Beyond the Science Fair is a hands-on student experience inside a real biomedical engineering research lab.
Instead of posters and hypothetical projects,(or baking soda volcanoes) students examine real hip or knee implants, explore how and why medical devices fail, and learn how engineering decisions affect
For secondary and post secondary students, it’s an eye-opening introduction to meaningful STEM
For sponsors, it’s a tangible investment in future talent, innovation literacy, and community impact.
It’s not about winning a ribbon — it’s about discovering what science can really do.
This is not a traditional science fair.
It is an invitation for young people to step inside real biomedical engineering work—where science is hands-on, curiosity is encouraged, and learning has a direct connection to patient care and community impact.
Hosted by the Orthopaedic Innovation Centre and co-sponsored by the Concordia Arthroplasty Research Chair, there will be two sessions per year and more will be added as we grow and gauge the interest. We plan to use social media, website stories, radio interviews and stories to post that come out these sessions.
At the Orthopaedic Innovation Centre, we have seen firsthand how powerful this kind of exposure can be. During Take Our Kids to Work Day, students didn’t just tour a lab—they examined real explanted implants, learned how and why implants fail, and applied critical thinking by identifying damage modes such as wear and fracture. For many, it was their first glimpse into how engineering decisions affect real people’s lives.
Through Biotech Week and ongoing partnerships with schools like Maples Met, students have gone beyond observation to true participation—designing wear tests, comparing biomaterials, developing implant concepts, and testing 3D-printed solutions for orthopedic applications. These experiences transformed abstract classroom learning into tangible problem-solving, creativity, and confidence.
Mentorship has been at the heart of this work. Whether supporting students exploring STEM pathways or mentoring young women in engineering through professional programs, we have seen how early, meaningful engagement can change trajectories—turning curiosity into capability and interest into ambition.
This science fair builds on that success.
It is designed to:
Inspire young people by giving them access to real problems, real tools, and real mentors.
Empower sponsors to invest in a program with measurable educational, workforce, and community impact.
Create a bridge between education, innovation, and the future of healthcare.
By bringing students into authentic research environments and inviting them to think like engineers, this initiative doesn’t just showcase science—it cultivates the next generation of innovators, problem-solvers, and leaders.
This initiative brings students into a real biomedical engineering research environment—where they examine real-world challenges, interact with professionals, and see how science directly impacts patient care.
Why It Matters
Moves beyond traditional science fairs to immersive, hands-on learning
Builds confidence, curiosity, and career awareness at a formative age
Creates meaningful connections between education, innovation, and healthcare
Impact at a Glance
30–50 students annually
100+ mentorship hours
Diverse participation across schools and pathways
Real-world exposure to biomedical engineering and applied research
Why Sponsor
Invest in future talent and innovation
Advance education and equity goals
Demonstrate leadership through meaningful community engagement
Your support helps turn curiosity into capability—and potential into purpose.
Why This Matters
Putting Manitoba on the Map for Innovation and Education
This initiative offers sponsors a meaningful opportunity to invest in early talent development, innovation literacy, and community impact—all within a real-world healthcare and research environment.
By supporting a different kind of science fair, sponsors help:
Build the future workforce by exposing young people to STEM careers they may not otherwise encounter, particularly in biomedical engineering, health innovation, and applied research.
Strengthen equity and access by providing hands-on experiences to students from diverse schools and pathways, helping level the playing field in science and engineering education.
Demonstrate tangible impact, moving beyond sponsorship visibility to direct engagement in learning, mentorship, and skills development.
Support healthcare innovation by fostering early understanding of how engineering decisions affect patient outcomes, safety, and system sustainability.
For sponsors, this is not just an investment in education—it is an investment in people, innovation, and the long-term strength of our healthcare and engineering ecosystems.
Why This Matters
Workforce. Innovation. Community leadership.
This initiative gives corporate sponsors a direct role in shaping the future STEM and healthcare workforce while demonstrating leadership in innovation and social responsibility.
By supporting this program, corporate and foundation partners:
Build early talent pipelines by engaging students before post-secondary decisions are made— particularly in engineering, biotech, and applied sciences.
Strengthen innovation literacy by exposing youth to real-world problem-solving, materials testing, and design thinking.
Advance EDI commitments through access-focused outreach to diverse schools and non-traditional education pathways. Strengthen innovation literacy
Showcase corporate values through visible, authentic engagement that goes beyond logo placement to meaningful impact.
For corporate sponsors, this is a high-impact investment in future employees, innovators, and informed citizens—aligned with long-term business sustainability and community trust.
Why This Matters to Foundation & Philanthropic Sponsors
Access. Education. Social impact.
This program aligns strongly with foundations focused on youth development, education equity, health innovation, and community well-being.
Foundation support helps:
Remove barriers to opportunity by offering hands-on STEM experiences to students who may not otherwise access advanced labs or mentorship.
Transform learning outcomes by moving students from passive observation to active participation in real research environments.
Inspire long-term pathways into post-secondary education, skilled trades, and health-related careers.
Create measurable social impact through mentorship, skills development, and confidencebuilding.
For foundations, this is an opportunity to fund a program that delivers deep, lasting impact at a formative stage of young people’s lives.
Metrics & Outcomes
30–50 high school students annually
· Representation from multiple school systems and alternative education pathways
3–5 hours of direct lab engagement per student
· 100+ total mentorship hours delivered by engineers and researchers
Hands-on experience with real implants, materials, and testing methods
· Exposure to biomedical engineering, applied research, and healthcare innovation careers · Targeted participation from underrepresented groups in STEM
· Continued engagement opportunities (mentorship, volunteering, summer placements)
Students pursuing STEM or health-related post-secondary programs
Repeat engagement or return placements (volunteer, intern, summer student)
