Project on women scientists and engineers finalises on campus

Throughout the academic year, different activities were held to help pupils discover the area of science and technology and apply the specific knowledge they had acquired during a project on air pollution. 

On Tuesday 31 May, the UAB welcomed four hundred 5th and 6th graders and first-year secondary school students to celebrate the closing of the project advocating more women scientists and engineers, entitled "Volem ser científiques i enginyeres!". The project aimed to contribute to the scientific education of pupils by fostering the knowledge of and familiarisation with science as a vocation with a focus on gender perspective, and at the same time bringing the university closer to centres participating in the projects.

The event took place at the conference hall of the Rectorat building and in different parts of the campus. The children displayed their work through poster presentations and were awarded participation diplomas by the centres. The fair ended with a magic show by "Mag Stigman".

Projects Focusing on Air Pollution

The project, which was conducted during the 2021/22 academic year, included several actions so that the children could work on scientific and engineering projects as a way of applying the knowledge they had acquired on air pollution thanks to small research tasks conducted at their schools.

To conduct the research and the project, teachers at the centres and UAB students working with them received training. At the same time, the pupils were able to participate in a series of workshops at the Faculties of Science and of Biosciences and at the School of Engineering, organised by lecturers of the centres as a way to help pupils understand the scientific and technological phenomena they were working on.

The children also participated in a conference on gender and science offered by a UAB lecturer of the Department of Teaching of Mathematics and Experimental Sciences.

One of the central parts of the project consisted in 25 UAB students (mainly women) from the Faculties of Science and of Biosciences, and from the School of Engineering, participating in a Service Learning Experience, which gave them the opportunity to form part of an innovative and socially committed proposal, visiting education centres and accompanying children in developing the teaching proposal created by researchers from the Research Centre for Science and Mathematics Education at the UAB.

One of the main objectives of this project is to spark an interest for science and engineering among young children, particularly girls.

The education centres participating in the project were Col·legi Sant Josep (Vilafranca del Penedès); Col·legi Sant Ramon Nonat (Barcelona); Escola Jardí (Granollers); Escola Pi d'en Xandri (Sant Cugat del Vallès); Institut Angeleta Ferrer (Sant Cugat del Vallès); Institut Escola Mas Rampinyo (Montcada i Reixac); and Institut Nicolau Copèrnic (Terrassa).

The programme included financial support from the FECYT foundation (Fundación Española para la Ciencia y la Tecnología).

Project website: "Volem ser científiques i enginyeres!"