Sanofi Canada awards first annual Biogenius Grants, strengthening equity in STEM learning for Canadian students

Inaugural Sanofi Biogenius Grant awarded to four diverse secondary schools across Canada to revitalize science education for their students.

• Driving towards Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) education equity, a top priority for Sanofi Canada, means breaking down barriers so that all Canadian youth can access hands-on STEM learning to embrace scientific discovery, regardless of where they live, their socio-economic backgrounds or their cultural heritage.
• The 2021 Sanofi Biogenius Grant received applications from across Canada in its first year, clearly demonstrating that schools from coast-to-coast are eager to further inspire and nurture the next generation of science innovators.
• As a top investor in biopharmaceutical R&D across Canada, Sanofi is committed to supporting the entire research spectrum, and that starts by nurturing the researchers of tomorrow.

LAVAL, QC, June 10, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - Stepping forward to drive Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) education equity among Canada's youth and addressing the science funding gap in our education system, Sanofi Canada is very pleased to award four new grants to public high schools across Canada, improving access to hands-on STEM learning and instruction in the classroom as part of the inaugural edition of the Sanofi Biogenius Grant program.

"This is about sparking the imagination of the next generation of science innovators. The Biogenius Grant is just one of many efforts that Sanofi is driving to create new opportunities so that every high school student can make the jump to strong and successful careers in health and life sciences," said Marissa Poole, Country Lead, Sanofi Canada and General Manager, Sanofi Genzyme. "All Canadian youth deserve the opportunity for hands-on learning and instruction in the sciences, regardless of where they live, their socio-economic backgrounds or cultural heritage. We're pleased to be able to help enhance STEM instruction in public high schools to ensure that there are no boundaries to scientific discovery. Empowering more students than ever before and fostering an inclusive learning experience is crucial in today's society, and we're proud to provide critical funding to schools to help those young scientists reach their potential."

The 2021 class of Sanofi Biogenius Grant recipients are:

• Five Bridges Junior High School (Hubley NS)
• William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute (North York ON)
• Seven Oaks Met School (Winnipeg MB)  
• Caledonia Secondary School (Terrace BC)

The Sanofi Biogenius Grant program serves to provide diverse Canadian students with access to scientific equipment and learning resources to create opportunities for hands-on learning in school – breaking down barriers, stimulating curiosity and motivating students to explore STEM. Recipients will use these funds to renovate existing laboratory facilities, purchase new science equipment, develop programs that maximize the impact of their lab, or any combination of the above to help pave the way for the next generation of leaders—great thinkers, innovators, and expert researchers who will shape the future of our country. Applications were closed on May 1, 2021. More information on the Sanofi Biogenius Grant can be found at http://grant.biogenius.ca.

About Sanofi Biogenius Canada
Sanofi Biogenius Canada (SBC) is a national science initiative for youth founded in 1993 by Sanofi Canada. Its signature program is the SBC biotechnology and life sciences competition, a unique science fair opportunity for high school students that has helped over 6,000 young Canadians pursue real-world research projects that have proven to be launch pads to future success. In 2021, Sanofi Canada launched the Biogenius Grant, expanding the impact to public high schools by helping improve access to scientific equipment and learning resources for hands-on STEM instruction, further motivating students to embrace scientific discovery.

For more information, please visit our website at www.biogenius.ca or follow SBC on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the #SBC2021 hashtag.

About Sanofi Canada
Sanofi is dedicated to supporting people through their health challenges. We are a global biopharmaceutical company focused on human health. We prevent illness with vaccines, provide innovative treatments to fight pain and ease suffering. We stand by the few who suffer from rare diseases and the millions with long-term chronic conditions.

With more than 100,000 people in 100 countries, Sanofi is transforming scientific innovation into healthcare solutions around the globe. Sanofi entities in Canada employ approximately 2,000 people. In 2018, we invested more than $127 million in R&D in Canada, creating jobs, business and opportunity throughout the country.

Follow us on Twitter @SanofiCanada and on YouTube.
Sanofi, Empowering Life

SOURCE Sanofi Canada

Media Relations Contact : Emilija Businskas, Sanofi Canada, [email protected]