Why do we need SciHigh?
SciHigh brings the joy of scientific discovery right into the classrooms of countless students. SciHigh encourages students to ask questions and be curious about the world around them, and gives them the opportunity to answer those questions for themselves through exciting hands-on experiments side by side with our volunteers. By partnering students with our volunteers, a diverse group of real-life scientists, SciHigh helps to counter the images of science and scientists in popular culture, showing students just how normal and approachable science and scientists can be. SciHigh presents students with some of the exciting questions awaiting them in the future, encourages them to ask questions of their own, and teaches them just how much power and ability they have to answer those questions, which embodies the essence of science itself.
What is the goal of SciHigh?
The motto of our program is “be curious”, and this represents the primary goal of SciHigh: to get students to ask questions about the world around them, and to try to answer those questions for themselves. Through introducing students to exciting fields of research, presented by real-life scientists, we encourage students to ask questions, and through exciting hands-on experiments, show them that they have the power to find answers. This is the essence of science and is a way of thinking we hope remains accessible for students throughout their lives.
What grade levels does SciHigh visit?
We visit all grades, from kindergarten classes all the way up to grade 12 advanced biology classes.
What are the SciHigh “Partnerships”?
We have several partnerships with other institutions and programs in an effort to pool resources for the benefit of GTA students. Visit our Partnerships page for more information.
How did SciHigh get started?
SciHigh was born in 1997 as an initiative of the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute. In particular, the program’s early pioneers were Prof. Alan Bernstein (now president of CIHR), Prof. Sharon Abel (program director) and Cindy Todoroff, (SLRI Research Training Centre). Our program has continued to grow with every passing year, and we hope it will continue to grow for many years to come.
How is SciHigh funded?
Scihigh is funded by the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital and receives funding from the Ministry of Research and Innovation.