Every summer for nearly 50 years, high school graduates from around the world flock to the Davidson Institute of Science Education to take part in the month-long Dr. Bessie F. Lawrence summer science program. At the cusp of adulthood, just before the start of a first university degree, 80 budding scientists have a unique experience doing scientific research at the Weizmann Institute of Science.

Weizmann Canada is proud to be able to offer this lifechanging experience to top Canadian high school students with a passion for science. Each year, seven students are awarded scholarships to represent Canada and spend four weeks at the Weizmann Institute of Science working on high level research projects under the supervision of senior scientists.

Thanks to support from generous donors, the ISSI program is helping shape the next generation of scientific leaders.

For half a century, the ISSI program has been supporting our future scientific leaders, with children of past recipients now taking part in the same program that inspired their parents. In Western Canada, grant recipients from Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver have been awarded the scholarship, opening their horizons and setting them on scientific career paths.

Hearing about these wonderful student experiences, Weizmann Canada’s Calgary Chapter was inspired to do something tangible to help. As a group, they donated funds to endow a scholarship and the Institute agreed to add one more spot for Canada bringing the number of students to seven! This was no small feat, given the competitive and worldwide nature of the program, with limited space on campus. They agreed that the student would be from Western Canada, and a beautiful annual tradition was born. Special thanks goes to Dr. Marty Cole, Jamie Gelfand, Dr. Gary Gelfand, Ellen Magidson, Stan Magidson, Martin Molyneaux, Deborah Yedlin, and current Chapter President Darlene Switzer-Foster.