Here is a look at what is to come in this talk:

“Chunks of dusty ice hurtle through the outer solar system and occasionally encounter planetary bodies. These can explode during their “fall” and send out signals, giving us tantalizing hints about how the Solar System formed.”

To hear more of what Elisa has discovered, join us on September 28th!

Speaker: Elisa D**g
Talk Title: Falling through Titan's Atmosphere
Institution: York University

Join us for an exciting day of science and discovery at the 8th annual Soapbox Science Toronto! This free event, open to all ages, brings you up close with leading women and non-binary scientists as they share their groundbreaking research in a fun and interactive way.

Whether you're curious about the latest scientific advancements or just looking for a unique experience, come out and engage with brilliant minds in the heart of Toronto. Don’t miss this chance to be inspired and learn something new!

Date: September 28th, 2024
Time: 12:00 PM EDT - 3:00 PM EDT
Location: Queen's Park, Part of

🌊 Our ‘Science Behind Olympic Sports’ series wraps up with a splash as we dive into the science of surfing! 🏄‍♂️ Discover how wave reading and various techniques can boost wave riding performance. Prepare to surf smarter, not harder!

🚴‍♂️ Our ‘Science Behind Olympic Sports’ series rolls on with a look at achieving maximum efficiency in cycling!🏅 Learn how pedaling technique, body position, core stability and cadence can take your ride to the next level.

🎾 Our ‘Science Behind Olympic Sports’ series continues with a look into the biomechanics of tennis! 🏅Get ready to ace your opponents with science!

🎯 Our 'Science Behind Olympic Sports' series kicks off with a deep dive into the biomechanics of archery! 🏹 Perfect your aim with the power of physics.

Let the games begin! 🌟 The Paris 2024 Olympics are here, and we're cheering loud for Team Canada! Go for gold! 🇨🇦

Join our team this school year! We're hiring part-time student positions. 📣

📚 Science Outreach and Communication Lead is open to all domestic undergraduate students at TMU through the Career Boost program. 📆 Deadline to apply is July. 21. Check out the link in our bio for more information.

Join our team this school year! We're hiring part-time student positions. 📣

📚 Student Outreach and Engagement Lead is open to all undergraduate students at TMU through the Career Boost program. 📆 Deadline to apply is July. 21. Check out the link in our bio for more information.

To end Pride Month, we are highlighting two more Canadian individuals in STEM who are part of the +2SLGBTQIA+ community. Despite facing many challenges, both Alex and Frieda have exhibited remarkable perseverance. They have made significant contributions in their fields and are role models in the +2SLGBTQIA+ community!

Introducing the powerhouse teams from Toronto who've made it to the semifinals of Technovation Girls 2024! 🌟

Huge kudos to these budding innovators for their incredible achievement! 🎉 Wishing you all the best as you soar through the rest of the Technovation journey! 🚀

Help us celebrate Mina, our latest Volunteer of the Month! Her commitment to our program is incredibly motivating! 🌟

Wondering about Mina's role at SciXchange and her love for science outreach? 🧪

👉 Swipe to discover her answer.

❗Black holes are objects so dense that not even light can escape their gravitational pull. Yet despite this, black holes can shine brightly, which sounds pretty contradicting. 🤔

Supermassive black holes can illuminate the center of galaxies and are known as active galactic nuclei. 🌌

As cosmic material falls into a black hole, it forms an accretion disc that swirls around it. This material gets very hot and glows; it can even power jets of matter that shoot out of the black hole into space. 🚀

This all occurs just outside the event horizon, and is one of the ways astronomers can detect black holes aside from observing them directly. 👀

Continuing our space fun facts!

Did you know planets can wander through space without a parent star?✨

🪐 Rogue planets, also known as exoplanets or free-floating planets, are worlds outside the solar system that are not gravitationally bound to stars. That means that they wander the Milky Way alone without a parent star. 🌌

💫 One possible explanation for rogue planets is that they form in planetary systems and then are flung away by gravitational interactions with other planets in the same system or by encounters with another star system. A less plausible, but still viable, explanation is that rogue planets form on their own, outside planetary systems.

🔭 According to NASA, a study suggested that when NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope comes online, predicted to be in 2026 or 2027, it could spot as many as 400 Earth-mass rogue exoplanets using microlensing.

Science Rendezvous is happening tomorrow! 🫧 🧪 📡

Join us for fun, free science activities all day on campus! All ages are welcome to feed their curiosity and explore the science that goes on at TMU.

Saturday May 11, 2024
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Gould Street at Victoria St.

Will we see you there? 👀

Check out our summer series of fun facts, coming to you every Friday!

Do you know how fast the sun is losing "weight"?🌞

The particles in the Sun’s upper atmosphere are so hot and energetic that they speed out into space as part of the solar wind. This way, our star sheds around 1.3 trillion trillion trillion particles every second. This equates to roughly losing one billion kilograms of matter every second, or losing the entire mass of the Earth every 185 million years.🌎

Join us in applauding Arshdeep, our newest Volunteer of the Month! His dedication to our digital literacy program is truly inspiring!

🔬Curious about Arshdeep's role at SciXchange and his passion for science outreach?

👉 SWIPE to read his response.