Winners

Women in Scholarship, Engineering, Science & Technology (WISEST), University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB

Women in Scholarship, Engineering, Science, and Technology (WISEST) has been engaging women and other underrepresented groups in science, engineering and technology since 1982.

As a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) outreach trailblazer in Canada, WISEST heightens awareness and dismantles barriers to diversity. Its goal is to ensure that anyone with a passion for STEM fields can thrive in them.

In its early years, WISEST hosted two national conferences dedicated to promoting women in science. These events laid the foundation for developing programs and networks that encouraged women to pursue their passions in science.

WISEST has also established summer research programs that place students in research facilities at the University of Alberta, providing them with hands-on experience and exposure to scientific inquiry. Many young women and gender-diverse students are currently doing research at the university’s College of Natural + Applied Sciences as a result of these programs.

The Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) conference, facilitated by WISEST, has for years ignited enthusiasm for these fields among young women, fostering a sense of belonging and possibility. And since the 1990s, WISEST has also organized the CHOICES Conference, which sees grade 6 female and gender-diverse students exchange experiences, meet role models, and explore diverse career paths in STEM.

WISEST’s impactful awareness initiatives have been closely aligned with student needs for more than 40 years. The organization has influenced more than 60,000 students by engaging them during critical educational stages (primarily grades 6 through 12), while its broader outreach efforts have reached countless others. Each year, WISEST delivers in-person activities to more than 1,500 students from Alberta and beyond, collaborates with more than 300 science teachers, and interacts with hundreds of other individuals during outreach events.

WISEST’s unwavering commitment to breaking down barriers and advancing diversity in science, engineering and technology has shaped an inclusive community. Its legacy spans four decades and has contributed significantly to changing the narrative about who can thrive in STEM fields. In recognition of these contributions, WISEST was selected as the winner of the 2023 NSERC Award for Science Promotion (Organization).

Dr. Pierre Chastenay — Professor, Department of Didactics, Université du Québec à Montréal

Pierre Chastenay began his career in astronomy at age 16, when he worked as a host and guide at the observatory of the Cégep de Trois-Rivières. Now he travels all over Quebec and around the world to speak before various organizations, such as amateur astronomy clubs, and to participate in various activities, such as teachers’ meetings and scientific conferences. His overarching objective: to share his knowledge and transmit his passion for astronomy and for teaching science.

Dr. Chastenay earned his bachelor’s degree in physics and his master’s degree in astrophysics at Université Laval, in Quebec City. He then served as director of education at the Montreal Planetarium, and as spokesperson for this organization for 25 years. In 2013, he completed his doctoral degree in science didactics at the Université de Montréal. Since then, he has held the position of full professor of science didactics at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), where he shares his expertise in astronomy didactics, primary-school-teacher training, informal education and science mediation.

Dr. Chastenay’s career as a science communicator and mediator has been rich and varied. In the 1980s, he began his career as a science reporter, narrator and host on both radio and television and later on the web. He also hosted the popular-science shows Le code Chastenay and Les électrons libres on the Télé-Québec television network. More recently, he has worked as a science reporter on radio, in particular on Radio-Canada.

In addition to his work in broadcast media, Dr. Chastenay has written several books to introduce young people to astronomy, including Je deviens astronome; La Terre, la Lune et le Soleil; La tournée des planètes; and Une visite guidée du système solaire. His work has helped to stimulate public interest in science and to make it more accessible, and he has left a lasting legacy in the field of science mediation.

Over his many years as a highly regarded science lecturer and broadcaster, he has left his mark in the fields of astronomy and science mediation and has received many awards and honours:

• Prix Raymond-Charrette 2014: Awarded by the Conseil supérieur de la langue française in recognition of his exemplary use of French in the media.
• Chevalier de l’Ordre de la Pléiade 2015: Awarded by the Assemblée parlementaire de la francophonie in recognition of his commitment to high-quality communication in French.
• Prix Gémeaux 2016: Awarded for his television show Le code Chastenay.
• 2017 Qilak Award: Presented by the Canadian Astronomical Society to recognize his exceptional contribution to the Canadian public’s understanding and appreciation of astronomy.
• 2017 Sandford Fleming Medal: Awarded by the Royal Canadian Institute for Science, for the quality and importance of his science-mediation work throughout Canada.
• Prix Thérèse-Patry 2020: Awarded by the Association des communicateurs scientifiques du Québec to honour his exceptional contribution to the scientific culture of Quebec.

As professor at the Department of Didactics at the UQAM, Dr. Chastenay is training a new generation of teachers at the primary and secondary levels, instilling in them his passion for teaching astronomy and science in general. In recognition of his remarkable commitment to the promotion of astronomy and to science mediation, he has received the 2023 NSERC Award for Science Promotion. Through his lasting influence, he continues to inspire inquiring minds and to awaken their fascination with the universe.