January 2025

Joy Akinkunmi was a featured presenter to the Rotary eClub of Silicon Valley, demonstrating the amazing engineering design work of her innovative idea “The Pill Smart 2.0”, an automatic pill dispenser for seniors with mild to moderate dementia.

Joy is a high school student and long-time participant in Imhotep’s Legacy Academy (ILA) programs. In 2023 and 2024, Joy participated locally in ILA’s Young, Gifted & Black Science Fair (YGBSF), regionally in the Canadian Black Scientists Network (CBSN) Regional science fair, and nationally at the Canada Wide Science Fair (CWSF)–with her Pill Smart invention being recognized and awarded at all three competitive levels.

Joy was also honored with a 2024 Youth Award at the 22nd annual Discovery Awards hosted by the Discovery Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

April 2022

On April 2, 2022 the Imhotep’s Legacy Academy FIRST LEGO League (FLL) team Legos ‘R Us participated in the 17th annual FLL provincial championships at held virtually from Acadia University. This year’s theme was Cargo Connect. Congratulations to the team for winning two awards: Core Values Award (for demonstrating the most team respect and collective collaboration amongst members) and the Coach of the Year Award to FLL Coordinator Sungwoo Song (for demonstrating a commitment of providing the best for the team). Great work team, despite the challenges of functioning within a COVID-19 environment.

February 2022

On February 16th, to recognize African Heritage Month, Colleges and Institutes Canada convened three successful Black professionals for their perspective on how post-secondary institutions can boost Black representation in those spaces and amplify Black excellence. The panelists included Dr. J. Pemberton Cyrus, President of Imhotep’s Legacy Academy; Dr. Gervan Fearon, President of George Brown College; and Mr. Ray Williams, Vice Chairman of National Bank Financial and Chair of the Black Opportunity Fund.

MAY 2021

Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19 restrictions during the 2020-21 program year, ILA was able to adapt and transition its hands-on programs for secondary school learners to a virtual-delivery environment. This video highlights some of ILA’s program activity.

SEPTEMBER 2020

As Engineers Nova Scotia celebrates its 100th year as the regulator of engineering in Nova Scotia, Imhotep’s Legacy Academy sits with Black Nova Scotian engineers to find out why diversity and representation in engineering matters.

OCTOBER 2019

On November 13, 2019, the Honorable Barack Hussein Obama will deliver a public lecture in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Imhotep’s Legacy Academy would be honored to host a brief visit of Mr. Obama to our Learning Centre and Makerspace to meet our STEM future leaders, and one of them, Ms. Evelyn Wedderburn–an After-School Program attendee and ILA-TD Opportunity Scholar–has extended him a personal invitation!

Hey! @BarackObama I have a very special invitation for you all the way from Halifax, Nova Scotia! Check it out! @ObamaFoundation @MichelleObama @imhoteplegacy @DalDentistry @DalScience @BarackObama pic.twitter.com/N5fxmqsIM5

— eve.wedderburn (@WedderburnEve) October 22, 2019

MAY 2019

Last year, Imhotep’s Legacy Academy was the recipient of the first-ever President’s Award for the Advancement of Equity, Diversity and Inclusiveness at Dalhousie University’s inaugural Legacy Awards.  This year, ILA Executive Director Sidney Idemudia was asked to remark on what winning this award has meant to ILA.

MAY 2018

Dr. J. Pemberton Cyrus, ILA President and Associate Dean of Engineering, Undergraduate Studies of Dalhousie University, shares his insights with engineering graduates at the May 30, 2018 9am convocation ceremony.  Dr. Cyrus answers the question:  “What do I wish I knew when I was 22 and starting my career?”

AUGUST 2017

ILA-TD Scholar, Kareem provides FIRST LEGO League (Robotics) demo to reception attendees

FEBRUARY 2016

Dr. Sophia Stone, Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at Dalhousie University (and an assisting professor for Imhotep’s Legacy Academy) is one of the featured Role Models on the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE)-Atlantic website.