FECYT launches its programme “Science in the Classroom”: Scientists and Engineers will visit the Spanish School Vicente Cañada Blanch in London

Last 14^th December 2015, the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT) and the Office for Cultural and Scientific Affairs of the Spanish Embassy in London, launched their programme “Science in the Classroom”, by which a scientist or an engineer per month will visit 14-18 years-old students in the Spanish School Vicente Cañada Blanch in London. 

This programme is supported by the Spanish Education Office in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, the Spanish School Vicente Cañada Blanch, and the Society of Spanish Researchers in the United Kingdom (SRUK/CERU). 

“Science in the Classroom” aims to bring closer the professional figure of a scientist or an engineer to young students, in order to provide them guidance and advice as to what STEMM-related degrees and careers they would like to pursue. Likewise, the programme aims not only to inspire young generations to pursue STEMM careers but more importantly, to increase social perception of the value of science and scientific culture. 

In its first edition, students were visited by the International Scientific Coordinator of FECYT in London, Dr Lorenzo Melchor, who introduced them the programme and collected their interests to meet specific scientific profiles. These varied from aeronautical engineers to biomedical researchers, as well as mathematicians, biologists, astrophysicists, chemists, and even humanists and economists. Students also filled up a test with questions such as “What is a scientist?”, “What is an engineer?” or “What do you want to do for a living in the future?”. The test also contained questions to relate scientists and engineers with their main theories or discoveries, lists of names to distinguish those who have been renowned scientists or engineers. To finish the session, Lorenzo told students his profesional career and his current job as Scientific Coordinator at the Embassy of Spain in London. Lastly, students asked many questions. 

“Science in the Classroom” is embedded in the FECYT line of action related to the promotion of scientific culture and dissemination, and support for internationalization of Spanish science. It has common features with other FECYT activities such as “Campus Científicos de Verano”. 

There are similar initiatives of the societies of Spanish Researchers abroad, as for instance, “ECUSA en las escuelas” of the Society of Spanish Scientists in US (Españoles Científicos en USA, ECUSA) or “La Semana de la Ciencia” organised by the Spanish School Vicente Cañada Blanch in London and in which the Society of Spanish Researchers in the United Kingdom (SRUK/CERU) participates since 2012.