CAGIS Virtual
CAGIS Virtual brings STEM into your home with fun, weekly, hands-on, live sessions led by real experts and a CAGIS instructor!
Each session includes an introduction to the topic, a hands-on or virtual activity, and time for questions at the end.
Sessions occur on Saturdays at the following times:
Ages 7-12: 8 am Pacific • 9 am Mountain • 10 am Central • 11 am Eastern • 12 pm Atlantic
Ages 11-16: 10 am Pacific • 11 am Mountain • 12 pm Central • 1 pm Eastern • 2 pm Atlantic
CAGIS Virtual sessions are free for members and open to non-members for $16 per session. Registration will be open to members before the general public.
Did you know that you can purchase tickets to CAGIS Virtual sessions as a gift? Available here.
2022 CAGIS Virtual Events Schedule
Upcoming events will be posted at least one month in advance. Members will have access to event sign up links before the general public. We expect to always have enough space for all sign ups. However, in the event of a very popular event, spaces will go on a first-come-first-served basis with others added to a waiting list. Registration deadline is 30 minutes prior to start of the event. The schedule is subject to change, pending changes in host availability.
Saturday November 26 – Radioactive Food for Thought
Is your food radioactive? Yes, many things in our world, including some foods, are naturally radioactive! Does that mean they’re dangerous? Not always – it depends on the amount of radioactivity. Together, we will use candy and the periodic table to model radioactive isotopes and build a model nuclear reactor to understand how they work, and build on what we did at our Nuclear Physics with M&M’s session!
Preparation:
Material for the first session (7-12): 11 Mini-marshmallows (or 2 normal marshmallows cut in 8 pieces each), 4 jujubes (or other soft candy -all of the same colour), 92 plain M&Ms (or Skittles), 4 toothpicks, 1 sheet of paper, pencil.
Material for the second session (11-16): 1 transparent plastic cup, 4 Mini-marshmallows (or 1 normal marshmallow cut in 8 pieces), 1 can of 7-Up, 4 regular straws, 4 sticks of red licorice (Twizzlers Twists). Optional: 1 tsp of Baking powder, Nerds/Sprinkles candy to put inside the straws.
Experts: Barbara Francisco is an Adjunct Professor EES & Research Scientist at the Actinides Laboratory of the University of Ottawa. Erin Flannigan is a PhD Candidate in Applied Nuclear Physics at the University of Ottawa.
Ages 7-12: 8 am Pacific • 9 am Mountain • 10 am Central • 11 am Eastern • 12 pm Atlantic. Members (free), Non-members ($16). Sign up here.
Ages 11-16: 10 am Pacific • 11 am Mountain • 12 pm Central • 1 pm Eastern • 2 pm Atlantic. Members (free), Non-members ($16). Sign up here.
To become a member, join here.
Saturday December 3 – Teen Ambassadors STEM Trivia!
Ages 7-12: 8 am Pacific • 9 am Mountain • 10 am Central • 11 am Eastern • 12 pm Atlantic. Members (free), Non-members ($16). Sign up here.
Holiday Break
CAGIS Virtual will not offer events from December 3, 2022, to January 14, 2023.
See you soon!
To become a member, join here.
2023 CAGIS Virtual Events Schedule
Saturday January 14 – Mirrors in Space
Have you seen the incredible images of our universe taken by the James Webb Telescope? Together, we will create our own models of the James Webb Telescope to understand how the telescope works, why it uses mirrors, and more! Get ready to gaze into the stars!
Preparation: Instructions will be added closer to the event.
Expert: Dr. Heidi White is an Astrophysicist at the University of Toronto studying galaxy evolution and cosmic star formation.
Ages 7-12: 8 am Pacific • 9 am Mountain • 10 am Central • 11 am Eastern • 12 pm Atlantic. Members (free), Non-members ($16). Sign-up will be available soon.
Ages 11-16: 10 am Pacific • 11 am Mountain • 12 pm Central • 1 pm Eastern • 2 pm Atlantic. Members (free), Non-members ($16). Sign-up will be available soon.
To become a member, join here.
Saturday January 21 – Flying by Instruments
Let’s fly! Have you seen an airplane cockpit and wondered about all the information on the panel? Aircraft pilots rely on these instruments, especially if the weather is bad. Together, we will fly a flight simulator and use instruments to pilot a plane in bad weather! We will also build paper versions of the planes and experiment to understand why some are really faster than others. Buckle your belt, and turn on your turbines, because we are taking off!
Preparation: Instructions will be added closer to the event.
Expert: Manouchka Bucktowar is an Integrated Gp 1 IFR Commercial Pilot. She graduated from the University of Waterloo in Science and Aviation.
Ages 7-12: 8 am Pacific • 9 am Mountain • 10 am Central • 11 am Eastern • 12 pm Atlantic. Members (free), Non-members ($16). Sign-up here.
Ages 11-16: 10 am Pacific • 11 am Mountain • 12 pm Central • 1 pm Eastern • 2 pm Atlantic. Members (free), Non-members ($16). Sign up here.
To become a member, join here.
Saturday January 28 – Skin Care
Did you know that the skin is the largest organ of the human body?! It is especially important to protect your lips from the sun, cold, and other environmental hazards because it is the thinnest skin on your body. In this session, we will create our own balm to keep our lips moist and protect them in the winter weather. Are you ready for some skin care chemistry?
Preparation: Instructions will be added closer to the event.
Expert: Lexie Griffith is a cosmetic chemist whose work involves formulating cosmetics and personal care products.
Ages 7-12: 8 am Pacific • 9 am Mountain • 10 am Central • 11 am Eastern • 12 pm Atlantic. Members (free), Non-members ($16). Sign-up will be available soon.
Ages 11-16: 10 am Pacific • 11 am Mountain • 12 pm Central • 1 pm Eastern • 2 pm Atlantic. Members (free), Non-members ($16). Sign-up will be available soon.
To become a member, join here.
Saturday February 4 – Cool Data
Has your computer or electronic device ever overheated? Keeping devices cool is essential to prevent data loss! But it’s not just your device; when you take great pictures or write social media posts, the data are stored in Data Centres, which produce a lot of heat. Together, we will explore how tech companies solve this complex problem. We will be building our own thermometers and exploring ways to cool materials with the same processes Data Centres use to keep our data safe and available in the cloud. Heat it up, and keep it cool!
Preparation: 1 water bottle, 1 stick of modelling clay (or play-dough), 1 thin transparent straw, 2 medium plastic / ceramic containers, hot water (not boiling), cold water with ice, food colouring, sharpie.
Expert: Maria Bolovis is the Senior Vice President of Operations at eStruxture with over 15 years of experience in data center operations, engineering, strategic planning, customer installations, and process improvement. Maria holds a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal and is a member of the Order of Engineers of Quebec (OIQ).
Ages 7-12: 8 am Pacific • 9 am Mountain • 10 am Central • 11 am Eastern • 12 pm Atlantic. Members (free), Non-members ($16). Sign up here.
Ages 11-16: 10 am Pacific • 11 am Mountain • 12 pm Central • 1 pm Eastern • 2 pm Atlantic. Members (free), Non-members ($16). Sign up here.
To become a member, join here.
Date TBD – Electric Lemon – FREE KIT!
From lemonade to sorbet, lemons have an amazing variety of uses. But, can a lemon become a battery? You bet! In this event, we’ll learn about the materials that are typically used to make modern batteries, explore energy alternatives that can bring a greener future, and build our own lemon-powered devices!
Preparation: CAGIS Virtual members will receive a free supplies kit! A separate registration link for supplies will be sent to members by email. A list of supplies for non-members will be posted soon.
Ages 7-12: 8 am Pacific • 9 am Mountain • 10 am Central • 11 am Eastern • 12 pm Atlantic. Members (free), Non-members ($16).
Ages 11-16: 10 am Pacific • 11 am Mountain • 12 pm Central • 1 pm Eastern • 2 pm Atlantic. Members (free), Non-members ($16).
To become a member, join here.
This program is supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council.
