Since March 2021, Pursue STEM encourages and supports Black students interested in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Pursue STEM is delivered in a partnership between Leadership by Design (LBD), U of T’s Office of Student Recruitment, and the Department of Physics. Last April 15, 2023, the Department of Earth Sciences contributed activities for Pursue STEM spearheaded by Professors Dan Gregory, Corliss Sio, Tasca Santimano, and Neil Bennett with the help of undergraduate students Chelsey Merrick and Deng Tor.
Grade 10 Black students visited the Department for a day of introduction of different techniques and activities related to mineral exploration. The students investigated actual drill core samples and experienced a hypothetical mine planning activity. While they were not able to go to a mine per-se, students felt the “gold rush” by doing a panning exercise at the Department courtyard! They also had the opportunity to operate two kinds of microscopes housed in the Department. The students observed thin sections of rock samples using a petrographic microscope and were able to also experience looking at Martian meteorites by using a scanning electron microscope!