Coverage of Native Explorers in Diário de Notícias

Universidade britânica é palco de combate a estereótipos sobre ciência para jovens portugueses

Follow link to access the article on the Diário de Notícias website.

Uma Organização não-governamental e a universidade britânica de Lancaster juntam-se em maio para ensinar a portugueses que a ciência é também uma oportunidade de carreira combatendo os estereótipos que são mais evidentes entre os imigrantes.

O estereótipo de que os cientistas são sobretudo “homens super inteligentes de classe média-alta” deve ser combatido junto dos adolescentes portugueses para os encorajar a seguir carreiras em ciências, tecnologias, engenharia e matemática (CTEM), defende a investigadora Joana Moscoso.

A bióloga é cofundadora da organização sem fins lucrativos Native Scientist, que se associou-se à Universidade de Lancaster, no noroeste de Inglaterra, para promover uma série de oficinas em língua portuguesa para jovens entre os 12 e 15 anos intitulada “Native Explorers”, no dia 12 de maio.

De acordo com Moscoso, os estudantes migrantes são duas vezes mais propensos a ter um desempenho inferior em ciência e matemática do que o resto dos colegas, acabando por rejeitar uma carreira em CTEM e por não frequentar o ensino superior.

No caso da comunidade tradicional de emigrantes portugueses, a experiência que retirou do trabalho com crianças do ensino primário ao longo de cinco anos é que é frequente a falta de incentivo a carreiras científicas.

“Há um estereótipo de que a ciência é só para um certo tipo de pessoas – homens super inteligentes de classe média-alta. Há também uma grande falta de conhecimento sobre o que é, de facto, ser cientista. Isso faz com que muitas pessoas não considerem uma carreira nessa área”, disse à agência Lusa.

As oficinas vão tentar atrair adolescentes de origem portuguesa e dar-lhes uma experiência na universidade, onde terão oportunidade de contactar com investigadores em áreas como engenharia química, biologia, astrofísica ou empreendedorismo.

“Uma grande proporção de crianças decide que a ciência ‘não é para mim’ até aos 12 anos. Enquanto que a maioria das atividades da Native Scientist são para crianças com menos de 12 anos, trabalhar com adolescentes é importante na medida em que os pode ajudar a reavivar o fascínio pela ciência e promover uma atitude de ‘eu posso ser cientista se eu quiser’, vincou Moscoso.

Na véspera, a 11 de maio, a universidade de Lancaster realiza um evento chamado “Outreach without Borders” [Divulgação sem Fronteiras], direcionado sobretudo a académicos, profissionais ou empreendedores sociais, onde serão discutidos desafios e oportunidades para a comunicação da ciência junto do público em geral.

Joana Moscoso refere como esta actividade tem evoluído nas últimas décadas, e que, para além das visitas de estudo a museus e documentários televisivos sobre a vida animal, existem agora eventos como festivais de ciência ou a deslocação dos próprios cientistas às escolas.

“Neste evento vamos falar das últimas tendências neste campo, que são o desenvolvimento de atividades de comunicação de ciência viradas para um pública-alvo muito específico a fim de promover a inclusão e diversidade. Vamos apresentar projetos como a Native Scientist, para crianças imigrantes ou o Sex & Bugs & Rock N Roll, para apaixonados da música”, revelou.

A Universidade de Lancaster é considerada uma das dez melhores universidades do Reino Unido, onde 35% dos estudantes são internacionais, provenientes de mais de 122 países.

Vários dos seus docentes são também estrangeiros, como os portugueses Nuno Bimbo, Elizabete Carmo-Silva, Ricardo Zózimo, que vão promover as oficinas no segundo dia, e Patrick Rebuschat, responsável pelo projeto de colaboração com a Native Scientist.

Segundo este especialista em linguística, este projeto “proporciona aos académicos de Lancaster uma oportunidade importante para refletir sobre a comunicação da ciência e sobre o seu papel no aumento da participação e [uma oportunidade] para partilhar conhecimentos com uma organização única de divulgação científica que inspira crianças e adolescentes migrantes em toda a Europa a estudar disciplinas CTEM e a desenvolver a proficiência nas suas línguas nativas”.

Press release on Lancaster University website

Below follows the official English press release for the Native Explorers event. We are grateful to Anne Rothwell and the Lancaster University Press Office for the support. To access the published release on the Lancaster University website, please click this link.

New project will promote STEM subjects and multilingualism

A new project will promote innovative outreach initiatives among academics as well as encouraging Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) education and careers among migrant communities in the UK.

May 11 will see the launch of Native Explorers at Lancaster University.

The event is a joint initiative by Lancaster University and Native Scientist, an award-winning non-profit organisation that promotes diversity in STEM and tackles educational disadvantage by bringing together scientists and pupils who speak a common heritage language (the language spoken at home).

Dr Patrick Rebuschat, who leads the project at Lancaster University, explained: “The joint initiative with Native Scientist provides Lancaster academics and professional services staff with an important opportunity to reflect on science outreach and on its role in widening participation, and to share expertise with a unique science outreach organisation that inspires immigrant children and young people across Europe to pursue STEM subjects and to develop proficiency in their heritage languages.”

The initiative is part of the new Heritage Language Consortium, a strategic partnership between six European universities, including Lancaster, and the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Native Explorers takes place on two days, and each day has a different purpose.

The first day is mainly aimed at academics, professional services, science communicators and social entrepreneurs. It consists of a symposium on ‘Outreach Without Borders’, during which challenges and opportunities in science outreach and widening participation will be discussed. It will feature presentations on innovative science outreach initiatives for children, young people and adults who are based in the UK or abroad.

The second day is aimed at young people between 12 and 15 years old and consists of a series of four science workshops, delivered by leading Lancaster University researchers.

The workshops are offered in Portuguese, an important heritage language in the UK as it is the second most spoken European language in UK schools. The workshops will provide an opportunity to learn concepts from four different fields: Astrophysics, chemical engineering, plant biology and social entrepreneurship. They will target Portuguese-speaking students who live in the Greater Manchester and Lancashire regions.

As Dr Joana Moscoso, the co-founder of Native Scientist, said: “Migrant students are twice as likely to underperform in science and maths than the rest. They are also more likely to rule out higher education and think that a STEM career is not a real and viable option for them. With this project, we want to do two things. Firstly, we want to raise awareness about the impact that good and innovative science outreach projects can have. Secondly, we want to lead by example and give the opportunity to 40 Portuguese migrant adolescents to experience university for the first time in their lives, following the steps of people alike who succeeded in becoming a scientist and are now leading researchers at Lancaster University.”

Both events, funded and supported by Lancaster University’s Widening Participation programme, are free but registration is required. For more information, please visit our website or contact Dr Patrick Rebuschat and Dr Joana Moscoso via native-explorers@lancaster.ac.uk.

 

 

Registration of students until the 30th of March

To attend the Native Explorers science workshops on the 12th of May, adolescents between 12 and 15 years old should ask their Portuguese language teacher (if applicable) or parents to register here until the 30th of March.

Offered in Portuguese on the Lancaster University campus, the workshops are an opportunity to learn concepts from four different fields: astrophysics, chemical engineering, plant biology and social entrepreneurship. They will be delivered by leading Lancaster University researchers. You can see the full program here and download the flyer about the event here

Native Explorers targets Portuguese-speaking students who live in the Greater Manchester and Lancashire region. It is an opportunity for students to visit an university, following the steps of people who succeeded in becoming a scientist and are now leading researchers at Lancaster University.

The event is free of charge but prior registration is required.

Bus transportation to and from Manchester will be provided to those who request it.

For any questions, please email native-explorers@lancaster.ac.uk

What is the Heritage Language Consortium?

As mentioned in our previous post, the Native Explorers initiative developed by Lancaster University and Native Scientist is an initiative of the Heritage Language Consortium. The Consortium is a strategic partnership involving Tübingen University, Lancaster University, the University of Lisbon, the University of Minho, NOVA University Lisbon, the University of Porto, and the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The objective of the Consortium is to promote research on language learning in a variety of settings (from naturalistic development to classroom-based instruction) and across different age groups (children, adolescents and adults). Our research will help us understand how children and adults learn new languages and identify those factors that make some of us particularly good language learners. We can then use these insights to improve language education at various levels, from the classroom to curriculum design, materials development and educational policy.

The Consortium also has an important outreach and community engagement component, and partnering with Native Scientist is a clear reflection of this. The Native Scientist project has been inspiring children and adolescents across Europe to pursue STEM subjects and to further develop their skills in the heritage language, thus becoming fully bilingual, and the Consortium is proud to support their important mission.

To learn more about Native Scientist, please visit www.nativescientist.com or email joana.moscoso@native-scientist.com

To learn more about the Consortium, or to get involved, please visit www.lancaster.ac.uk/heritage-language or email heritage-language@lancaster.ac.uk.

Lancaster University and Native Scientist launch joint initiative

We are pleased to announce that Lancaster University and Native Scientist launch their first joint initiative on March 1, 2018. Named Native Explorers, the project aims at promoting innovative outreach initiatives among academics as well as encouraging STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) education and careers among immigrant communities in the UK.

Lancaster University is one of the 10 top UK universities. Located in North West England, it prides itself for providing inspiring teaching and research, and 35% of their students are international, coming from over 122 countries. Native Scientist is a non-profit award-winning organisation that promotes diversity in STEM and tackles educational disadvantage by bringing together scientists and pupils who speak a common heritage language.

Dr Patrick Rebuschat, who is leading the project for Lancaster University, explained: “The joint initiative with Native Scientist provides Lancaster academics and professional services staff with an important opportunity to reflect on science outreach and on its role in widening participation, and to share expertise with a unique science outreach organzation that inspires immigrant children and adolescents across Europe to pursue STEM subjects and to develop proficiency in their heritage languages.” The initiative is part of the new Heritage Language Consortium, a strategic partnership between six European universities and the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Two purposes, two days

Native Explorers takes place on two days, and each day has a different purpose. The first day is mainly aimed at academics, professional services, science communicators and social entrepreneurs. It consists of a sympsium on Outreach Without Borders, during which we will discuss challenges and opportunities in science outreach and widening participation. It will feature presentations on innovative science outreach initiatives for children, adolescents and adults that are based in the UK or abroad. It will be live streamed so people in the field not able to travel to the event will be able to join.

The second day is aimed at adolescents between 12 and 15 years old and consists of a series of four science workshops, delivered by leading Lancaster University researchers. The workshops are offered in Portuguese, an important heritage language in the UK, and provide an opportunity to learn concepts from four different fields: Astrophysics, chemical engineering, plant biology and social entrepreneurship. It targets Portuguese-speaking students who live in the Greater Manchester and Lancashire region and bus transportation from Manchester to Lancaster will be provided.

Reaching beyond the already reached

As Dr Joana Moscoso, co-founder of Native Scientist, observed “migrant students are twice as likely to underperform in science and maths than the rest. They are also more likely to rule out higher education and think that a STEM career is not a real and viable option for them. With this project, we want to do two things. Firstly, we want to raise awareness about the impact that good and innovative science outreach projects can have. Secondly, we want to lead by example and give the opportunity to 40 Portuguese migrant adolescents to experience university for the first time in their lives, following the steps of people alike who succeeded in becoming a scientist and are now leading researchers at Lancaster University.”

  • To register for the Symposium (11th May), please follow this link.
  • To register for the Workshops (12th May), please follow this link.
  • Both events are free but registration is required.

For more information, please contact Patrick Rebuschat or Joana Moscoso at native-explorers@lancaster.ac.uk.