VANCOUVER, BC, August 26, 2026 – Science World is delighted to announce Dr. Gail Murphy as its new President & CEO after an extensive search. Gail will officially take up the position on October 5.
“On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am truly excited to welcome Gail as our next President & CEO. As a past board member, her deep familiarity with Science World's mission makes her uniquely qualified to lead the organization. She has demonstrated leadership, a passion for STEAM education and extensive experience as a tech leader and company founder, making her a natural fit for the position”, said Ivor Luk, Science World Board Chair.
Gail is a Professor of Computer Science at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and brings a wealth of scientific, business and government relations leadership experience, including from her recently concluded nine-year tenure as UBC's Vice-President, Research and Innovation. She spent much of her career as a researcher in software engineering, creating tools to help software developers manage large codebases and work more productively. Gail co-founded Tasktop Technologies, a UBC spin-out providing enterprise software solutions, raising USD$100M in seed funding before being acquired by Planview in 2022. Gail is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM), and has served on several Boards including for Canada’s Digital Technology Supercluster, Digital Research Alliance of Canada, Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, Innovate BC and Science World (2019-2026).
“I am honoured to be joining Science World and look forward to working with the dedicated and talented staff team who deliver unique, amazing and inclusive STEAM experiences every day. It is an exciting time to be joining as Science World continues its transformation, being fuelled by the Future is Nerdy fundraising campaign. Science and technology touch every part of our lives, and I am looking forward to working with the Science World team to make that knowledge accessible to everyone, building stronger, more informed communities,” said Dr. Gail Murphy, incoming President & CEO of Science World.
Ivor concludes, “As we look to Science World’s future, the Board is confident that Gail, alongside our staff, donors, supporters and community partners, will continue our success in pursuit of our vision to create the next generation of critical thinkers, problem solvers and wonder seekers.”
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About Science World
Science World is a charitable non-profit and science centre based in Vancouver, BC that engages learners across the province in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art & design and math). Visitors to our iconic geodesic dome explore interactive, hands-on exhibits and galleries that nurture their process of discovery and inspire connection with their natural, physical and built environments. Participants in our outreach programs—students, teachers and families in every region of BC—access the experience of Science World through virtual visits from scientists, livestream science shows, and weekly afterschool STEAM mentorship. At Science World, we inspire the next generation of problem solvers, world changers and nerds. Visit www.scienceworld.ca
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