We want to congratulate Valerie Miller on being named the 2024 Science Fellow by the TELUS World of Science.
The Edmonton Space & Science Foundation (ESSF) Science Fellowship recognizes a young STEM professional who is passionate about their work and committed to enriching their community through science communication and outreach. This recognition is a testament to Valerie’s outstanding contributions and dedication to science outreach and communication.
“Valerie Miller (she/her) holds a PhD in land reclamation from the University of Alberta, which focused on building soils using mine waste at a diamond mine in northern Canada. During her PhD program she was a teaching assistant, primary instructor, community volunteer coordinator, and a volunteer with various science outreach organizations including TELUS World of Science – Edmonton, Nature Kids, Let’s Talk Science, and Alberta Envirothon. She was a founding member of the Future Energy Systems Peers in Research Communication (PIRC) group. In 2019, Valerie joined Future Energy Systems, a research program at the University of Alberta focused on helping Canada transition to a low net carbon energy economy. As Outreach and Engagement Coordinator, and now Lead, Valerie aims to connect researchers and students to the community through a breadth of programs. This includes partnering with schools to host in class sessions and campus tours, lectures at the public library, PD training for teachers, developing videos for all audiences, and more. Valerie manages the Energy Explorers science communication training program that trains graduate students to effectively share their research. In addition, Valerie authored The Energy Adventures of Tommy and Remi series, children’s books that explore energy topics.”
Valerie’s journey in the world of science has been nothing short of inspiring. Her commitment to science outreach continues to make a lasting impact on our communities. Valerie not only leads the Science Rendezvous team at the University of Alberta’s Future Energy Systems (FES) but also organizes hundreds of outreach experiences and programs throughout the year. For example, the Become An Earth Doctor game, which teaches kids about land reclamation, preparing them to act as the experts.
Valerie is also a supporter of the Million Tree Project – Science Rendezvous’ new Canada-wide experiment which is designed to spark one million conversations about trees, environment and climate science, and create action!
Valerie, your dedication to bridging the gap between academia and the public is inspiring to us all. Congratulations on this well-deserved fellowship!
