Tag: STEM

Supporting STEM Education in Canada: Drax Foundation’s Partnership with Scientists in School

28 June 2024

Opinion

The Drax Foundation has committed $100,000 to Scientists in School, a Canadian non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing STEM education for underserved populations in British Columbia and Alberta. This donation is particularly focused on communities where Drax operates, aiming to inspire scientific curiosity and future careers in STEM fields among young students.  

Mission and Impact 

Scientists in School’s mission is to ignite a passion for science in children, encouraging them to question, discover, and connect scientific concepts to their everyday lives. Last year, the Drax Foundation provided $48,000 to fund 140 classroom workshops in BC and Alberta, significantly expanding the reach of Scientists in Schools’ programs. These workshops have already made a profound impact, particularly in new school divisions and communities, and have deepened engagement in Vancouver. 

By the end of the 140 workshops, over 3,300 children will have experienced hands-on STEM learning, preparing them to become future engineers, researchers, technologists, and innovators. The organization’s goal is to further increase the number of schools and classrooms reached through a combination of donor-funded and user-paid workshops. Additionally, they plan to continue outreach efforts to more school authorities, including several in Grande Prairie, Parkland, Evergreen Catholic SD, North Okanagan-Shuswap, and Nechako Lakes with a focus on First Nations schools in these regions.  

Building on Success 

Last year’s funding allowed Scientists in School to offer more free workshops than ever before, expanding their presence significantly in both BC and Alberta. The additional $100,000 they have been awarded by the Drax Foundation this year will allow them to build on these achievements. The funds will support a new full-time outreach position, 140 classroom workshops in English and French, and offset costs for staff training and marketing. 

This investment is part of a broader plan to deliver over 1,600 classroom and 90 community STEM workshops to children aged 4-14 in BC and Alberta during the 2023-24 academic year. Of these, 690 workshops will be free, benefiting over 16,000 vulnerable children. The remaining 1,000 workshops will be user-paid, supporting the organization’s social enterprise model. 

Importance of STEM Education 

STEM knowledge and skills are crucial in today’s world, influencing nearly every aspect of our lives. STEM education fosters critical thinking, problem-solving, and knowledge-sharing, skills that are transferable across many fields. Research indicates that developing STEM skills early and engagingly is vital. Inquiry-based activities that connect to real-world issues are most effective in sparking children’s curiosity. 

Scientists in School’s workshops exemplify this hands-on approach, offering immersive, curriculum-aligned activities that engage children and encourage interaction. These workshops are crucial in addressing pandemic-induced learning loss, especially for children from disadvantaged backgrounds who faced significant educational barriers even before the pandemic. 

Looking Forward 

The continued support from the Drax Foundation enables Scientists in School to bring STEM skills and confidence to approximately 16,000 young students in underserved communities, preparing them for a future of innovation and success. This partnership not only enhances educational opportunities but also brings diverse ideas and perspectives to the workforce and social discourse. 

The collaboration between the Drax Foundation and Scientists in School is making a substantial difference in STEM education in BC and Alberta. As Diane Smit, Regional Manager of Scientists in School, stated, “It has been an absolute pleasure to see first-hand the impact of Drax’s generosity in action.” The ongoing support will undoubtedly continue to inspire and empower the next generation of scientists and innovators. 

The Drax Foundation has donated a total of $630k to STEM programs in Canada since 2023, reaching more than 7,200 young learners in the regions where Drax operates. 

To learn more about the Drax Foundation and its community projects, visit drax.com/ca/about-us/our-communities/.  

Liezl van Wyk, Senior Vice President of Northern Operations awarded Canadian Biomass Thought Leader of the Year

29 April 2024

News

Liezl van Wyk, Senior Vice President (SVP) of Drax’s Northern Operations has been named Thought Leader of the Year by Canadian Biomass for her exceptional leadership, commitment to safety and efforts to drive positive change in the industry. 

Liezl has served as SVP of Northern Operations since 2022 where she oversees Canada’s largest pellet plant grouping and has consistently pursued operational excellence while prioritizing safety as a core value.  

As a female executive in a traditionally male-dominated field, Liezl is dedicated to fostering diversity and inclusion within the industry by encouraging and inspiring female to pursue careers in STEM fields. 

As part of the awards ceremony, Canadian Biomass asked Liezl some questions about her experiences in the industry and advice for other professionals: 

  1. What made you decide to pursue a career in this industry?

When Drax approached me to join them as the SVP for their Northern Operations, I was ecstatic. I was not too familiar with this industry at the time, but was drawn in because of Drax’s company values and vision for a Carbon Negative future through their sustainability and carbon capture and storage programs. At this point in my career, I wanted to apply my diverse experiences, energy and education in a meaningful way. What Drax is pursuing through their biomass, power generation and BECCS programs fully aligned with my goals and I was inspired by company leadership who were driving these ambitions goals forward. I wanted to be part of that.

I also found that all my prior career experiences came together well in this one role. I spent time in power generation, shipping, renewables, mining and resource development. All different industries. I was able to directly apply my experiences in these adjacent industries into the Biomass world with a fresh perspective.

  1. If you had to narrow it down to one or two things, what would you say has been the highlight of your career to date?

With Drax in my role as SVP Operations, one of the highlights for sure has been our continued progress in making Pellet Mills safer through further investment in Process Safety, Safety protocols and team development. You cannot do Operations well without a very solid Safety foundation to build on. This is always step one and a key value for Drax as a company.

From an overall career perspective over the past 30 years, I have been fortunate to work in many industries in over 10 countries. This has afforded me great personal and professional growth and allowed me to work on very interesting projects with very interesting people.

  1. How do you feel about the future of the industry?

I think the Biomass industry is developing and diversifying in new and complex ways. There are several structural shifts happening which make it intellectually and economically interesting. Responsible resource management is a key theme and central to the climate change discussion. Biomass is an essential pillar in this strategy and the industry is developing to position it along those lines. So, my view is that this is a key industry to participate in and ensure we are good custodians of the limited resources.

  1. What’s your advice to the next generation of professionals who hope to follow in your footsteps?

Everyone has a different journey through life. Opportunities present themselves in different ways. However, the common themes often apply, no matter where you live or work. Aim for a good education as foundation, stay focused and work hard, be honest and expose yourself outside your comfort zone. Pick up best practices along the way, learn from people that inspire you, learn from your failures emotionally and intellectually. Figure out which parts of your personality are your strengths and bring that to your job. And always treat people with respect.