IGTP fosters interest in science among young students at a science workshop fair in Badalona
On Wednesday, researchers from the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP) took part in the third edition of "Ciència al carrer: Fira d'ESO amb mirada STEAM" ("Science in the Street: Secondary School Fair with a STEAM Focus"), a science outreach event that gathered around 600 students from 14 schools and secondary schools outside the Espai Betúlia in Badalona.
Scientists from IGTP, alongside secondary school students and professionals from other research centres and companies, organised a series of workshops to introduce scientific concepts to primary school pupils in an engaging and accessible way.
The workshops organised by IGTP were:
- "Microbiota detectives: What microorganisms live with you?", led by Mariona Cortacans, Maria Vidal, and Pablo Soldevilla, PhD students from the Experimental Tuberculosis Unit (UTE) and the Clinical and Experimental Microbiology Unit (UMCiE).
- "Clean Air Mission: Protecting our planet and our health", led by Raquel Rodríguez, Daniela Ardila, and Júlia Gomez, doctors and paediatricians from the Paediatrics Department at Hospital Germans Trias, and Anna Sala, doctor and paediatrician from the HYPIEND research project at IGTP.
The young researchers from the UTE commented: " Participating in outreach activities allows us to share our enthusiasm for microbiology and inspire scientific vocations. Seeing the students' excitement as they discover new concepts is very rewarding, and we believe that this type of workshop helps make science more accessible and fun".
Meanwhile, paediatrician Anna Sala stated: "For us, it has been a pleasure to participate in this science event because science is knowledge, and knowledge empowers society to change the world. If knowledge is passed on to younger generations, this empowerment will probably have a greater chance of success in the future".
IGTP was also involved in a workshop organised by Institut Júlia Minguell. Participants built a model of the Comparative Medicine and Bioimage Centre of Catalonia (CMCiB), a cutting-edge facility specialising in interdisciplinary research at the intersection of comparative medicine and bioimaging.
This fair provides an exceptional platform for fostering young students' interest in science. IGTP participated for the second time and looks forward to continuing to do so in future editions. It is a great opportunity to introduce students to the world of research and reinforces the Institute's strong commitment to education and science outreach.
The 3rd "Ciència al carrer: Fira d'ESO amb mirada STEAM" was organised by the Centre de Recursos Pedagògics of the Education Department of the Catalan Government, Escola de Natura Angeleta Ferrer, Escola del Mar-Centre d'Estudis Marins, and the Area of Environment and Sustainability and the Education Service of the Badalona City Council.
The following primary and secondary schools took part in the fair: Barres i Ones, Enric Borràs, Eugeni d'Ors, Garbí Pere Vergés, Gitanjali, Ítaca, Júlia Minguell, La Llauna, La Pineda, La Riera, Llibertat, Maregassa, Maria Ward, Pere de Tera, and Progrés.
Other participating organisations, offering various workshops and activities, included: Badalona Lab, Centre de Recursos Pedagògics, Escola de Natura Angeleta Ferrer, Escola del Mar-Centre d'Estudis Marins, Institut de Recerca contra la Leucèmia Josep Carreras, Mentoria 4.0, and IGTP.