About Us

   • A Uniquely Canadian Resource
   • Connecting Science with Canadians of all Ages
   • Connecting Science and the Arts
   • Helping Canadians Make Informed Decisions
   • Current Funding Status
   • Help CAAS Impact the Lives of Canadians
   • A Vision for the Future


A Uniquely Canadian Resource

The Canadian Association for the Advancement of Science (CAAS) is a non-profit organisation whose mission is to encourage people to learn about science and its impact on their lives by helping make information accessible, easy to understand and presented in a manner that allows people to make connections between science, technology and their society.

Established in 1997, CAAS has its roots in Western Canada, but has expanded its reach to include the central provinces and is now initiating a regional base in eastern Canada as well.

Its members believe that science has a base in the culture of its country, and we therefore assert the importance of Canadians having the benefit of an organisation that represents values, ideals and issues that are uniquely Canadian. We pride ourselves on our national focus.

CAAS is based on three guiding principles:
   • multi-disciplinary
   • national in scope
   • open membership to everyone regardless of age, race or educational background

It was established to encourage, recognise and promote those values, and foster an enthusiasm for science, technology and engineering. CAAS exists to create a positive social climate in which science and the organisations dependent on it advance with public consent, and with the involvement and active support of non-scientists.

Connecting Science with Canadians of all Ages

With this mission in mind, CAAS provides a forum where ideas and information are explored, and the achievements of science and technology are discussed and advanced. We do this by organising a range of exemplary public debates, forums, lecture series and programs through which we have achieved great success.

Our series are presented on a local, regional and national level with professional scientists from all genres.

Our distinguished speakers have presented on topics such as
   • Genetics and Genomics: A Toolbox for the 21st Century
   • The Science Behind Pills: The Process of Drug Discovery
   • Adult Stem Cells: The Eclipse Of Cloning
   • Science, Technology And Society: Today's Challenges, Tomorrow's Opportunities

CAAS strives to enhance the connection between our educational system, industrial base and the broader community by promoting a wider appreciation of science and an increase in the acceptance of the role that the sciences play in our society, lifestyle and quality of life. We want to direct general attention to scientific matters, and facilitate a multi-disciplinary dialogue regarding issues facing our world today.

We seek to achieve this by sharing objective, relevant, accurate and current information with the public in order help them become scientifically literate; that is, help them relate science to their day-to-day lives. For example:
   • helping them understand infectious diseases and how they impact our lives and what we can do to prevent their spread;
   • creating an awareness of the negative impacts of the industrial use of pesticides and helping to create positive changes in its use;
   • broadening the understanding of how obesity affects our health as adults, and more importantly its effects on our children.

We provide a platform where scientists and engineers from various disciplines and industry can share their views on research and development, and how R&D affects our country’s economic growth. We facilitate open debate where the social and ethical issues of science can be discussed.

CAAS also recognises that in order to have Canada’s optimum economic growth realised, maintained and perpetuated, our youth’s search for scientific knowledge needs to be nurtured, encouraged and guided.

It is important to involve school students in science beyond the school curriculum, and encourage them to consider higher education and careers in science so that the level of scientific discovery in Canada will be a force in our economy in the future. Some of the youth-related projects CAAS has been involved in are:
   • Radio Jove: The Ashbury School’s Science Club in Ottawa school built a small but fully functional radio telescope from a kit with a specialised antenna to monitor radio frequency transmissions from Jupiter. Radio Jove is a NASA-backed program aimed at increasing awareness of the planetary system with particular emphasis on the behaviour of Jupiter.
   • Cross-Association Collaboration: The Canadian Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, CAAS and other similar organisations in Canada are planning to discuss collaboration on encouraging young people to pursue science and engineering as a career.

Connecting Science and the Arts


   • Telementoring: CAAS organised an event involving the National Arts Centre (NAC), the National Research Council (NRC), drama and science students from West Vancouver Secondary School and the New Media Innovation Centre (NewMIC).

Using the resources available at a NewMIC studio in Vancouver and an NRC studio in Ottawa, drama directors from the NAC were able to coach/ telementor drama students from the West Vancouver school in a short scene from Romeo and Juliet, and NRC scientists were able to explain to the drama and science students the benefits of the broadband technology used. After the drama session, an equally lively discussion took place between the science students and the scientists concerning the process and benefits of this type of communication.

   • British Columbia Festival of Science and Technology: An Arts and Science Project for Grade 11 Students.

Helping Canadians Make Informed Decisions

Science is often taken for granted although it affects our lives in thousands of ways every day. We recognise that the world has, in effect, been made smaller through modern science and technology, and that we are influenced by continuous rapid change. Consequently, decisions are sometimes made on the basis of incomplete information or without benefit of a full understanding. For the public to make the best choices and achieve the greatest benefit with the least amount of harm, they must be equipped with the most up-to-date information.

The challenge is the speed at which scientific discovery is happening: the rate at which technological advancements are being made is astounding. That speed of change, when combined with today’s busy lifestyles, means that it’s hard for the average person to stay on top of the latest information. Yet we have more opportunity to benefit from a better quality of life by knowing about these discoveries. This is precisely why the function of CAAS has become infinitely more relevant and important.

Current Funding Status

All non-profit organisations face the challenge of securing adequate and ongoing funding, and CAAS is no different. Currently, funding for CAAS is derived from various public, corporate and government organisations and institutions, as well as in-kind contributions.

More than 80 years ago French-Canada established the L'Academie canadienne-francais pour l'avancement des sciences, which is similar in purpose and values to CAAS. The Quebec government recognises the importance of this organisation and supports its activities with significant financial contributions to expand and improve communications about scientific and technological advancements through their programs. It’s time the rest of Canada benefited from similar opportunities, and with enough financial support, CAAS can offer that benefit.


Help CAAS Impact the Lives of Canadians

The CAAS lecture and discussion series is the foundation for bridging the relationship between science, technology and engineering and the general public’s views and perception of science.

This year, we will improve on the high standards set by previous year’s events by seeking one or more corporate sponsors. Ideally, our sponsors will take a leadership role in the production of the forums by not only lending their name to the events, but also by actively participating in the recruitment of speakers, event planning and marketing.

Some of the topics under review are: science, technology and society; infectious diseases; science education outside of a classroom; sport, science and innovation; renewable energy (fuel cells, solar panels, wind); mathematics; and computer science. These discussions will:
   • help students recognise the value of science education in this rapidly changing technological era,
   • highlight, in the eyes of the public and the corporate sector, the importance of understanding the value of strong links between business and science in the emergence of new high technology-based industries,
   • make the public aware of some of the relevant topics of the day and how they will affect our future.

Corporations offering their support will receive the opportunity to have public recognition of their support of science, technology and engineering. They will also be entitled to a recognition package that will include a display space with material, mention/logo in any printed publication, their profile on the CAAS website, mention in media releases, invitation for two company representatives to attend all lectures and verbal recognition in opening statements.

A Vision for the Future

As we look ahead into this new century, the benefits arising from scientific discovery and its application to engineering and technology are exciting and challenging. With hindsight, we can see that sometimes there have been destructive consequences of society's application of science. We can also see that there are limits to what scientific research and technology can accomplish, and that undoubtedly new problems will arise as we strive to enhance and sustain the quality of life on this planet.

Improved communication between scientists and their communities, and an increased understanding of the role that science plays in our daily lives, are more important than ever before if we are to keep pace with the changing world around us, and if we are to plan for a better future for our children.