About Engineering Outreach

Founded in 1991, Engineering Outreach originally provided programming to 60 participants. 30 years later, we now reach over 43,000 youth yearly through camps, clubs, workshops, and events. 

1993: Engineering Outreach becomes a member of Actua, Canada's leading science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) youth outreach organization.

1999: A brand new Club for Girls is run for the first time.

2009: GirlSci and TeenTech programming is created, offering our programs to a wider range of audiences.

2013: 3D printing is introduced into the curriculum to kick-start the creative world of Engineering Design for youth!

2014: The University of Ottawa's Makerspace is created, allowing students and the public to take charge of their ideas.

2015: New Enrichment programs are created, as well as Makergirls and Minimed, in order to appeal to an even larger population.

2016: The University of Ottawa's Makermobile is launched, the first mobile makerspace for youth. Now, we currently have a selection of 3 different vans! Satellite Camps are offered to ensure participants have access to programming closer to home.

2018: The Faculty of Engineering Secondary School is created.

2019: The Maker Mobile team offered for the first time a successful MakerEd camp for teachers in the summer. Adventures Summer Camps are offered at 5 locations (uOttawa campus, Orleans, Barrhaven, Kanata and Alta Vista).

2020: Faculty of Engineering Secondary School offered 4 different credited classes (TDJ1O, TDJ2O, ICS2O, ICS3U), all online due to the pandemic. Summer camps are offered virtually.

2021: Maker Mobile transformed his workshop program to be offered online. New SHSM workshops are created and offered to high school students.

1. To provide STEM programming to youth in a fun, iterative, project-based environment. 
2. To reach hindered audiences in order to provide accessible STEM programming to all youth, especially those that otherwise would not have access. In particular: at-risk youth, Indigenous youth and female youth*
3. To increase awareness about the opportunities the University of Ottawa can offer youth in their future education.

*Reaching the female population - According to a survey by ONWiE, the number of females entering the field of Engineering is a low 14%. Although this number has improved, we aim to continue supporting females in STEM by offering programming just for girls, in a safe, mentor-friendly environment for them to thrive.

Adventures in Engineering and Science is committed to introducing young minds to the wonders and merits of science, engineering, and technology, no matter their ethnicity, gender, culture, and socio-economic background. We offer completely subsidized workshops and summer camp programs to youth across Ontario and Quebec.

We are proud to have partnered with the following groups and organizations:

• TD Friends of the Environment Foundation
• Unversity of Ottawa
• Ontario Power Generation
• Youth Services Jeunesses
• Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
• Cooperation Council of Ontario
• Ottawa Community Foundation
• Association of Public Sector Information Professionals / Developing Professionalism in Informatics
• Government of Canada