INNOVATION November-December 2022

C O M M U N I T Y

SCIENCE GAMES VOLUNTEERS INSPIRE YOUNG MINDS ACROSS BC When Aya Costa, EIT—an environmental engineer-in-training at Urban Systems— first volunteered as a mentor for Science Games, she had no idea that she would have as much fun or learn as much about science as her students did. “I definitely played with slime as a kid, but I never thought about how it worked at the time, or why it has the properties it does,” she said. “When you volunteer for Science Games, you get an opportunity to take a closer look and learn the science behind a lot of everyday phenomena like this.” Returning virtually in February 2023, Science Games is a collaborative, hands-on event organized by Engineers and Geoscientists BC that motivates students ages 6 through 12 to develop their scientific talent, build their sense of curiosity, and dive into the world of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). As a past Science Games mentor, Aya led small groups of students through weekly challenges and activities, showcased the most interesting parts of engineering and geoscience careers, and empowered students to find creative solutions to new problems. Her favourite aspect of volunteering is the sea of smiles that greet you at the start and end of every Science Games session. “Their joy and enthusiasm make it very clear that the effort you put into volunteering for this event has a meaningful impact on these students,” she said.

Top: Aya Costa, EIT, working on a community water system planning and design project. P hoto : E lectra C oonjah , EIT Bottom: A project from Science Games 2022.

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