News Release

FREDERICTON (GNB) - The provincial government will invest $250,000 over the next five years in the Atlantic Association of Research in the Mathematical Sciences.

“Supporting students of all ages through these types of initiatives falls directly in line with our province’s goal of building an adaptive and skilled workforce as outlined in our Labour Force and Skills Development Strategy,” said Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Minister Jody Carr.

The funding will support students, faculty and various activities at New Brunswick’s public universities and in K-12 schools. Programs include a provincial math competition for students in Grades 7 to 9 at the University of New Brunswick (UNB) Fredericton campus and at the Université de Moncton, as well as a UNB Math Camp for students in Grades 10 and 11.

The association exists to encourage and advance research in mathematics, statistics, computer science and mathematical sciences, in the Atlantic region. The program aims to further the understanding and enthusiasm for math by supporting various outreach activities aimed at younger students, from elementary to high school. This investment also helps promote the importance of entrepreneurship to youth while supporting the government’s $80 million innovation agenda, which aims to foster an innovation-based economy to create jobs and new opportunities for New Brunswickers.

“We are very pleased that the New Brunswick government is acknowledging the importance of funding for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), and the economic potential behind investing in programming that develops and empowers our youth,” said Katie Skead, engineering outreach co-ordinator at the University of New Brunswick. “There is a lot of evidence that camps like Worlds UNBound, designed to excite young people about the STEM fields and encourage innovation and entrepreneurship, bolster confidence, interest and success in STEM subjects and careers down the road.”

“Building a highly-educated workforce and motivating students of all ages to consider a career in the science, technology, engineering and math disciplines is consistent with our government’s innovation agenda,” said Carr. “By focusing on people, skills and jobs, our government is committed to ensuring that all New Brunswickers will be ready to meet the labour force needs of today and tomorrow.”