By Emily Marston
The Arctic Institute of North America and TELUS Spark Science Centre (located in Calgary, Alberta) partnered to bring the life, ambiance, and experience of the Canadian Arctic to the Inspiration Stage! This two-day on-stage presentation, and hands on science reached 2000 participants of all ages, genders and educational backgrounds, introducing the public to the benefits of genomics and how it can be incorporated into the protection of arctic animals.
On March 1st, three Genomics PowerPoints were presented to four different school groups, ages ranging from 8 to 18, showcasing how genomes and genomics work, why they are important and useful tools in ecosystem sustainability and food sourcing in the Arctic, and what this project has accomplished/is working on in partnership with Genome Alberta.
On March 2nd, these three PowerPoint presentations were presented to the public, with the average age ranging between 8 and 40 years old. We found that the highest level of interest throughout all presentations was from ages 18 to 35 (high school graduates, university students, and young parents). During this day we were approached by government workers, Indigenous community members, school teachers ect. who were interested in this project and the results of our workshop in Cambridge Bay. The majority of viewers have not been introduced to the use of genomics for animals research, but were intrigued on how the use of it is incorporated into food sustainability.
We are so excited, and proud to be part of our community, sharing the knowledge and experiences that most can only dream of!
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