Mathstronauts
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Mission Statement
Empowering youth to develop digital technology and STEM skills by making STEM education more accessible.
About This Cause
Mathstronauts is a federally incorporated non-profit organization founded in Hamilton, Ontario. We develop and deliver high quality inclusive, equitable STEM programs to students in grades 4 to 12 in underrepresented communities of Ontario. We offer diverse programs and services including in-class, afterschool and mentorship programs, competitions, workshops, and outreach events for youth. Our pedagogical expertise and instructional strategies create meaningful learning opportunities for youth to experience STEM in novel ways. We have 8+ years of experience in all aspects of program design, development, implementation, administration, evaluation, and scaling. We specialize in designing and developing novel, innovative curriculum using a project-based learning (PjBL) approach on topics such as animation, game and app development, 3D and graphic design, machine learning and artificial intelligence, numeracy, and scientific theories and their applications. In our programs, we actively incorporate principles of University Design for Learning and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion to ensure our programs are accessible to a wide range of audiences from diverse, underrepresented backgrounds. Our programs target elementary, middle, and high school students; each program is grade-specific, designed to foster STEM skills, and increase awareness and interests in STEM careers by demonstrating to young people that science and engineering have a wide range of real-world applications. In doing so, we make the conviction that STEM skills are becoming increasingly relevant to all workers and citizens and help to foster cross-cutting skills such as communication, problem-solving and critical thinking that are desired in the 21st century. We are also the original creators of the first hackathon for middle school students in Canada called STEM Hacks. STEM Hacks is a popular annual event that brings together youth from Ontario in the application and celebration of science and engineering. Year over year, Mathstronauts has built its reputation as a brand of excellence, formed new partnerships, expanded our initiatives, and created new programs in support of our mission. We have a strong history of working with industry, academic, and community partners to bridge the gap in access to STEM education for the most underserved populations in our communities. We partner with school boards to provide novel and innovative programs that enhance core curriculum by demonstrating STEM’s real-world applications, while removing barriers to access. We have a strong multi-year partnership with McMaster University, which has resulted in establishing, launching, and growing five successful and sustainable STEM initiatives. Our partners include corporate leaders in technology such as General Motors (GM) Canada and other notable partners include the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN), and local youth organizations such as the Canadian Association for Girls in Science (CAGIS), Boys and Girls Club and YMCA. Our ability to secure, cultivate and sustain partnerships lends to our strength as an organization and ensures that we have the capacity and network to deliver on our promises. Since our founding in 2016, we have grown in our geographical and numerical reach, in the number and versatility of programs, and in our team and partnerships. Today, Mathstronauts has 28+ staff, a strong Board of Advisors, and a diverse set of recognized partners. We have provided outreach to over 13,500 youth in Ontario, spent over 90,000 hours on STEM learning, and trained and worked with a total of 275 volunteers and mentors including industry experts. Our programs are sustainable, as evidenced by our strong partnerships and diversity of funding sources. We actively contribute novel and rich open-source curriculum and new models for teaching and learning STEM to the educational community free of charge. We also provide professional development opportunities for teachers to learn skills such as coding so that they may integrate coding into their classrooms. Additionally, we actively engage in research activities to investigate best practices in STEM program design and delivery. For example, we currently have a MITACS-funded research project with McMaster’s Department of Sociology to investigate the effectiveness of a post-secondary education (PSE) transition program.