Why We Give: Full Circle Cycles with Judy Gale

Our Why We Give series spotlights the people who drive our purpose—Science for All.

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No One Is an Island

One beautiful May afternoon in 1996, Judy Gale and her family were sailing among an archipelago in the Aegean Sea.

As she and her husband, the late Dr. Ken Spencer, turned their boat into a particularly idyllic harbour and prepared for a refreshing dip, their young son Wylie suddenly pointed overboard.

“I’m not going in there,” he announced.

Judy peered to see untreated sewage floating in the water.

It was one of countless moments she had on their year-long circumnavigation of the world, mostly by bicycle or boat, that sharpened her perspective on the future.

Plastic bags floating across pristine lakes. Huge piles of garbage burning roadside. And, on the other hand, innovative steps taken to reduce energy usage in Switzerland, and the tremendous efforts to conserve the healthy flora, fauna and water of the Galapagos.

“It was all inspiring,” she says.

Returning home to Vancouver (whose own waters endure complicated challenges with sewage overflow), Judy determined to spend as much time as she could pursuing dual causes—children and the environment. She serves on two non-profit boards and has chaired two others.

“Kids and science hold the keys to our collective future,” she says during an interview held at Science World in Ken Spencer Science Park.

It’s why she and Ken dedicated time, energy and resources to Science World for decades, and it’s why she continues to do so after Ken’s passing in 2021.

Her most recent gift this year directed toward ourCommunity Access Pass program--has removed the financial barrier from a visit to Science World for over 15,000 children and families in our community.

“I wish I could give the whole world a Science World pass,” says Judy.

“It's obvious that whatever progress people make towards world peace and climate change mitigation tomorrow will be achieved by the children of today. As adults who contributed to our current challenges, we need to help kids develop empathy and to learn as much as they can about the world, its cultures and how it works.”

Full Circle

The twelve-year-old Wylie on the sailboat who spotted the contaminated water is now grown and with wife Emily, raising a daughter of his own, Summer.

Last month, Judy and Wylie brought Summer, on the brink of her second birthday, to Science World for a day of exploration.

Her favourite spots included Wonder Gallery, our space for our youngest visitors, where interactive exhibits immerse tiny tots in experiential learning through play.

And then, in our physics gallery Eureka!, Summer found herself awestruck in a carousel of mirrors.

“It also goes back to Ken’s initial reason for getting involved at Science World in 1989,” she shares. “He envisioned a thriving tech industry in BC. And he believed tech companies had a responsibility to invest in that future by getting kids excited about science.”

Even at two-years-old, Summer is among those kids excited about science.

“I love spending time at the beach with her,” says Judy, “pointing things out and watching her stare and touch. She’s already a little scientist discovering waves, tiny crabs, shells and rocks.”

Today, as Judy roams the Ken Spencer Science Park, closed for the winter but still teeming with life, she draws the connection between hands-on interactive experiences and a brighter future for BC.

“Ken was a lifelong learner. And I'm a lifelong learner. And when learning is fun, there’s no end to it.”

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