UBC Geering Up wins Actua Award for Excellence 

Breaking barriers. Instilling passion in STEM. Investing in youth. 

From Geering Up’s beginnings in 1995 as Mechanical Engineering student Christine Yeung’s capstone project, those are the values that have driven every single decision that Geering Up has made and how it has grown as an organization.   

Actua has presented UBC Geering Up Engineering Outreach with the 2022 Award for Excellence. 

In 2022 the Geering Up program was able to extend their reach to over 22,000 students and train 4,255 teachers around the world on integrating STEM content into their classrooms through camps, clubs, affinity group outreach events and sessions, professional development workshops, public events, and online-based programming,  

Geering Up has also grown their leadership program encourage a pathway into STEM, provide skills and training, and instill confidence in high school students.  

Furthermore, through bursaries, Geering Up awarded $60,627 so that youths and schools with financial barriers could access workshops, camps, and events and out-of-community teachers could travel for STEM integration professional development sessions. 

Last year, Geering Up was able to grow both their Okanagan and Greater Vancouver Area teams to support the sustained increase in demand for  programming and the rise in the number of local partners with whom they continue to build relationships after 28 years.  

This Award for Excellence marks the second time that Geering Up has achieved this accolade since the award’s inauguration in 2011. It is a symbol of what Actua’s partnership has allowed Geering Up to accomplish with the support of the Faculty of Applied Science and the School of Engineering. The legacy of Geering Up’s partners, networks, donors, team members, and supporters is a world where more youth have access to hands-on, engaging, and relevant STEM education regardless of gender, sexuality, socio-economic status, race, ethnicity, or geography in the province. 

About Actua: 

Actua is a national network of 43 universities and colleges with a shared mission of engaging youth from all corners of the country in transformational STEM learning experiences that build critical employability skills and confidence. Actua announced the recipients of its 2022 awards at its National Conference in Ottawa.  

The Actua Award for Excellence was created to recognize network members who best exemplify year-round excellence in realizing Actua’s goals in all areas of work. The award winner is determined by consistent, evidence-based success in multiple areas such as providing high-quality, long-term STEM programming for youth, establishing a sustainable program through strong partnerships, and developing innovative, effective content.