Calgary Science Network History
The Calgary Science Network had its formative meeting at the Calgary office of the Geological Survey of Canada in November 1988 and became a non-profit society in 1990. The founders, motivated by published reports of poor science literacy in Canada, were determined to help. Volunteers at the GSC already ran a program where scientists made presentations in classrooms - mainly on geology topics. Other disciplines had similar outreach programs, and so to increase efficiency and effectiveness funds were raised, a coordinator was hired and the Science Hotline - as it was then known, began filling teacher requests for classroom programs in September 1991.

CSN's success in presenting engaging science experiences to school students made it logical to extend more direct help to their teachers. Teacher Workshops under the title Making Connections were developed in 1995 for Division 1 and 2 science teachers with a deliberate attempt to draw together common threads in the curriculum. A day of field trips (e.g. a murder scene to demonstrate forensic evidence staged by the RCMP and the Medical Examiner's Office, a trip to a weather station and a flight in a small plane) was also part of the program. Workshops were led jointly by scientists and teachers ensuring presentation of both accurate science and practical methods of teaching it.