Interim Dean Rick Cheel poses with student award winners.

More than 300 students, family members and student award donors filled Pond Inlet on Nov. 18 for the third annual Faculty of Mathematics and Science Student Awards Assembly.

The assembly, held each November, celebrates the academic excellence of mathematics and science students. In addition to recognizing those named to the Dean’s Honour List, the evening also saw over 50 donor-funded scholarships and awards presented.

Interim Dean Rick Cheel thanked the donors.

“You have impacted (students’) lives and I am glad to be able to provide this opportunity for you to meet the students who benefit from your support, and for the students to meet the people behind the award they receive,” he said.

A recent Angus Reid survey of 16 to 18-year-olds enrolled in at least one high school science course shows a disconnect between Canadian’s theoretical belief in the value of a science education and the students’ actual career intentions, said Greg Finn, Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President (Academic), in his remarks.

While 90 per cent say that young people’s interest in science is essential to the country’s future prosperity, only 37 per cent of those surveyed were interested in taking a science course at the post-secondary level.

We need to encourage more students to pursue science, technology and mathematics learning at the secondary and post-secondary level, Finn said. A science education opens many more doors for career opportunities than people realize.

This year’s assembly also saw Andrew Panko (BSc ’75) receive the 2010 Distinguished Mathematics and Science Alumni Award in recognition of his professional accomplishments and community service.