I’m delighted to announce that Polar Aspect has officially partnered with the Youth STEMM Awards (YSA), an organisation devoted to promoting youth interest and achievement in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine right across the UK.  By working towards a Bronze, Silver or Gold Youth STEMM Award, participating pupils not only learn more about their chosen scientific or technical subjects, they re-imagine what they themselves can do and be when they leave school.

This new partnership means that any hours a pupils spends preparing for or participating in a Polar Aspect Model Arctic Council (MAC) conference can now count towards gaining a Youth STEMM Award!  The Arctic Council is well-known for its scientific and technical work, and for bringing scientific evidence to bear on Arctic policy.  And not only do the issues discussed at Polar Aspect MACs always involve science, considering the Arctic’s keystone place in the planetary climate system.  But more than that, Polar Aspect MACs encourage participating pupils to understand that science in the context Arctic community knowledge—including Indigenous Knowledge—and of the Arctic as an equally important part of the global human community.

If you’re a pupil or teacher taking part in this year’s Polar Aspect MAC programmes, download a flyer about the new Polar Aspect-YSA partnership, and start logging your hours towards a Youth STEMM Award!