About Us
Engineering Outreach
Created in Fall 2009, Engineering Outreach at U of T manages and administers the core outreach programs offered by the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering.
- We act as the central unit for outreach activities promoting Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education to a wide audience.
- We design and deliver programs centrally, and coordinate the activities by other entities including student organizations, Faculty members, and Departments.
- The vast majority of outreach activities supported by Engineering Outreach are pre-university programming.
What is Pre-University Outreach?
Pre-university outreach is a set of programs sponsored or supported by the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering that connects our current students and faculty with members of the community. In doing so, these programs aim to:
Main Objectives of Engineering Outreach
Educating Future Engineers
Engineering Outreach is dedicated to contributing to the development and education of both the participants in our pre-university programs and the undergraduate and graduate students whom provide instruction and support to them.
We want to ensure that the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering at the University of Toronto prepares both high school students and undergraduate and graduate students to be engaged global citizens who see the impact of their action and, just as importantly, inaction.
We participate in the education of future engineers in the following ways:
- We offer a diverse range of pre-university programming that acknowledges the importance of cross-disciplinary work. We provide courses that demonstrate the various ways that engineering intersects with business, medicine, policy development, and the environment.
- We provide comprehensive training to university students that not only focuses on skill development but the need for self-development. The training offered acknowledges the importance of culture and language and those skills required to be successful in a global context.
Serving our Current Students
We operate on the belief that engineering students who are engaged and participate in outreach to the community are more likely to value their education and to become active, engaged engineers.
We promote excellence outside of the classroom in the following ways:
- Provide students with resources to achieve their personal outreach goals, as a team, student group, or individually
- Model best practices in outreach education and aid in the understanding of what it means to connect with youth, the community and outside agencies in a professional, meaningful, intentional and thoughtful manner
Furthermore, outreach programs benefit university students involved, by strengthening their leadership, team, and communication skills as well as improving their understanding of basic principles underlying engineering. Engineering student involvement of this kind promotes the ability to teach in one’s area of expertise and gives a person the opportunity to share enthusiasm for an area of engineering. This can be an extremely valuable addition to a traditional engineering education and the impact on our students’ experience is significant.
Engineering Outreach Programs
Actua is a leading Canadian science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) youth outreach organization. Each year, the Actua network engages over 500,000 youth in 600 communities across Canada in transformative STEM learning experiences that build critical skills and confidence. Please visit www.actua.ca.
