UPEI hosts SHAD participants in July

Sixty-four students, aged 16 to 17, from across Canada spent the month of July at UPEI, participating in a wide variety of STEAM and entrepreneurship sessions through the 2024 SHAD program. 

They attended lectures and labs, primarily provided by UPEI faculty and lab instructors, and participated in other activities such as deep sea fishing and camping. They went on field trips to Greenwich National Park on PEI and to the City of Halifax and the fossil cliffs in Joggins, both in Nova Scotia. They met Dr. Wendy Rodgers, president of UPEI, who addressed the group on July 25.

During their program, they worked on a design entrepreneurship challenge to create a solution for a problem—namely, designing for Canada’s green-powered future. Increasing access to affordable and reliable green energy systems is important to Canada’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and transition to a low-carbon economy. While the country has abundant green and renewable resources, such as moving water, solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, and coastal tides, that have significant potential for energy production, its vast expanse creates challenges in effectively distributing energy and catering to the energy needs of diverse communities that range sprawling urban centres to remote and rural areas. 

The SHAD participants were tasked with reimagining Canada's energy future and designing solutions that align with the United Nations’ sustainable development goal for accessible, affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy. In teams of eight, they were mentored through the design process and presented their designs to an expert panel. 

UPEI has partnered with SHAD, a STEAM (science, technology, education, arts, and mathematics) and entrepreneurship program, since 2018.