PsychED aims to bridge the gap between STEM and Psychology, foster engagement in Psychological Science, and make Psychology more accessible to youth.
PsychED was founded in 2024 by a team of passionate psychology researchers and educators from Ontario Tech University. PsychED began with a shared vision: to highlight that psychology is a science and a part of the STEM discipline and to increase awareness of its scientific foundation among youth. PsychED aims to inspire the next generation of diverse, curious, and innovative leaders and researchers in psychology and related sciences. 

Despite being a STEM discipline (National Science Foundation, 2009), and reporting similar deficits as other sciences in the recruitment and retention of underrepresented groups, psychology has not traditionally been the focus of STEM promotion activities. The founders launched this initiative to bring dynamic workshops, real lab experiences, and personalized mentorship to students. Through collaboration with educators and community members, PsychED aims to make psychological education more accessible and engaging for all youth, thereby empowering every student to see a future for themselves in STEM. 

In its first year, PsychED has already made a significant impact by reaching students and youth across the Durham region through interactive school and community visits. We have conducted 3 school-based workshops and 4 community-based workshops. To date, over 95 youth have participated in this initiative and reported higher interest in Psychology. Over the next few years, we hope to engage over 1,000 youth!
PsychED Objectives:
  1. Promote psychological science as a STEM discipline
  2. Deliver interactive, hands-on learning experiences
  3. Inspire interest in psychology through school and community outreach
  4. Develop EDI (Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) focused resources for educators and students
  5. Support underrepresented youth in pursuing psychology careers
PsychED in The Community and School:
Bring the excitement of psychological sciences to life with our hands-on, interactive workshops, perfect for classrooms, youth groups, or community centres! Students can explore various psychology topics (lie detection, self-control, brain development, cognitive biases, etc.) through engaging presentations, activities, and discussions led by our Ontario Tech Psychology professors and graduate students. Locations we have facilitated workshops at:
  • Donald A. Wilson Secondary School
  • Pine Ridge Secondary School
  • ​Clarington Youth Centres (Bowmanville and Courtice Locations)
Interested in having us facilitate a workshop?
Send us an email at [email protected] for more information!