FOR INSPIRATION AND RECOGNITION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

FOR INSPIRATION AND RECOGNITION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY BRIEF PREPARED FOR STANDING COMMITTEE ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN IN CANADA 21 APRIL 2015

FIRST Robotics Canada – Overview and impact of

STEM education for girls and women.

Presented by Dorothy Byers Karen Low Directors, FIRST Canada

FOR INSPIRATION AND RECOGNITION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• Dean Kamen – Founder FIRST Robotics 1989

(US) • Inventor of note: Segway, Insulin Pump, Bio

Mechanical Arm

• Mr. Kamen’s vision: “That Scientists will be the 21st Century’s Superstars”

• 2002 FIRST begins in Canada

FIRST Fast Facts

FOR INSPIRATION AND RECOGNITION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

FIRST in Canada Each year new: team members, game, robot

Each year more students use STEM in FIRST

FRC Kickoff world wide at the same time

Teams compete in regional events

Advance to the World Championships to compete with international teams at all levels – 10,0000 participants

FOR INSPIRATION AND RECOGNITION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

FIRST Background • FIRST Robotics Canada – 2002 FRC high school program included 26

Canadian teams (2 all-girls).

• 2014 - 175 teams with over 4,300 direct participants - 30% annual growth. FIRST was so successful in high schools that there was demand to engage younger students! • Kindergarten to grade 8 – Junior FIRST LEGO League and FIRST LEGO

League; 760 teams in 2014 in Ontario. Jr. FLL and FLL season begins in September.

FOR INSPIRATION AND RECOGNITION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Funding – sponsors include

FOR INSPIRATION AND RECOGNITION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Funding for growth

• Federal Government Financial support received to grow FIRST in Canada.

• 2011-14 FIRST Canada Robotics received

$1.5M over 3 years. • Ontario Ministry of Education grant

provided $3M over 5 years. • Impact: Federal support grew FIRST to

double the number of teams, students and competitions.

• From 2011 to 2014 increase in all girls’

teams by 400% (from 2 to 10) from only 1 in 2004. • June 2013 – 2 FRC teams meet Prime

Minister Harper.

FOR INSPIRATION AND RECOGNITION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

✔ STEM program initiated in targeted groups: girls, First Nations, visually and hearing impaired, at-risk students

✔ Engagement of students in under-resourced areas

✔ Network building: students with mentors ✔ Development of the next generation of STEM

leaders ✔ Support for innovative programs ✔ Transformation of science, technology and

engineering into a popular sport ✔ Empowerment of women to make courageous

post-secondary and career choices

The impact of your support

FOR INSPIRATION AND RECOGNITION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

GOOD to GREAT News

• 50 / 50 ratio of girls /boys in LEGO

League (K-8). • 35 / 65 ratio of women/men in FRC

(9-12). • Majority of women on all teams stay

engaged in STEM. The GREAT NEWS - 87% to 90% of girls on all-girls’ teams go on to STEM education.

FOR INSPIRATION AND RECOGNITION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Brandeis University Study “More Than Robots” (Funded by Ford Foundation)

Academic Impact

FOR INSPIRATION AND RECOGNITION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• Competence with new skills • Connecting with role models • Coaching through the FIRST network • Confidence to do anything • Passion for STEM

Success for women

FOR INSPIRATION AND RECOGNITION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

$26 Million in scholarships worldwide; $150,000 in Canada Carleton University

Nipissing University Queen’s University

Ryerson University University of Waterloo Western University UOIT University of Windsor University of Toronto York University Universities see FIRST students as highly desirable

University Affiliations