Alberta students share their Living Space project results with Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques
Beaumont, Alberta, April 17, 2019
Astronauts are modern-day explorers and are role models for young Canadians. They can inspire our youth to reach for greater heights - even space itself!
Today, a few months after inviting young Canadians to participate in the Living Space project, Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut David Saint-Jacques connected from the International Space Station (ISS) with a group of participating students at École Champs Vallée School to hear about their experience in science and coding.
David and the participants discussed the results of the students' research, and David shared his own experience aboard the ISS. Students then had the chance to ask David questions.
Through Living Space, over 63,000 students across the country are learning about the role environmental factors play in their health and well-being and that of astronauts aboard the Space Station. This unique project integrates science, space and coding.
"The Living Space project is inspiring our youth to get excited about science while seeing how their environment affects them. This is a great way for our kids to relate their everyday lives to the practice of science. By spurring their curiosity and encouraging them to ask questions about how they're impacting their world, we're helping shape the next generation of astronauts, scientists and researchers."
- The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development
"Here on the International Space Station, I see every day how important environmental conditions are to keeping astronauts healthy in orbit. Currently, there are hundreds of experiments that we do, mostly to help us understand how to better live in the environment of space, so that we can go even further, back to the Moon and one day to Mars."
- David Saint-Jacques, Canadian Space Agency astronaut
"The Living Space project has given educators across the country an opportunity to integrate science, space and coding into their classrooms in a unique way, while also getting their students involved in David Saint-Jacques' mission. We are proud to partner with the Canadian Space Agency to inspire more young Canadians to engage in emergent science."
- Bonnie Schmidt, founder and President of Let's Talk Science
"The Living Space project taught me to code and made me think about how we can improve the environment in our school and community while being inspired by David Saint-Jacques and the environment on the International Space Station. It was amazing to see how our classroom Tomatosphere plants lowered carbon dioxide levels and that even as kids we can really make an impact on our planet, and off it."
- Alisha Anwar, École Champs Vallée School student
Quick facts
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On October 24, 2018, the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, and CSA astronaut David Saint-Jacques launched Living Space, a youth science research project that leverages David Saint-Jacques' mission to engage young Canadians in STEM, spark their interest in space exploration and teach them digital skills, like coding.
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Let's Talk Science developed Living Space in collaboration with the Canadian Space Agency and expanded the initiative with support from CanCode.
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To further engage young Canadians in science and related disciplines, the CSA is coordinating and collaborating with partners to deliver a wide variety of activities and contests during David's mission.
