Dr. Marianne Mader

Executive Director, Canadian Association of Science Centres

Cultivating curiosity. Inspiring passion for exploration. Empowering people to engage with science & tech. www.mariannemader.com

Media

Trek Talks: Bridging Science and the Arts | TIFF Live

Since its debut in 1966, Star Trek has inspired people to pursue their passions and dreams in a variety of fields, from science and engineering to technology and the arts. From Martin Cooper, who invented the portable cellular phone in 1973 inspired by Captain Kirk's communicator, to Dr. Mae Jemison, whose admiration of Nichelle Nichols' Lt. Uhura led her to realize her dream to become the first African American woman in space, Star Trek has motivated fans to realize its ideals in their own lives. Beyond inspiring individuals, Trek is used as a teaching tool by educators in courses on law and diplomacy, physics, information studies, and even philosophy and sociology. Its representation of real-world issues through metaphor and analogy engages with complex scientific and philosophical concepts for a mass audience, making the series itself a form of educational inquiry. This roundtable discussion on Star Trek and science education brings together Sonny Kohli, physician and co-founder of Cloud DX, Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, and STEAMLabs co-founder and Managing Director at the Royal Ontario Museum Marianne Mader, to consider how science can inspire art and art can inspire science, and how film and television projects like Star Trek can inspire careers in space, technology, math, arts, and engineering fields.

ROM Scientist: Marianne Mader

Marianne Mader is the Managing Director of the Centres for Discovery in Earth and Space and Fossils and Evolution at the Royal Ontario Museum Video by: Stacey Lee Kerr Special thanks to Marianne Mader and Danielle Bengall Produced by ROM Biodiversity in partnership with Fleming College’s Environmental Visual Communication program and Science Literacy Week Music: “Bright White” by Podington Bear; “Pluck and Bounce” by Adam Selzer. Licensed via www.freemusicarchive.org under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ For more info, visit our websites: http://www.rom.on.ca/en/collections-research/centres-discovery/earth-space http://www.rom.on.ca/en/collections-research/centres-discovery/fossils-evolution http://flemingcollege.ca/programs/environmental-visual-communication http://www.eviscomm.ca/ http://scienceliteracy.ca/ Follow us on twitter: #iamascientist #Canadalovesscience @ROMBiodiversity @ROMtoronto @eviscomm @SciLitWeek @staceyleekerr @ROMEarthSci @ROMPalaeo @MarianneMader

The Jewel Radio Network.Radio/Podcast

URL: https://soundcloud.com/whatshesaidtalk/planetary-scientist-dr

What's it like performing with Chris Hadfield? What's the difference between a Meteorite and a Meteor-wrong? Dr. Marianne Mader, Managing Director for the Centres for Earth & Space and Fossils & Evolution at the Royal Ontario Museum joins us to discuss all things space.

Profile: New on the Ground (and in Space)

ROM Magazine, April 1, 2016Print

URL: https://www.rom.on.ca/en/blog/profile-marianne-mader

New on the Ground (and in Space) The ROM’s Dr. Marianne Mader discusses her inspirations and what’s next for her.

How a Canadian Group is Fighting COVID-19 by Battling Online Misinformation

Associations NowOnline

URL: https://associationsnow.com/2021/02/how-a-canadian-group-is-fighting-covid-19-by-battling-online-misinformation/

The Canadian Association of Science Centres joined forces with other groups to launch #ScienceUpFirst, a social media campaign designed to combat online misinformation about COVID-19 and vaccination.

Trek Talks: Bridging Science and the Arts | TIFF Live

TIFF, October 13, 2016Online

URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tw_bG9Gh4so

TIFF's 2016 Trek Talks included a roundtable discussion on Star Trek, and how science can inspire art and art can inspire science. Marianne was a featured Guest Speaker on the Bridging Science & the Arts roundtable, along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen and Sonny Kohli, co-founder of Cloud DX.

ROMCast (Podcast): Dr. Marianne Mader

Royal Ontario Museum, January 12, 2016Online

URL: https://soundcloud.com/w-ryan-dodge/romcast-episode-1-dr-marianne-mader

Managing Director of ROM Earth & Space and ROM Fossils & Evolution, Marianne is a Planetary Scientist with a love of science communication and working with researchers to excite people about space, the earth and science.

Marianne Mader, geologist-planetary scientist-tinkerer

Kickass Canadians, November 25, 2015Online

URL: http://kickasscanadians.ca/marianne-mader/

Marianne Mader, geologist-planetary scientist-tinkerer Written by Amanda Sage on November 25, 2015 “What I love about the field of space is the concept of pushing boundaries and technologies.”

Article: Women around the world prove science isn't just for 'boys with toys'

Mashable, May 17, 2015Online

URL: http://mashable.com/2015/05/17/girls-with-toys/#q3OrohjGFOq9

Female scientists have joined together to disprove one astronomer's thesis: science is just "boys with toys."

#SciComm100: Marianne Mader

Science Borealis, October 4, 2016Online

URL: http://scienceborealis.ca/100-voices-for-canadian-science-communication/marianne-mader/

Featured as part of 100 Voices for Canadian Science Communication. Quote: “Discovery lies at the heart of science and maker culture – both are fueled by our natural curiosity. Combining science and maker concepts creates the perfect storm for science communication by empowering learning by doing, motivation through tackling interest-driven problems, and having creative fun!” – Marianne Mader, geologist and planetary scientist, cofounder of STEAMLabs.

Biography

Dr. Marianne Mader's career includes space exploration through innovative public engagement, participatory education, planetary science research, and science communication. She is the Executive Director for the Canadian Association of Science Centres, a member-based organization representing over 60 organizations that support informal learning of science, technology, and nature across Canada, where she's responsible for government advocacy, partnership development and creating programs for association members with a goal to build a strong science culture in Canada. As part of her mission to make education accessible and engaging, Mader co-founded STEAMLabs, a non-profit community makerspace. STEAMLabs is located in Toronto's Centre for Social Innovation, and acts as a creative hub where people of different ages and abilities come together to learn and create using digital fabrication, coding, and more.

A leader in the space industry with over 13 years of research and field experience, Mader has worked with the Canadian Space Agency, NASA, and MDA. She has been a Visiting Lecturer at the International Space University, and her education includes a PhD in Planetary Science, MSc in Space Studies, and an MSc in Earth Sciences.

Recognition/Reconnaissance

US Antarctic Service Medal | Professional

Awarded in 2013 for research contributions to the Antarctic Search for Meteorites (ANSMET). Marianne is one of only 3 Canadians selected for this intensive research program since in began in 1976.

Visiting Lecturer International Space University | Professional

The International Space University is an educational organization located in France that develops future leaders of the global space community. Marianne was a Visiting Lecturer for the graduate level professional development Space Studies Program in 2014 and 2015.

NSERC Scholarships | Professional

2012: PhD Fellowship, NSERC CREATE Technologies and Techniques for Earth & Space Exploration 2009: Postgraduate Scholarship (PGS-D) 2002: Postgraduate Scholarship (PGS-M)

Advisory Board Member, Space Apps Challenge | Professional

Every year over one weekend, developers, makers, engineers and entrepreneurs take on NASA-designed challenges, creating solutions that range from silly to serious, fantastical to feasible. See: http://spaceappstoronto.com

Additional Titles and Affiliations

Co-Founder & Board Member, STEAMLabs

Past Talks

Speaker: STEAMLabs' Motivation

Chris Hadfield's Generator Show

Massey Hall, October 28, 2015

Presenter: Museums & Planetary Missions

2017 Lunar and Planetary Science Conference

The Woodlands, TX

Presenter: The Maker Movement (in Museums)

2016 Toronto Maker Festival

Toronto Reference Library, Toronto, ON

Keynote Presentation: Millennial Engagement - 21st Century Science Outreach

2016 Students for the Exploration of Space & Development Conference

Western University, London, ON

Keynote Presentation: Punching above our weight: Increasing space outreach impact

2017 SEDS Ascension Conference

University of Toronto, ON

Invited Speaker: Hunting Meteorites at the End of the World

2017 & 2016, Royal Astronomical Society of Canada Monthly Meeting

Mississauga & Toronto, ON

Expertise

  • Stem Education
  • STEAM Education
  • Space Exploration
  • Science Outreach to the Public
  • Science Communication
  • Planetary Science
  • Participatory Engagement
  • Museums
  • Makerspace
  • Maker Culture
  • Leadership
  • Innovation
  • Innovating Learning
  • Hackathons
  • Geology
  • Citizen Science
  • 21st Century Learning

Education/Éducation

  • Western University
    Planetary Science & Exploration
    PhD, 2015
  • Memorial University
    Geology
    MSc, 2005
  • International Space University
    Space Studies
    MSc, 2007