PIR Live Events

Research on screen

PIR Live Events

Live broadcasts brought research conversations to groups of classrooms.

Research beyond a single classroom

PIR Live Events extended the classroom connection model into shared online presentations. Scientists, engineers and health researchers discussed their work for student audiences, with opportunities for questions where the event format allowed. Kevin Cougler developed the program as part of PIR’s educational outreach. Teachers could connect a class to a research topic while students heard directly from the people working in the field.

A pilot in 2014

The 2014 Executive Director Report describes the Live Event pilot as an interview with a STEM researcher that schools could join through videoconferencing or a streamed broadcast. Viewers could submit questions in advance or through the #askPIR hashtag. The report identifies a launch session with astronaut Commander John Herrington, held in conjunction with Calgary’s Beakerhead week and involving the Alberta Women’s Science Network/Power to Choose and the University of Calgary. It records 158 viewing endpoints for that session; endpoints refer to connections, not a count of individual students.

A cross-country experiment in 2017

In September 2017, PIR collaborated with Science North and Science Literacy Week on a fruit DNA extraction activity featuring Laurentian University’s Dr. Thomas Merritt. The annual report records 1,570 students participating live from 47 locations, including seven classes sharing observations on screen. Other classes participated with the recording, bringing the reported overall participation to more than 2,500 students. This format combined a hands-on activity with explanations and questions for a working scientist. The supplied collection preserves the accompanying fruit DNA extraction instructions as well as event imagery.
Videoconference gallery showing researchers and participating classrooms during the 2017 DNA extraction event
Classrooms joined researchers on screen for the 2017 cross-country DNA extraction activity. Gallery image from PIR’s historical collection.

Space, research and career conversations

The later collection includes promotional cards for sessions about synthetic biology, water quality, health research and space science. The material grouped under 2020 includes a Junior Astronauts sequence featuring Western researchers and Canadian Space Agency contributors, with advertised topics including meteorites, living on the Moon, Martian seismic research, astrobiology and impact craters.
Historical Junior Astronauts promotional card: A Treasure Map of Ice on Mars and Earth
A historical promotional card from the 2020 collection. Its date and registration information are archival. Promotional cards record advertised topics, rather than verified attendance.

Historical classroom activity downloads

The supplied collection preserves practical materials alongside its event records.

Fruit DNA extraction

The original activity explores extracting DNA from fruit and explains the roles of detergent, salt and alcohol.

Fruit DNA extraction · original instructions (PDF)

Making craters

A three-part inquiry activity asks students to choose variables, test impacts and record their findings. The documents retain the PIR and Centre for Planetary Science and Exploration identities.

Simulated bloodstain investigation

This activity uses a kitchen-ingredient mixture to explore liquid properties, drop height and resulting patterns.

Forensic bloodstain activity · simulated blood investigation (PDF)

These are original historical resources. Event dates, web links, terminology and teaching references reflect their period.

Part of a wider approach

PIR used several formats to make research accessible: individual classroom video calls, live events, recorded interviews and visits to research institutions. Each offered a different way to connect curriculum learning with real people and real questions. VROC provided classroom connections; podcasts and video discussions allowed conversations to be revisited.

About this record

Sources: Kevin Cougler, Executive Director Report 2014, p. 3; 2017 Annual Report (also containing 2018 updates), Live Event section; the fruit DNA extraction instructions, Making Craters activity set and Forensic Bloodstain Activity; historical Live Event backgrounders and promotional cards from the supplied 2017, 2018 and 2020 collections. The archive is a selected record, not a complete broadcast catalogue. This page records a historical PIR program. It does not offer current bookings or registration.