STEAM Design Program
Summer
Building the skills to solve present/future healthcare system issues.
The STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) Design Program is an experiential learning program with an equity focus, as it is designed for grades 10-12 students identifying with groups that are underrepresented in health sciences (i.e. Black, Indigenous, Filipino, Latin American, racialized, and/or from any background experiencing socio-economic barriers). Priority is given to students from underserved schools and neighborhoods.
The learners participate in interactive sessions led by researchers, graduate students, and practitioners to broaden their understandings of academic and career pathways available within health sciences.
Emphasis is placed on research and design as we challenge our learners to design solutions to healthcare system issues.
The learners work collaboratively with their peers and present at the Design Competition where they’re assessed by judges. Top groups receive prizes and are supported post program (through funding and mentorship).
The program runs for four weeks in July of each year as a grade 12 science credit (SNC 4M). Summer 2024 applications are now closed, but we encourage you to sign up for our mailing list to receive updates regarding other high school outreach activities we offer throughout the year. Please click here to sign up.
For all inquiries, please email steamdesign.oao@utoronto.ca.
Check out highlights from our previous cohorts below!
Summer 2024
Weekly Bulletins
- Week 1: July 1 - 5, 2024
- Week 2: July 8 – 12, 2024
- Week 3: July 15 – 19, 2024
- Week 4: coming soon!
Gallery
Post-Program Support
After the program, select design projects are given the opportunity to advance their research through funding and mentorship.
This year we supported the STEAM-D alumni group, Biomimic, which placed first in the 2023 STEAM Design Competition. The Biomimic group developed a proposal that would increase the accessibility of 3D printed models in science education at the high school level. Over the past academic year, they worked with the 3D Printing Group of Medical Students here at the Faculty of Medicine to co-develop and facilitate a 3D Printing x Heart Anatomy workshop for grades 9 and 10 students where they taught them about cardiovascular health using 3D printed prosection models.
We encourage you to attend other high school outreach events that we offer year-round. For students pursuing undergraduate education and beyond, we also offer the Community of Support (COS).
STEAM-D at ICAM
Our STEAM Design program was showcased at the International Congress of Academic Medicine (ICAM) in Vancouver, British Columbia with delegates attending from all across the world.
ICAM is the first international gathering dedicated to academic medicine where students and professionals get to share the work they are doing in their respective regions.
We were delighted to have the opportunity to share our STEAM Design program on a global platform and to learn about the advancements taking place across other institutions in creating access programs for underrepresented groups.