Supporting the Future of STEM Education

Scott Thomson, Finning International’s President and CEO, visited the Britannia Mine Museum this week to provide a $100,000 donation for construction of the Terra Lab. The donation will allow the Museum to redevelop the existing Assay Building into a purpose-built educational space. The project is part of the Museum’s commitment to providing B.C.’s teachers with engaging STEM-based education programs that inspire students to think about the science and technology of mining.

STEM education integrates ideas from four specific disciplines—science, technology, engineering, and math—enabling student learning through real-world exploration of concepts. Through its continued development, STEM programming aims to inspire future generations to pursue careers that push the limits of technological innovation. STEM programs have received a renewed focus because “young people are still disengaging too early from STEM disciplines and too many are closing doors to the future,” according to Dr. Bonnie Schmidt—President and Founder of Let’s Talk Science.

Development of the Terra Lab will make the Museum even more accessible for over 10,000 students who come on field trips each year. The adaptable learning space will allow for more robust educational programming to be offered year-round on subjects including mineral science and environmental remediation. 

The development of the Terra Lab is part of the larger Mill Show Project whose funding was announce in March 2018 which will see the launch of the Museum’s new Mill Show experience.