Canadian Association For Girls In Science (CAGIS)

The Canadian Association for Girls In Science (CAGIS) is an award-winning club for girls aged 7 to 16 that supports interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Having literacy in STEM is becoming increasingly important to function in our society, from decoding fact from fiction in the media to having the skills to be competitive on the job market. However, sometimes kids become turned off STEM as they get older because of pressures in school and/or stereotypes they encounter in society. Other kids love STEM but aren’t able to experience as much as they would like in their classrooms. Research shows that these challenges can affect girls more than boys. CAGIS chapter members meet monthly to explore STEM with fun, hands-on activities led by women and men who are experts in a variety of STEM fields. These monthly events often occur at the work places of our STEM experts, giving girls a behind-the-scenes view and allowing them to experience the lab and field environment for themselves. CAGIS started with a single chapter and a group of 20 girls in London, Ontario. Now, 26 years later, CAGIS has chapters across the country and has been lauded for its excellence in science promotion by the prestigious Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Michael Smith Award for Science Promotion. CAGIS has also been featured in municipal, national, and international media numerous times including CBC (radio and TV), CTV, Global, YTV, CityTV, BCTV, TVO, Globe & Mail, Toronto Star, Metro, and Chatelaine, to name a few.