Science Rendezvous President and Founder, R.J. Dwayne Miller, is the recipient of the 2023 Helen M. Free Award for Public Outreach. This award recognizes public outreach efforts and achievements of members of the American Chemical Society (ACS).
R.J. Dwayne Miller, a Chemistry and Physics Professor at the University of Toronto, founded Science Rendezvous in 2008 to promote science and increase science awareness and science literacy. Today, Science Rendezvous is a science outreach pioneer in Canada, offering direct engagement with 1000s of Canada’s top researchers and scientists at simultaneous events across the country as well as 1000s of hands-on experiments for the public to learn STEM principles and act as a scientist themselves.
“Everyone is born a scientist. All too often this innate curiosity is lost,” Miller says. “Science Rendezvous allows the scientific community to make science truly accessible, to answer the classic question ‘So what’s it good for?’ and allow everyone to discover their inner geek. In the process, we are sowing the seeds for the next generation of brilliant scientists and fostering a culture transformation where people fully appreciate the power of science to make a better world.”
Science Rendezvous oversees 6,000 volunteers who make our events possible. Professor Miller acknowledges the significant contributions of our volunteer teams, and he would like to accept this award on their behalf.
“I am deeply honoured to be recognized with the Helen M. Free Award for Public Outreach with the founding of Science Rendezvous. This honour really belongs to the more than 6,000 volunteers/yr, >60,000 since inception, all across Canada, who work tirelessly to bring a truly inspiring event celebrating the importance of science (and chemistry in particular as the central science). It is their dedication that allows the general public to see the passion of people involved in research, striving to make the world a better place. It is their work that is helping people stay life long learners and better appreciate the power of science to inform and improve their lives. It is on their behalf I accept this award.” – R.J. Dwayne Miller
