A new spin-off programme from Native Scientist to reach pupils across the Portuguese-speaking world

This is what “Cartas com Ciência” set out to do, a spin-off programme from Native Scientist, inspired by the USA project Letters to a Pre-Scientist. This new initiative, which literally translates to “Letters with Science”, aims at inspiring children in Portuguese-speaking countries to consider higher education and science research careers.

There are 9 countries in the world where Portuguese is an official language, of which 8 are developing countries and 5 belong to the United Nations list of Least Developed Countries. Through “Cartas com Ciência”, children in these countries will exchange letters with Portuguese-speaking researchers around the world, having the opportunity to improve their science and Portuguese language skills. Children will meet “real” scientists through this letter exchange and “hear” about topics such as research and career, experiences in higher education, obstacles faced and how to overcome them. For many, it will be the first time they receive a letter!

The official launch of “Cartas com Ciência” is today, 5th May 2020, alongside with the first ever World Portuguese Language Day. Behind this project are two Native Scientist collaborators: Mariana Alves, Project Manager for Portuguese in Heidelberg and Existing Partnerships Manager, and Rafael Galupa, Editor and Content Manager for our Blog & News.

About the programme, Rafael says “I thought that having children and scientists writing letters to each other was such a powerful and simple idea that it was worth replicating it to the Portuguese-speaking world, with over 250 million speakers. I was very happy when Native Scientist and Letters to a Pre-Scientist agreed to support us in taking the idea further. In the first year of the programme, we will reach 50+ pupils in Mozambique and Portugal.” Mariana adds that “to me, this project means paying it forward to the next generation and democratizing access to science - science needs to reach everyone and we must all try to break the walls in that path. Personally, it also means reconnecting with my roots, which in this case is my mother tongue.”

If you are interested in participating in this project, please visit Cartas com Ciência website (in Portuguese) or register here. For questions, partnerships or if you know an enthusiastic teacher in a Portuguese-speaking country, please email: cartascomciencia [at] gmail.com

About Native Scientist

Native Scientist is an award-winning European-wide non-profit organisation that promotes cultural diversity in science, education and society. Native Scientist provides science and language workshops, science communication training, and bespoke projects for various institutions, including schools, universities and embassies. The work developed connects pupils with scientists to foster science and language literacy through role modelling and science and language integrated learning. Founded in 2013, their work reaches over 1,200 pupils a year and they count with a network of over 1,000 international scientists.

About Letters to a Pre-Scientist

Letters to a Pre-Scientist (LPS) is a snail mail pen pal progr

Anna Napolitano reflects on the implications of a question with increasingly more significance in our modern-times: multicultural world.

Our collaborator Anna Napolitano, project manager for Italian in England, wrote a piece about her impressions as an European scientist living and working in the UK:

Switzerland became the 8th country to host Native Scientist workshops

Last month, two Native School workshops took place in Bern, the Swiss capital, with the support of the Instituto Camões - Coordination for Portuguese Education in Switzerland.

Eight Portuguese-speaking scientists working in the University of Bern brought their science into the classrooms of Schulhaus Schwabguit. The participants, ranging from 11 to 16 years old, learnt about a wide range of topics, from animal behaviour to genetic information, global warming and planetary sciences, in Portuguese.

Dr Marta Marialva, our Project Manager for Portuguese in Switzerland and a Scientific Assistant for Outreach Initiative at the University of Bern (as well as Gingko-Educa co-founder), remarks that: “In Switzerland, the percentage of Portuguese-descendant pupils enrolled in advanced secondary school classes is still 27% lower when compared to that of Swiss students. I thought that the interaction with role-models speaking in their mother tongue was exactly what these students needed in order to increase their self-esteem by recognising the value of their heritage as well as by extending their perspectives for the future.”

On average, almost 50% of pupils are inspired to become a scientist after a workshop and 70% feel prouder of speaking more than one language.

This was the first time that Native Scientist organised workshops in Switzerland. The event was featured on a programme from RTP, the public service broadcasting organisation of Portugal, which can be seen here (in Portuguese).

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Impressions from participating scientists

Laura Silva, a scientist studying the behaviour of ownerless dogs.

“I loved this experience and certainly will try to repeat. Using my mother tongue to explain the work I do to the little ones, and feeling their enthusiasm, was an extremely enriching experience.”

Olga Sin, a scientist exploring why people forget things.

“I rarely speak about the science I do to the little ones, especially in my mother tongue, because I do not have the knowledge or the resources. Thanks to Native Scientist, I had lots of fun sharing what I do and I hope to repeat this experience.”

Miguel Almeida, a scientist operating a telescope in Mars orbit.

“The workshop was great. The organisation was beyond my expectations as everything was already set up in a way that we could maximize the time talking with the students. Marta and the teacher also did wanders in setting up the stage so that scientists and students were ready from the start. I always hope for a bit more interaction with the kids, but that’s mostly on me to find ways to engage them.”

Joana Duarte, a scientist studying mineral reactions happening under our feet.

“Explaining science to the pupils is a challenging task, requires a lot of creativity and capacity to guide their thinking in a very intuitive way. I believe this is not only an excellent opportunity for the pupils to have these hands-on activities held by real-scientists, but also for us, the scientists! Looking at their googly eyes attentive to what we are explaining, thus replying “Ah, that’s why..!” is totally rewarding. (...) Speaking with kids in Portuguese while being in Bern was just lovely and touching... and brought me back to the old times in my elementary school. Would be very happy to participate again and totally recommend it to other native scientists living abroad.”

Michael Brilhante, a scientist studying whether bacteria that cause infections in animals are able to spread to the environment and to humans.

“It was a very nice experience to actually see how some kids get excited when they understand all the interesting things they could do if they become a scientist.”

João Barros, a scientist trying to understand how systems with many particles interact to create the world we see.

“I found the workshop very positive. In particular, I found the speed dating format rather good both for students and scientists. The students have a more dynamic experience, the scientists can improve their speech in "real time", after each round.”

About Native Scientist

Native Scientist is an award-winning European-wide non-profit organisation that promotes cultural diversity in science, education and society. Native Scientist provides science and language workshops, science communication training, and bespoke projects for various institutions, including schools, universities and embassies. The work developed connects pupils with scientists to foster science and language literacy through role modelling and science and language integrated learning. Founded in 2013, their work reaches over 1,200 pupils a year and they count with a network of over 1,000 international scientists.

The Native Scientist programme “Living in the Extreme” was a success! This was another pioneering project of Native Scientist, developed and delivered in partnership with the Royal Society of Biology.

“Living in the Extreme” took Portuguese migrant pupils, in Edinburgh, on an adventure from the origin of life on Earth to the search for life in the Universe. This was a novel programme developed by Native Scientist and thanks to the Outreach and Engagement Grant awarded by the Royal Society of Biology.

Two events took place last year: on a first instance, scientists left their labs and offices to go to pupils’ Saturday language school, Lusofonias; on a second instance, pupils left their school seats to visit the National Museum of Scotland. In a series of hands-on-activities, natural sciences researchers guided young pupils through the understanding of (1) how Earth became a habitable planet and how life evolved, (2) the abiotic limits of life on Earth, (3) the evolutionary adaptations of species, and (4) the search for life in the Solar System and beyond.

By bringing together migrant pupils and scientists in these two events, we aimed to enhance the science capital of the targeted children. The program was designed to capture pupils’ attention to the natural sciences, as well as to raise awareness about the interdisciplinarity and cooperation between different fields of science to understand life.

More than 60 pupils attended the two events. Feedbac

This adventure of “Living in the Extreme” was only possible thanks to the excellent work of volunteer scientists in collaboration with teachers and parents.

About Native Scientist

Native Scientist is an award-winning European-wide non-profit organisation that promotes cultural diversity in science, education and society. Native Scientist provides science and language workshops, science communication training, and bespoke projects for various institutions, including schools, universities and embassies. The work developed connects pupils with scientists to foster science and language literacy through role modelling and science and language integrated learning. Founded in 2013, their work reaches over 1,200 pupils a year and they count with a network of over 1,000 international scientists.

About Royal Society of Biology

The Royal Society of Biology is a professional body for bioscientists – providing a single unified voice for biology: advising Government and influencing policy; advancing education and professional development; supporting their members, and engaging and encouraging public interest in the life sciences. The Outreach and Engagement grant scheme (www.rsb.org.uk/outreach-grants) is an initiative that allows members of the Royal Society of Biology to apply for up to £500 to fund an event or activity in their local area that engages people with biology.

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We asked our Native Scientists what it means for them to do science outreach in their mother tongue.

Migrant pupils across Europe are twice more likely than non-migrant pupils to underachieve, leave school early and be unemployed (EU Education and Training Monitor, 2015). Fostering literacy among these minorities is part of the efforts to reverse this trend, to inspire migrant pupils to pursue higher education. This is what led us to develop or take part in Native Scientist, which organises workshops that connect international scientists to migrant pupils who speak the same native language and share a common heritage. We wondered how this mattered to the scientists – migrants themselves – so we asked 50 of them, from a range of disciplines, career stages and nationalities, what it means to do science outreach in their mother tongue and how such undertaking has impacted their lives. Some comments have been edited for clarity and brevity.

Personal & Societal benefits

Feeling closer to the roots: 95% of these scientists consider that doing science outreach in their mother tongue brings them something more. Scientists choose to do it for different reasons, but all of them mention at least one of these three key concepts: disseminating science, inspiring next generations and valuing their heritage. For over a third of them, it is a way to feel connected to their home country and pay it forward, while encouraging pupils to use their native language. After the workshops, 2 out of 3 pupils feel prouder of speaking more than one language, and 3 out of 4 learnt five or more new words. This strong positive impact on the scientists transpires to the classrooms, with most teachers expressing interest in repeating the experience.

“I've been abroad for so long that I can't even remember when was the last time I spoke about science in Portuguese. When you are abroad it is hard to feel like you belong somewhere – Native Scientist made me feel like I belonged again, it felt like home.”

(Vanessa Las Heras, Portuguese, Postdoc in Ireland)

Inspiring the next generation: A third of these scientists want to act as role models, not only to inspire children but also to make them aware that they can be scientists too. Doing outreach in a language different from the host country’s language means reaching less privileged communities, which have less access to such type of extracurricular activities, and some scientists acknowledge this as a reason for participating in such activities.

“To show that science can be created in any language and that with willing and good training you can become a great scientist independently of where you come from.”

(Lia Domingues, Portuguese, Postdoc in France)

The power of communicating: Using their own language to speak about science can be a challenge for some, given that most are used to do it exclusively in English. However, a third of the scientists report feeling empowered doing so. It is also an opportunity for practice, to explain science in their mother tongue, a relevant asset in a world where it is increasingly more important to communicate in more than one language. Some scientists also mention that it is easier to connect and communicate with the pupils in the heritage language.

“I have always been used to communicate science only to my peers and in English. Doing science outreach in my mother tongue was a completely different experience, and simplifying the message without using scientific terms was easier in my own language - it was easier to find the metaphors or the right words to express myself”

(Roberta Codato, Italian, Postdoc in France)

Professional benefits

New opportunities: These outreach activities also come with professional benefits: 98% of the researchers say that participating in these workshops has had a positive impact in their jobs. It brings the possibility of connecting to other compatriot scientists, and for some it even created new career opportunities, or influenced their career strategies.

“It made me aware that I would love to change career from working behind the lab bench to a more communicative and teaching profession. I realized it is more rewarding for me to help, teach and share my knowledge with others.”

(Sabine Weisheit, German, Postdoc in Norway)

New skills: One in three scientists mentioned that doing outreach contributed to improving and developing soft skills, from presentation preparation and communication to engagement and management. For 8% of the scientists, these activities were their first opportunity to learn such skills.

“It allows us to develop transferable skills essential for a researcher. It is crucial to develop communication skills and to talk about complex issues in a simple and clear way. This is important since most of the projects are interdisciplinary and we need to communicate with researchers or collaborators from different backgrounds. Also, by engaging conversation with pupils, they suggest interesting or different points of view that make us realize different sides of the subject.”

(Catarina Novo, Portuguese, Postdoc in the UK)

New perspectives: Remarkably, more than 10% of the scientists stated that, after the workshops, they felt their motivation for working reignited and they rekindled their passion for science.

“Seeing the enthusiasm and hearing the "wow!" sometimes compensated the frustration from failed experiments or from unsupportive managers who think this is a waste of time.”

(Anna Cupani, Italian, Research Manager in the UK)

A call for more science outreach support

Doing science outreach has undoubtedly multiple personal, professional and societal benefits; yet, it is still today mostly a result of individual pursuits rather than institutional policies. Science outreach can either be seen as a mere hobby of extracurricular interest, or as a missionary endeavour that helps raise scientists’ and the institution's profiles. At an individual level, each of us can decide how we want to portray our science outreach efforts. Many, afraid of negative discrimination, opt to hide it from their co-workers and superiors. Others, confident of the value of their actions and aware of the uniqueness of their efforts, opt to celebrate their engagement and disseminate it among their network. Undeniably, for more people to be able to learn and benefit from practicing science outreach, the scientific community still needs to let go of some stigma, more individuals need to speak up about the benefits of science outreach, and senior managers need to be more engaged in outreach activities and actively push for their institutions to have positive, forward-looking science outreach policies.

“In the end I felt that just being present and available to talk to them is the most important thing. In a world that desperately needs to trust science and the word of scientists, I think outreach activities like this one are essential. And since children are the future, encouraging them to remain curious is a great bet.”

(Raquel Correia, Portuguese, Research Technician in Germany)

About Native Scientist

Native Scientist is an award-winning European-wide non-profit organisation that promotes cultural diversity in science, education and society. Native Scientist provides science and language workshops, science communication training, and bespoke projects for various institutions, including schools, universities and embassies. The work developed connects pupils with scientists to foster science and language literacy through role modelling and science and language integrated learning. Founded in 2013, their work reaches over 1,200 pupils a year and they count with a network of over 1,000 international scientists.

About the authors

Mariana, Rafael and Joana are all active members of the Native Scientist community.

Every year, Native Scientist Awards recognise the creativity of pupils who participate in the Native Schools workshops.

The success of Native Awards, running since 2014/2015, lies in the increasing number of pupils who participate in the Native Schools workshops. Ahead of each workshop, pupils are asked to draw a scientist and to write a sentence about what they would do if they were a scientist. Sentences and drawings are evaluated at the end of the school year and the most original ones are selected by the Native Scientist team and collaborators to receive a Native Award.

Interestingly this year, 60% of the sentences and drawings were from girls and 50% of all drawings depicted women scientists, while 20% of the sentences focused on important topics, like climate change and environmental pollution.

Joséphine, 10 years old, who participated in a French workshop in London won the “Best Sentence” Award

Joséphine sentence focused on a delicate and timely matter: pollution and its impact on our planet. Joséphine told us about her love for nature and how she believes that scientists, through knowledge dissemination, could help to build up humanity’s respect towards nature and our planet.

The “Best Drawing” of 2019 belongs to Matilde, 9 years old, who participated in a Portuguese workshop in France. Matilde found the workshop “very interesting, and thought that the scientists were approachable and very nice”. When she grows up, she wants to be a vet because she loves animals.

In her drawing, Matilde captured how a scientist behaves in a laboratory environment with the safety gear on. The vivid colours used and a smile on the scientist’s face depicts how their days start in the laboratory, committed to discover something new in their field of study! In her drawing, Matilde also touched another important subject, which is that women, and not only men as often thought, can be scientists!

Native Scientist offered a branded tote bag and the book “Outside”, autographed by the author Maria Ana Peixe Dias, to the winners. Native Scientist co-founder Joana Moscoso says that: "The moment of looking at the finalist entries and vote for the winners of the Native Awards is one of my favourite times at Native Scientist. The diversity of styles, from serious to fun portraits of science, from solo scientists to scientists working in a team, or from time machines to cures for diseases, is amazing. With over 1000 pupils participating in our workshops every year, it is with great excitement that Joséphine and Matilde are presented as winners of the Native Awards 2019”.

About Native Scientist

Native Scientist is an award-winning European-wide non-profit organisation that promotes cultural diversity in science, education and society. Native Scientist provides science and language workshops, science communication training, and bespoke projects for various institutions, including schools, universities and embassies. The work developed connects pupils with scientists to foster science and language literacy through role modelling and science and language integrated learning. Founded in 2013, their work reaches over 1,200 pupils a year and they count with a network of over 1,000 international scientists.

Native Scientist has been running for 6 years now! Check our annual report 2018/2019 and find out how we accomplished new goals and continue to make a positive impact on the lives of migrant pupils and scientists across Europe.

As we start a new school year, it is time to look back at what we achieved in 2018/2019. Our annual report is ready!

One of the main aims we defined for Native Scientist one year ago was to find efficient ways of measuring the impact of our work. We have since then established a partnership with researchers at the University of Tübingen, Germany, who are conducting a study to evaluate how the Native Schools workshops impact pupils’ attitude towards science and heritage language. We are very much looking forward to these results!

We published an article in the journal of the Irish Association for Applied Linguistics, Teanga, focusing on the success of the Native Schools workshops in Ireland, our fastest growing country: workshops were implemented in two cities and in three different languages in only five months!

Meanwhile, our Native Schools programme across Europe surpassed 200 workshops and reached the 8th European country, Portugal. We also expanded the project to new cities, such as Bordeaux (France) and Heidelberg (Germany), and we trained 54 new mentors. Check out the experiences of some of them in our YouTube channel.

We ran a new project aimed at breaking stereotypes about scientists, involving German-speaking students across Europe. To find out more about “Scientists are human too”, click here.

Our achievements continue to be recognised: this year we received a grant from the Royal Society of Biology and were “Highly Commended” at the prestigious STEM Inspiration Awards. All we have accomplished would not have been possible without the precious support of our scientists and our partners, among which we now count with the Marie Curie Alumni Association and Cell Explorers.

In the year to come, Native Scientist will be focusing on increasing process automation to support its core team and ensure the continuous growth of its current and future projects.

For more information about our achievements during 2018/2019, please consult our annual report here.

The Native Scientist project “Wissenschaftler sind auch nur Menschen”, translated to English as “Scientists are human too”, was a success. This was another pioneering project of Native Scientist, developed and delivered in partnership with the Goethe-Institut London.

“Scientists are human too” was a project that took place in the school year of 2018/2019 and which involved scientists and students from various countries. At the start of the project, Native Scientist invited six German scientists living in different European countries to write a story about themselves and their careers. These biographic stories were then included in six booklets, where a step-by-step experiment was added, to be carried out by school students. The booklets were used by science teachers and German teachers in collaboration, to promote the integrated learning of language and science. At the end of the process, the results of the experiments performed by the students were presented to the scientists who wrote the stories and experiments of the booklets. This was a great opportunity for pupils to learn more about science and the life of a scientist.

A total of 202 students, aged 13-19 years old, from seven different European countries participated in the project and reported a positive impact and a better understanding of science and of the work of scientists. One of the students said: “It was fun and we should do something like this again.” Another one added: “It was extremely interesting and very enjoyable.”

Teachers also valued the experience: “Great project to involve the students in modern, up to date science and to open their eyes to studying abroad“. Our scientists rated the project as a very good experience: “Projects like this are very important to help young people to understand science more effectively.” A full report of the project is available here.

Kerstin Beer, coordinator of the project commented: “I can say that I’m thrilled to have been part of this impressive project as coordinator and editor. I would like to thank Native Scientist and the Goethe-Instituts in Northern Europe, especially the Goethe-Institut London, as well as all pupils and teachers. Many thanks also to our scientists Henning Kirschenmann, Ingo Mueller-Wodarg, Katja Spiess, Stephanie Zihms, Matthias Kremer and Viola Nähse.”

Joana Moscoso and Tatiana Correia, founders of Native Scientist added: “To be able to work together with cultural institutions like Goethe-Institut and socially-conscious researchers is one of the best parts of our work. To develop and deliver projects like this one fills us with joy and we are certain that we can only achieve lasting and sustainable impact by fostering partnerships like this.”

The booklets produced for this project are now available online and can be accessed by anyone wishing to promote science in German. If you use these resources at home or at school, feel free to get in touch with us by emailing Kerstin Beer at kerstin.beer@nativescientist.com.

About Native Scientist

Native Scientist is an award-winning European-wide non-profit organisation that promotes cultural diversity in science, education and society. Native Scientist provides science and language workshops, science communication training, and bespoke projects for various institutions, including schools, universities and embassies. The work developed connects pupils with scientists to foster science and language literacy through role modelling and science and language integrated learning. Founded in 2013, their work reaches over 1,200 pupils a year and they count with a network of over 1,000 international scientists.

Materials science, interculturality, luminescence and importance of water were the topics of the first Polish Native Schools workshop at the Saturday Polish school in Lisbon, run by Associação Sócio Cultural "Polónia".

Eleven Polish-speaking children aged between 5 and 10 years old joined the workshop on the 11th of May and were fascinated with everything they learned and experienced!

The initiative was led by Dr Olga Kaczerewska from CICECO – Aveiro Institute of Materials, University of Aveiro, Portugal, who is also a Native Scientist Coordinator for Polish in Portugal.

A group of four researchers from Poland, working in Portugal, met in Lisbon to share with the children what is to be a scientist and to celebrate their bilingualism. Pupils explored different topics. The scientists introduced them to interculturality and its importance among children; helped them to understand the complex phenomena of luminescence, using objects from everyday life; taught them about different materials and their applications; and explained how fish survive during winter and how pollution impacts life in the oceans.

Olga, the coordinator, said: “The workshop exceeded my expectation. It was the first Native Schools workshop in Portugal and also my debut as a coordinator. Smiles on pupils’ faces, willingness to take part in each activity and pride when receiving certificates were the best proof of the huge success of the workshop. Parents were equally happy and already asked for a second one to be organized.”

Matilde Gonçalves, assistant professor and linguistics researcher at Universidade Nova de Lisboa, coordinator of the scientific literacy programme, was also present at the workshop and commented: “I had the privilege to attend the workshop organised by Native Scientist, in which I could observe the impact of the project. In their workshops, science gains weight with the explanations and demonstrations from the scientists, and with the pupils who meet real-world scientists and learn how they can understand and follow their steps. All in all, the project is fantastic not only for its scientific component but also (and foremost) for its human component.”

All pupils enjoyed the meeting with the researchers and two of them already want to be scientists in the future. To see the photos of this workshop, please follow this link.

Native Scientist is an award-winning European-wide non-profit organisation that promotes cultural diversity in science, education and society. Native Scientist provides science and language workshops, science communication training, and bespoke projects for various institutions, including schools, universities and embassies. The work developed connects pupils with scientists to foster science and language literacy through role modelling and science and language integrated learning. Founded in 2013, their work reaches over 1,200 pupils a year and they count with a network of over 1,000 international scientists.

After six years, seven countries and ten languages, Native Scientist has now organized its 200th Native School workshop.

Native Scientist was founded in England, in 2013, with the aim of promoting cultural diversity in science, education and society, through a range of different projects (for more details about Native Scientist´s projects, please see here).

One of those projects, Native Schools, is the pioneer project of Native Scientist, which has grown and expanded to different European countries: Ireland, Scotland, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Norway and more recently Portugal.

The Native Schools project takes scientists to schools to talk about science with the pupils. One of the key features that distinguishes Native Schools from most of the other science outreach projects is that scientists and children speak in a common foreign language during the activities. For example, if the pupils come from a Polish background, Native Schools would take Polish speaking scientists to schools to talk to these children about science in their heritage language. This promotes scientific literacy as well as the development of language skills. It also provides the children with role models they can identify with and look up to. Native Schools are currently organised in ten different languages and a European network of over 1,000 scientists volunteer to participate in the workshops.

Reaching the organisation of the 200th Native School workshop is a great honour for Native Scientist and a great moment to thank all the scientists and coordinators of Native Schools spread all over Europe. Up to now, the Native Schools project has reached over 5000 pupils in seven countries. Without the work and passion of our volunteers, all these children could not have had access to the fascinating world of science.

Dr Sarah Berthaud, our Native Schools coordinator for French in Galway and the organiser of the workshop number 200 said: “Native Scientist is a very innovative initiative that allows children to discover science using their language skills in a fun environment. The feedback we get from scientists, children, and parents is always extremely positive! It is hugely rewarding to see children having so much fun during the workshops. I am really happy to contribute to the promotion of language and science by working with Native Scientist.”

Joana Moscoso and Tatiana Correia, founders of Native Scientist, commented: “our hearts are filled with joy and a sense of fulfillment for the journey we’ve made so far and we can only be thankful to our network of volunteers and supporters for their generosity, commitment and energy. ”

Native Scientist is an award-winning European-wide non-profit organisation that promotes cultural diversity in science, education and society. Native Scientist provides science and language workshops, science communication training, and bespoke projects for various institutions, including schools, universities and embassies. The work developed connects pupils with scientists to foster science and language literacy through role modelling and science and language integrated learning. Founded in 2013, their work reaches over 1,200 pupils a year and they count with a network of over 1,000 international scientists.

Eighty migrant children living in London will participate in a new series of science outreach Native Explorers events at the Centre for Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine, King’s College London.

Last summer, the Centre for Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine (CSCRM) piloted four Native Explorers events under the leadership of Dr Inês Sequeira and in collaboration with Native Scientist. Ten Portuguese speaking pupils, aged 8-12 years old, participated in each event and visited the Centre to explore topics such as: skin regeneration, embryo development and DNA. A wide range of practical and hands-on activities were carried out with the guidance of scientists who spoke about the different scientific concepts in the children's heritage language.

The Native Explorers programme was designed to encourage students to have a positive attitude towards science and multilingualism. Impact evaluation of the pilot project carried out last year in June and in collaboration with experts from the University of Tübingen, showed that 80% of the pupils visited a research institute for the first time in their lives, and that there was a significant increase in the pupils interest for science and language after attending the Native Explorers’ events.

Following the success of the Native Explorers’ events, Inês Tomás, CSCRM Research Assistant and PhD student, was awarded the Language Acts and Worldmaking Small Grantto launch a new Native Explorers series entitled “Discovering Our Cells”. Inês Tomás commented that: “I am very excited to be able to engage with young children from ethnic minorities and share my passion for Science. With Native Scientist’s support, we will develop more interactive activities and practical experiments to inspire 40 Portuguese and 40 French heritage speaking students to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths), multilingualism and higher education”.

CSCRM director, Professor Fiona Watt, said “I am really pleased that we will be hosting another Native Explorers series at the CSCRM at King’s College London. We’re very fortunate to have such multilingual researchers at the Centre, and harnessing that tool to engage children with science in their mother tongue is fantastic.”

Joana Moscoso and Tatiana Correia, founders of Native Scientist commented: “It’s inspiring to see how Native Explorers drive scientists to deliver high quality science outreach activities that have real impact and are developed based on tested principles and in collaboration with multiple external partners.”

Native Scientist is an award-winning European-wide non-profit organisation that promotes cultural diversity in science, education and society. Native Scientist provides science and language workshops, science communication training, and bespoke projects for various institutions, including schools, universities and embassies. The work developed connects pupils with scientists to foster science and language literacy through role modelling and science and language integrated learning. Founded in 2013, their work reaches over 1,200 pupils a year and they count with a network of over 1,000 international scientists.

Last October, Native Scientist entered a new partnership with the University of Tübingen. By working with Tübingen’s renowned Hector Research Institute of Education Sciences and Psychology and the LEAD Graduate School and Research Network, Native Scientist will be able to evaluate and improve their innovative STEM+LANG outreach and enrichment programmes.

Native Scientist is now pleased to announce that it has been awarded a competitive grant from Tübingen’s Exploration Fund, which supports innovative and interdisciplinary research projects.

The Exploration Fund will provide financial support to evaluate how the Native Scientist workshops impact pupils’ attitude towards science and their heritage languages and the scientists’ motivation and perception towards their own work. The research will be conducted in collaboration with leading psychologists and linguists from the University of Tübingen. Over 200 migrant pupils, aged 6-14 years old, and 40 scientists participating in workshops delivered mainly in Germany and the UK, will be tested. The initial focus will be on Portuguese as a heritage language, with the possibility of expanding to Spanish, German, French and Italian migrant children.

Joana Moscoso and Tatiana Correia, founders and directors of Native Scientist, said: “Measuring and tracking the impact of our work has been a priority since day one, and we are thrilled that we will be able to do so in collaboration with leading scientists at Tübingen. We are very thankful to the University of Tübingen for their openness in embracing this project.”

Professor Patrick Rebuschat, Distinguished International Professor at Tübingen’s LEAD Graduate School and Research Network, who is a collaborator in the project and led the application to the Exploration Fund, added: “This is a wonderful opportunity for a first systematic study of the impact of the Native Scientist workshops on both pupils and scientists. We can use this important data to further improve the quality of the workshops and to prepare future large-scale studies.”

Professor Ulrich Trautwein, Director of the Hector Institute of Education Sciences and Psychology and of the LEAD Graduate School and Research Network, and Dr Julia Schiefer, who are collaborators in the project, commented: “it’s a great starting point to get the evaluation of this concept of science plus language workshops a step forward.”

Native Scientist is an award-winning European-wide non-profit organisation that promotes cultural diversity in science, education and society. Native Scientist provides science and language workshops, science communication training, and bespoke projects for various institutions, including schools, universities and embassies. The work developed connects pupils with scientists to foster science and language literacy through role modelling and science and language integrated learning. Founded in 2013, their work reaches over 1,200 pupils a year and they count with a network of over 1,000 international scientists.

For more information, please email Joana (joana.moscoso@nativescientist.com).

In the photo, from left to right: Prof Patrick Rebuschat, Native Scientist R&D Advisor, LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of Tübingen; Prof Jessika Golle, Hector Research Institute of Education Sciences and Psychology, University of Tübingen; Dr Joana Moscoso, Co-founder and Director of Native Scientist; Dr Julia Schiefer, Hector Institute of Education Sciences and Psychology, University of Tübingen; Prof Ulrich Trautwein, Director of Hector Institute of Education Sciences and Psychology and of the LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of Tübingen.

Pupils in Edinburgh will immerse in an adventure on the origin of life on Earth and the search for life in the universe thanks to a grant awarded by the Royal Society of Biology (RSB), through its Outreach and Engagement grant scheme.

“Living in the Extreme” is a dedicated Edinburgh programme which intends to explore different biological concepts enclosed in the astrobiology field, a relatively new research area that brings together scientists from different fields. It explores the origin, evolution, and distribution of life on Earth and throughout the Universe. The programme is designed to capture pupils’ attention to biology, highlighting the cooperative effort between different scientific fields to understand how life works. Pupils will first meet scientists at their Saturday school, Lusofonias, and will then be taken on a tour to the National Museum of Scotland.

Native Scientists will support the organisation of these two events, which will be led by Lara Alegre and Dr. Ana Catarino, from the Edinburgh University and the Heriot-Watt University, respectively. Ana, an RSB member and Native Scientist project manager, says “these activities will encourage young pupils to think about life in a holistic and interdisciplinary manner and help them understand the collaborative nature of STEM sciences. It will also strengthen their curiosity while promoting the connection to their heritage language”.

Joana Moscoso and Tatiana Correia, founders of Native Scientist mentioned that “the RSB grant will enable the organisation of an original set of events that will deepen the impact of our science in society”.

The Royal Society of Biology (www.rsb.org.uk) is a professional body for bioscientists – providing a single unified voice for biology: advising Government and influencing policy; advancing education and professional development; supporting their members, and engaging and encouraging public interest in the life sciences.

The Outreach and Engagement grant scheme (www.rsb.org.uk/outreach-grants) is an initiative that allows members of the Royal Society of Biology to apply for up to £500 to fund an event or activity in their local area that engages people with biology.

Dr Ana I. Catarino is a NERC Research Associate at the Institute of Life and Earth Sciences at the Heriot-Watt University, UK. Ana has coordinated Native Scientist events in Scotland since 2014. She loves mountain hiking and is fluent in four languages. Ana tweets @Zebrazuli.

Lara is a PhD candidate at the Royal Observatory Edinburgh and she has been involved in outreach and science communication activities since 2010. She has been responsible for a series of activities that bring biology and astronomy together, which include searching for life in the Universe, the origin of life on Earth, exoplanets, habitable zones and life in extreme environments.

Native Scientist is a non-profit organisation based in the UK that develops and implements projects aimed at promoting science and language literacy among migrants and through role model interaction. Founded in 2013, it reaches over 1000 pupils a year and counts with a network of 800+ international scientists in Europe.

For more information on the upcoming events please contact Native Scientist at lara.alegre@nativescientist.com and anai.catarino@nativescientist.com.

Reading time: 6 min | Difficulty: easy

Marie Curie valued her Polish heritage, never ceasing to use her own surname (Skłodowska), teaching Polish to her two daughters and contributing to the advancement of science in Poland.

Maria Skłodowska, or Marie Curie, was an inescapable choice for the first post of this series, which aims at discovering the Native Scientist side of famous scientists. Born and raised in Warsaw and naturalised in France, Marie Curie was a successful multilingual and multicultural scientist and humanitarian, contributing to both her adopted and native nation. Often, during my PhD at the institute that she co-founded and directed, I would sit in the small Curie garden with Marie’s and Pierre’s busts, imagining how it would have been hundred years before when she was working there. We tend to romanticise the past, but Marie’s story was not devoid of the struggle to find funding for her research and fighting for a place in a country foreign to her.

Photo credit: Sacha Lenormand/Musée Curie

Number one in a male-dominated community

Marie Skłodowska Curie was the first woman to be awarded a Nobel Prize; the first person to be awarded two Nobel Prizes (Physics, 1903; Chemistry, 1911); the first female Professor at Sorbonne University; the first woman to direct a laboratory in France. Throughout her life, Marie would remain very isolated in a male-dominated community. This is well illustrated by a photo from the 5th Solvay Congress in 1927, in which Marie appears next to Einstein, Planck, Bohr, Schrodinger – she was the only woman there, and remained so for many years while attending this conference on Physics and Chemistry. In her laboratory, however, Marie welcomed several generations of female scientists. Nearly a century later, women are still unequally represented in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths). Yet, Marie lives in the public imagination as one of the most famous and successful scientists that ever lived, and she remains a beacon of inspiration for both men and women around the world.

Standing up for herself

I came across the life story of Marie Curie at three different moments: in a temporary exhibition dedicated to her in Stockholm, at a guided visit before the opening of the renovated Musée Curie in Paris, and in a book of letters exchanged between Marie and her daughters. I was pleased to see the human behind the scientist, and surprised to realise that her success and prominence did not prevent her from facing sexism and xenophobia during her career. Marie was never elected to the French Academy of Sciences, in part due to the fact of being a woman and having foreign origins. She was also denied a place at Kraków University because of her gender, and was prevented from speaking at the Royal Institution in London when invited with Pierre to give a speech on their work about radioactivity.

The circumstances around her two Nobel Prizes also illustrate the difficulties of being a woman in science at her time. For the first prize, Marie was initially left out of the nomination (which included Pierre Curie and Henri Becquerel for work on radioactivity); Marie was only properly acknowledged for her work after Pierre was alerted to the situation by a member of the Nobel committee and complained. As one of Marie’s biographers wrote: “The idea was her own; no one helped her formulate it, and although she took it to her husband for his opinion, she clearly established her ownership of it. She later recorded the fact twice in her biography of her husband to ensure there was no chance whatever of any ambiguity. It [is] likely that already at this early stage of her career [she] realized that (...) many scientists would find it difficult to believe that a woman could be capable of the original work in which she was involved.” [1]. The second Nobel Prize, in Chemistry, was awarded to Marie alone. However, at the time, Marie’s love life was involved in a media-covered and fuelled scandal, and due to this, she was advised by Stockholm not to come to accept the award. Marie replied defiantly: “The action you advise would appear to be a grave error on my part. In fact the prize has been awarded for the discovery of radium and polonium. I believe there is no connection between my scientific work and the facts of my private life” [2] – and she travelled to Stockholm.

Research with technological, health and social impact

Maybe less known to the general public is that Marie Skłodowska Curie had an active role in helping wounded soldiers during World War I, an initiative that elevated radiology and later radiotherapy as biomedical fields. The war broke at the time when Marie was embracing the newly founded Institut du Radium in Paris (nowadays, Institut Curie), which she propelled and directed. Marie quickly realised that the wounded would benefit from radiology and surgery assistance in the front lines, so together with the Red Cross and Antoine Béclère, a pioneer of radiology and radiotherapy in France, Marie conceived a fleet of “radiological ambulances” – later known as “petites Curies” – that were equipped with X-ray devices. Marie sometimes drove one of those ambulances herself, and her daughter Irène – also a scientist and a Nobel Prize winner – joined her in these efforts. Meanwhile, their research activities had to be interrupted, and Marie temporarily transformed the institute in a school, training young women to assist with radiology in hospitals during the war. She became the director of the Red Cross Radiology service and set up France’s first military radiology centre [3]; more than a million soldiers were treated with her radiological units [3,4].

Tributes to her homeland

Marie never returned to Poland, where access to university positions remained blocked to women. Nevertheless, Marie regularly donated resources to research laboratories in Warsaw, where she also founded an Institut du Radium (current Centrum Onkologii – Instytut im. Marii Skłodowskiej-Curie). She valued her Polish heritage, having never ceased to use her own surname (Skłodowska) and insisting on teaching Polish to her daughters. In homage to her nation, one of the chemical elements that she discovered together with Pierre was named “polonium”.

I believe that Marie would have joined Native Scientist in celebrating diversity – in science, in culture, in language, in education; Marie was actually one of the few members of the predecessor organization to UNESCO. I wish that her legacy will continue inspiring us to become better scientists and better humans. What about you? Who would you choose as your favourite “Famous Native Scientist”?

References

Robert William Reid (1978). Marie Curie. New American Library.Naomi Pasachoff (1996). Marie Curie and the Science of Radioactivity. Oxford University Press.Tadeusz Estreicher (1938). Curie, Maria ze Skłodowskich. Polski słownik biograficzny.

About the author: Rafael Galupa

Rafael finished his PhD at the Institut Curie last year, and is now a postdoctoral fellow at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, in Heidelberg. He is genetically engineering flies to understand the complex networks of genes that govern embryonic development. When not in the lab, Rafael is happy being with family and friends, with a book or amid wildlife - all the better if all combined.

Native Scientist and Marie Curie Alumni Association have established a partnership to promote science communication and outreach.

Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA) is a network of over 11 000 global researchers, who are or have been involved in research projects that were funded by the prestigious European Commission´s Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. The communication of science is of paramount importance to the European Commission and the MCAA and this partnership will help promote quality science outreach among the MCAA network of researchers.

Matthew DiFranco and Valentina Ferro, Chair and Vice-chair of the executive committee of the Alumni Association said that: “MCAA shares Native Scientists’ vision of an interconnected, multicultural, informed and equal future. We promote Science and Language communication within our network, as we aim at bridging the gap between science and society. We are proud to partner together to enlarge the audience of our messages and inspire more people - educators, scientists and STEM+LANG communicators - to take actions to advance our society.”

Joana Moscoso, co-founder of Native Scientists pointed out that “in five years of Native Scientist activity, we have worked with over 50 scientists who benefited from funding coming through the funding programmes of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. To partner up with the Alumni Association not only makes sense given the international character of their members, but also reinforces the importance of science communication to the general public, providing scientists with a richer range of opportunities to excel in their research and train transferable skills.”

MCAA

Marie Curie Alumni Association, established in 2012 and supported by the European Commission, is a thriving organisation of 11000+ members spread across five continents. With both geographical chapters and thematic working groups, MCAA members benefit from networking and training events all around the world about the most diverse topics, from Policy over Communication to Science and Business. Membership is free of charge and open to anyone who has been (or is currently) involved in a Marie Curie EU-funded research project.

Native Scientist

Native Scientist is a non-profit organisation based in the UK that develops and implements projects aimed at promoting science and language literacy among migrants and through role model interaction. Founded in 2013, it reaches over 1000 pupils a year and counts with a network of 800+ international scientists in Europe.

Four scientists shared with us theirs paths and motivations to do science and their advice to those who are educating the future generations.

In a project supported by the Spanish Embassy in the UK, four spanish scientists working in London in different research fields were interviewed and filmed by Native Scientist. They talked about their careers, what motivated them to become scientists and how future generations should be educated for science. The interviews were done after the scientists participated in a Native Scientist workshop for Spanish pupils who attend English schools. As usual, this workshop had a speed-dating format where students interacted with real-world scientists. You can learn more about it here.

Today, we launch four 3-minute videos about the researchers who participated in this project. The goal? To transmit the passion and journey of these researchers to a wider audience, so that more people benefit and understand the work we do.

All videos can be watched in our Youtube channel following the links below:

Native Scientist would like to thank Carlos Bricio, who gathered the audiovisual material and produced the videos, and the Society of Spanish Researchers in the UK (SRUK), for their partnership in this project.

On the 20th of October 2018, the Embassy of Spain hosted a Native Scientist workshop where children aged 5 to 12 had the opportunity to talk to Spanish researchers in London.

Miguel Oliveros Torres, Minister Counsellor for Cultural & Scientific Affairs at the Embassy of Spain told us that “after spending a Saturday morning at the Embassy in the delightful company of four Spanish researchers, parents said that their kids repeated all weekend ‘When are we going back to that science class, Dad?’, ‘I enjoyed a lot, it was so much fun’, ‘I want to do that when I grow old, Mom!’. The scientists used their valuable time to teach junior students the basic concepts of science and it was a deeply rewarding activity for this Embassy to give the chance to Spanish kids at English schools to learn in their own language some practical and magical notions of science.”

Maite, Fran, Magda and Diego were the stars of the workshop. With different science-related background and envisioning different careers, they talked about the science that exists behind technology, the biology behind certain illnesses, and the engineering behind innovation. With this project, you will also have the chance to meet the four scientists! At the end of the workshop, we interviewed the scientists and captured in video their essence and journey. This way, we can transport some of the value of the workshops from the confined walls of its venue into the digital world, therefore reaching a wider audience. The videos will be released on the 26th of January.

Tatiana Correia, co-founder and director of Native Scientist said that “for us this workshop shows not only the huge interest from the Spanish community in London in our "science plus language" methodology, but also that is possible to reach more people by partnering with the Spanish Embassy."

The workshop was coordinated by the Native Scientists Patricia Bernal and María José Martinez and had the strategic support of the Society of Spanish Researchers in the UK (SRUK). To the community of scientists who participate in Native Scientist activities, Miguel adds a thank you note “for the dedication and ability to communicate science to young children and awake in them their inner little researcher.”

A report summarising the results of the launch of Native School workshops in Ireland was published in the journal of the Irish Association for Applied Linguistics (IRAAL), Teanga.

Ireland is the country where the programme Native Schools has progressed the fastest. In only five months, our school workshops were implemented in two cities (Cork and Dublin) and three languages (Portuguese, Spanish and Italian). This contrasts with other countries, where Native School workshops took one to two years to reach different cities and languages.

Vital to the fast expansion in Ireland was the sup "STEM-ready" and "multiculturalism-ready", reflecting the commitment that Ireland has in the promotion of STEM education and heritage languages among scientists.

Seventy-five children and seventeen scientists participated in these workshops. The report of these activities is now published in the Teanga journal, summarizing the impact of Native Schools in Ireland and setting the scene for future workshops. The full report can be read here.

Joana Moscoso and Taiana Correia, founders and directors of Native Scientist say: “To have our work published in a journal dedicated to general and applied linguistics is a milestone in the history of Native Scientist and a stepping stone for further developments and collaborations.”

Teanga

Teanga belongs to the Irish Association for Applied Linguistics and covers the topics of Second Language Acquisition, First Language Acquisition, Pragmatics, Bilingualism, Language Policy, Multimedia Language Learning, and Immersion Education.

Native Scientist

Native Scientist is a non-profit organisation based in the UK that develops and implements projects aimed at promoting science and language literacy among migrants students. Founded in 2013, it reaches over 1000 pupils a year and counts with a network of 800+ international scientists in Europe.

Native Scientist has teamed up with Cell EXPLORERS to increase the reach and engagement with local communities in Galway, Ireland.

The Ireland-wide Cell EXPLORERS science outreach programme shares a common goal with Native Scientist: engaging the general public in science, with a special focus on children, and training scientists and students to communicate science to lay audiences. This common vision has brought the two organizations into a partnership that will be kicking off with the sponsorship of the French Embassy in Dublin and which will bring to life the Native Schools programme for the local French-speaking community.

Muriel Grenon, founding director of Cell EXPLORERS said: “Our programme has an interest in stimulating the love of science in younger children. Galway is a multicultural city and to reach bilingual children with engaging and exciting hands-on science in their native language makes total sense to us. The scientific population based at NUIGalway and GMIT is diverse and we are very excited to be able to offer French speaking scientists the opportunity to be involved in Native Scientist. We will consider expanding the workshops to other languages should there be interest in the scientific population based in Galway.”

Joana Moscoso, one of Native Scientist co-founders said: “This partnership will help implement the Native Scientist project in Galway, ensuring that both parties increase their reach and engagement with the local communities. It is an example of how two well-defined outreach projects can come together to enable STEM knowledge and careers. With the collaboration of our local coordinator, Sarah Berthaud, a researcher in the field of language acquisition and bilingualism, and with the support of the French Embassy in Ireland, we are very much looking forward to see this partnership flourish.”

Cell EXPLORERS is a science education and outreach programme based in the School of Natural Sciences in the National University of Ireland Galway. Their programme runs on a sustainable model where staff and students, on a voluntary basis or as part of their degree, are involved in public engagement. The goal is to promote hands-on discovery of molecular biology and demystify stereotypical perception of science and scientists. The programme, funded by NUIGalway and Science Foundation Ireland, includes a network of 10 partner teams of undergraduate students based in Irish Higher Education Institutions across Ireland.

Native Scientist is an award-winning Europe-wide non-profit organisation that develops and implements outreach and enrichment projects aimed at promoting science and language literacy. Founded in 2013, it reaches over 1000 pupils a year and counts with a network of 800+ international scientists.

Every year, the Native Scientist Awards recognise the creativity of pupils that participate in our school workshops.

Launched in 2014/2015, the Native Awards have been a huge success, with an increasing number of pupils submitting their work for our evaluation. Before each Native Scientist workshop, pupils are given a worksheet where we asked them to draw what a scientist is for them and to imagine and write a sentence of what they would do if they were a scientist. At the end of each school year, Native Scientist shortlists five entries for the “Best Sentence” category and five entries for the “Best Drawing” category. Then, our team of 20-30 collaborators votes for the favourite entries and the two entries with more votes for each category win the award.

This year, Linda, 10 years old, who participated in a Portuguese workshop in the Netherlands won the “Best Sentence” Award.

Linda captured very well one of the missions that scientists have, which is to solve some of the biggest problems that humanity faces, like famine. Linda told us that she loves babies and wants to work as a nurse in maternity care when she grows up.

The “Best Drawing” belongs to Gabriela, 11 years old, who participated in a Spanish workshop in the UK. Gabriela found the workshop “very interesting, learning how science can change people’s lives for the better, and discovering more on how to change the world.” When she grows up, she wants to be a bioengineer and work with stem cells.

In her drawing, Gabriela shows how scientists do not work in isolation, as often thought! They work in close collaboration with their colleagues to share their ideas and always keep an open mind.

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Linda's sentence picks up on a long-standing concept, the time machine, and adds a humanitarian dimension to it, reminding us of the true essence of science.

Gabriela's drawing depicts scientists and the different fields of science with the precision and vocabulary of a true expert. When you dive into the details of the drawing, it feels like she is a scientist already and it's impossible not to reflect on the attributes of scientists, as innovators and sharers of knowledge.

Native Scientist is a non-profit organisation based in the UK that develops and implements projects aimed at promoting science and language literacy among migrants and through role model interaction. Founded in 2013, it reaches over 1000 pupils a year and counts with a network of 800+ international scientists in Europe. You can see here the winners of the 2016 and 2017editions of the Native Awards.

Native Scientist was in Lambeth to participate in the celebrations of St. Martin's Day, organised by the Lambeth Portuguese Wellbeing Partnership, at Wyvil Primary School, on the 10th of November.

We decided to have a break from the order and quietness of a classroom and headed to the heart of the Portuguese community in London, Lambeth, to celebrate St. Martin’s Day. In Portugal, St. Martin's Day is celebrated around a fire eating roasted chestnuts and drinking the new wine. The Lambeth Portuguese Wellbeing Partnership provided the chestnuts and Native Scientist provided the fun with a scientific lotto game.

Teams of children and parents were formed and lotto cards were distributed among them. Children picked numbered balls out of a bag. Each number corresponded to a fun question about our bodies: Some superheroes, like the Hulk and the cookie monster, were also present to help us teach the children about the health and wellbeing of their bodies, in Portuguese.

Voices were raised, trying to guess the answers to our questions. Some of the children were surprised when discovering interesting science facts. For example, that viruses do not only exist in computers, there are also virus responsible for some diseases, like the flu, or that cancer does not start with a sick cell, it starts with a cell that divides uncontrollably.

There were three winners, with full cards, who received fun fluorescent planets and stars to stick to their bedroom walls. Native Scientist had great fun eating chestnuts and inspiring children and parents to think science!

Vikesh Sharma, founder of the Lambeth Portuguese Wellbeing Partnership & local GP said that: “As a network of health and wellbeing providers we are passionate in finding new ways to engage the community and empower individuals so that they can lead happier healthier lives. It was amazing to have so many passionate partners engaging with the local community and providing support and education in a fun way that brought people together. The Native Scientist lotto was a great example of this. The need to inspire children and broaden their horizons is a theme that has been repeated strongly in our work with the community. It can have so many positive effects not only for the child but also for the household they live in. We are really privileged therefore to have Native Scientist as our partner!”

Sara Marques, training manager at Native Scientist commented that: “It was really interesting to develop a scientific activity for bilingual families to be delivered by scientists at a community event. It was a great setting to celebrate science and language and to reach out to a wider audience.”

The Lambeth Portuguese Wellbeing Partnership is a network made up of over 40 local groups and community members. They combine knowledge, passion, resources and skills to improve the health and wellbeing of the Portuguese speaking community in Lambeth.

Native Scientist is a non-profit organisation based in the UK that develops and implements projects aimed at promoting science and language literacy among migrants and through role model interaction. Founded in 2013, it reaches over 1000 pupils a year and counts with a network of 800+ international scientists in Europe.

Native Scientist workshops were “Highly Commended” in the category of Inspirational STEM Engagement Project Award at the prestigious STEM Inspiration Awards, celebrated at the House of Lords.

These awards recognise individuals and organisations working to inspire young people in STEM subjects across the UK and are organised by STEM Learning – the largest provider of STEM education and careers support to schools, colleges and other groups working with young people across the UK.

Judges said: “We were impressed by how the Native Scientist Project helped to improve children's knowledge, remove barriers to participation and engage under-represented groups of students in STEM careers.”

Yvonne Baker, Chief Executive of STEM Learning said: “These people and organisations provide the much needed spark that ignites young people’s enthusiasm for STEM. All our winners have excelled in their fields and I am delighted that we can recognise and celebrate their expertise and passion.”

When receiving the award, Susana Irving, Community Advisor for Native Scientist mentioned: “Such a joy to have received this accolade on behalf of Native Scientist and all the volunteers (Scientists, Academics and Teachers), who devote their time and enthusiasm to inspire children, many of which are from minority backgrounds. Native Scientist is still a small not-for-profit enterprise and to see our work recognised and validated alongside “giants” like Airbus or the centenary RAF... Well, that means a lot!” Ana Faro, Project Manager for Portuguese in England, added that “it was a great honour to represent Native Scientist in the STEM Inspiration Awards Ceremony 2018. Being surrounded by so many like-minded people, that share a great passion and commitment for science education and outreach, made me feel that our efforts are part of a much greater, hopeful picture. I felt particularly happy and proud to be part of a project that celebrates multiculturalism and multilingualism at a time where these values are being challenged.”

Native Scientist was founded in London by two female researchers coming from rural Portugal where access to science was low or non-existent. To mitigate the problem of low science exposure and lack of role models in certain communities, they created an innovative concept of STEM+LANG workshops for migrant pupils that is based on science and language integrated learning and role model education. Every year, 1000 pupils and 150 researchers participate in the Native Scientist workshops, which aim to encourage migrant pupils to consider higher education and STEM careers. Importantly, Native Scientist differs from other outreach or enrichment programmes that take scientists to schools like STEM Ambassadors because (1) it promotes both science and language literacy, and (2) it works with heritage language teachers, reaching pupils living in poverty with low aspirations and few connections in the science world.

STEM Learning is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising young people’s engagement and achievement in STEM, increasing the numbers progressing in STEM studies and STEM-related careers. They are the largest provider of STEM education and careers support to schools, colleges and community groups working with young people across the UK and engaging with every secondary school in the UK.

Reading time: 3 min | Difficulty: easy

From “the road to extinction…” To “the road to nowhere…” These are the sentences you can find in the first and last pages of my PhD thesis. Studying for a PhD can be a very challenging and demanding task, and, for me, it was also a time for extinction. It was a time to realise that, regardless of my passion for science, a career as a scientist was not for me. Consequently, a lot of troubling questions were popping up in my head - “What do I want to do next? What am I actually capable of doing?” It was surprisingly difficult to find the answers to these questions. I had spent most of my time in academia, searching for answers to scientific questions. Yet, there I was, on the road to nowhere, unable to answer my questions about the future.

Then, one day, an idea came to my mind and “Eureka!” Everything was crystal clear. I thought “Why don’t I use the skills acquired during my PhD to answer my questions?” It felt familiar, and it did not require any special equipment. All I had to do was to use the scientific process. I had my questions and a list of hypothetical career paths that I needed to test. Volunteering appeared as a solution for testing the different options, and this is how, a few months later, I found myself pivoting my career from scientific research to science education, exchanging the laboratory for the classroom, the pipette for the chalk. At that time, I was living in Switzerland, so I reached out to Instituto Camões, an organisation of the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs that promotes my culture and language abroad by coordinating, among other initiatives, an educational programme for children that speak Portuguese as a heritage language. After a few discussions, we thought that bringing inquiry-based learning methodologies and experimentation to the classroom was something I could do in collaboration with the language teachers, promoting science and language integrated learning and using this a tool to increase student’s motivation and expectations for the future.

Nine very talented and motivated teachers embraced the challenge and together we designed and delivered fun and novel lessons of Portuguese, where students were able to explore basic scientific concepts and learn new vocabulary. For me, this book turned out to be an indispensable tool to try a career path and build a bridge between two worlds: science and language education. What I saw happening was that pupils not only understood the concepts and principles of the scientific process, they also showed more motivation to learn their heritage language and a higher aspiration for the future. In their own words “I loved the class and learned many things that I did not know about”, “I understood that science is cool” and “I would like to be a scientist”. There is no greater feeling than that of a mission accomplished. And this is how from the road to extinction, to the road to nowhere, I now stand on the road to adventure.

About the author: Marta Marialva

Marta has a PhD in evolutionary biology. Her restless temperament, and passion for science and education led her into what she calls a chapter of the “dreams come true” book. Today, she is the co-founder and CEO of GINKGO-kids, a non-profit organization that uses hands-on science activities as a tool to promote critical thinking in young minds. She loves the smell of popcorn, to walk through fallen leaves when seasons change, and everything else that feels like climbing the highest mountain.

A collaboration between Native Scientist and the Goethe-Institut London creates resources for teachers of German to use in the classroom and show that scientists are human too.

When asked about scientists, children and adolescents often describe them as geniuses dressed up in lab coats with glasses, with crazy hair, and working day and night in the lab. A new collaborative project of Native Scientist and the Goethe-Institut London invites adolescents to discover six German scientists and to find out more about their work. What do scientists actually do in the laboratories? How and why did they become a scientist? Do they have a life outside the laboratory?

The project named “Scientists are human too” or “Wissenschaftler sind auch nur Menschen”, in German, tells the story of six German scientists living and working abroad and presents six step-by-step experiments in the fields of biology, geology, physics and engineering for pupils to do. From November 2018 the booklets with these scientists' stories are available for download here. German language teachers from selected schools all over Europe will use them as resources to promote the integrated learning of German and science.

As explained by Dr Kerstin Beer, coordinator of the project, “German language teachers are paired up with science teachers from the same school and during language classes, students discover the story of a scientist and perform the designed experiment. In the end, students will be given the opportunity to present and discuss their results with the real scientist, learning more about the specific science field and the life and career of a scientist.”

“The booklets can be used by teachers to encourage the learning of German, to present role-models and showcase future prospects” says Simone Pfliegel, coordinator in Northwestern Europe for Schools at Goethe-Institut London.

The Goethe-Institut

The Goethe-Institut is the cultural institute of the Federal Republic of Germany with a global reach. It promotes knowledge of the German language abroad and fosters international cultural cooperation. Its cultural and educational programmes encourage intercultural dialogue and enable cultural involvement.

Native Scientist

Native Scientist is a non-profit enterprise based in the UK that develops and implements projects that connect pupils and scientists with the aim to promote science and language literacy. Founded in 2013, it reaches over 1000 pupils a year and counts with a network of 800+ international scientists in Europe.

For more information please contact the coordinator of this project, Kerstin (kerstin.beer@nativescientist.com).

Native Scientist initiates a collaboration with renowned researchers at the University of Tübingen to evaluate the effectiveness of their innovative STEM+LANG outreach and educational programmes.

From day one, our Native Scientist team has been determined to develop educational programmes that have a real, positive impact on pupils and scientists. To this end, the developed science and language activities, usually referred to as STEM+LANG activities, have been regularly assessed by means of feedback surveys and informal interviews after each event. The information collected, together with a “You asked, We did it” attitude, has been paramount for Native Scientist’s progress and success.

Today, we are pleased to announce that Native Scientist is taking its assessment to a new level.

We have started collaborating with leading researchers at the University of Tübingen (Germany) to evaluate the educational programmes in a rigorous and scientific manner. By working with Tübingen’s renowned Hector Research Institute of Education Sciences and Psychology and the LEAD Graduate School and Research Network, we will be able to identify how our workshops impact pupils’ attitude towards science and heritage language. This, in turn, will allow us to further understand and improve our programme, rolling it out with confidence and to the best of our ability.

Dr Joana Moscoso, one of the founders of Native Scientist, says: “Our ambition is not only to deliver great programmes for speakers of heritage languages, but also to understand why our programmes work and how we can further improve them. We are therefore thrilled to be collaborating with the University of Tübingen, which will take our evaluation procedures to the highest level.”

Professor Ulrich Trautwein, Director of the Hector Institute of Education Sciences to Psychology and of the LEAD Graduate School and Research Network, added: “The Native Scientist programme is a highly innovative and ambitious educational intervention that is based on a profound theoretical framework.We are excited to study and, perhaps, add to the effectiveness of the programme by applying rigorous research designs.”

Professor Patrick Rebuschat, Distinguished International Professor at Tübingen’s LEAD Graduate School and Research Network, commented: “This is a wonderful opportunity for all involved. Native Scientist has doneimpressive work over the past six years, motivating thousands of young migrant children throughout Europe to consider a career in STEM. We are thrilled to be joining forces to further improve the effectiveness of their excellent STEM+LANG workshops.”

For more questions, or to get involved, please email our co-founder Joana (joana.moscoso@nativescientist.com).

In the photo, from left to right: Prof Patrick Rebuschat, Native Scientist R&D Advisor, LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of Tübingen; Prof Jessika Golle, Hector Research Institute of Education Sciences and Psychology, University of Tübingen; Dr Joana Moscoso, Co-founder and Director of Native Scientist; Dr Julia Schiefer, Hector Institute of Education Sciences and Psychology, University of Tübingen; Prof Ulrich Trautwein, Director of Hector Institute of Education Sciences and Psychology and of the LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of Tübingen.

Reading time: 3 min | Difficulty: easy

Is the level of philosophical discussion in academia sufficient? In the last year of my BSc degree in Biochemistry, I attended a Philosophy of Science course with Prof. João Maria André, which shed light on the the existence of bias in natural sciences’ research. Before this moment, I had not encountered much debate on this topic. Even today, as a PhD student, I still don’t find this discussion happening in our labs or corridors.

If you are a biologist, chemist or physicist, you probably think this article is not relevant to you because you are within the natural sciences field and therefore, you are studying and observing nature and cannot, in theory, interfere subjectively with your results. You probably even think less of researchers in social sciences because of the subjective nature of their work. However, by thinking like this you may be ignoring or underestimating what late philosopher Reichenbach called context of discovery: the scientific context associated with the formulation of theories. This context of discovery, shared by all of us, is permeable to values. From scientists to science managers or funding agencies, all of our decisions are taken with the unique and subjective lens in which we see life. This naturally affects the context of the scientific activity which consequently cannot be called objective, even for the natural sciences.

Examples of scientific actions that are biased, i.e. influenced by the context in which we carry out our research are described below.

When choosing between several methodologies available to answer the same research question.When certain research areas are funded over others – creating long-term influxes and directionalities that can affect the knowledge we build.When choosing statistical methodologies to evaluate the acceptance or rejection of a certain hypothesis.When doing non-blind analysis of experiments.

We cannot see the world as if we were wearing a blank lens. Our lenses are tinted with our perception of life. Accepting and embracing the fact that for some aspects we are biased can account for a better scientific conduct if we control for them during research. Nonetheless, have you ever thought that perhaps it’s the impossibility of being truly objective what makes science so rich, plural and diverse? With the publish or perish mindset that surrounds us, the pressure to produce knowledge fast, and with the poor mentorship that most receive, I think we may have forgotten about the true nature of being a scientist and I believe that the philosophical aspects of our work are not discussed enough.

We should pause more to discuss the context that surrounds us and that entails our professional activity, which is for many, and for me, more of a passion than a job. Science is often a label of credibility in everyday societal issues. Its power must not be taken in vain by its actors, and therefore the philosophical debate is essential. We carry our values to the bench we work on and we should be aware of it from day one. How ironic is it that many doctors of philosophy (PhDs) ignore these questions, oblivious to what PhD stands for?

I’m calling for more philosophical thought in academia. For scientists who do not try to impersonate a blank slate and are aware that they are part of this complex society, which they are trying to better. After all, science is for the benefit of mankind.

About the author: Mariana Alves

Mariana is a PhD student at EMBL, one of Europe's flagship laboratory for basic research in molecular biology. She is trying to understand how a single cell develops into a complex embryo and organism.

Mariana devotes a lot of her free time to science outreach including radio broadcasting. She has lived previously in Denmark and the UK. Mariana loves traveling, photography and performing arts shows. Mariana dreams of a career where she combines her passion for outreach and her curiosity for scientific mechanisms.

Further reading:

Open access

- Hans Reichenbach (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)

- Publish or Perish (Journal of Research in Medical Sciences)

- How to grow a healthy lab (Nature)

- Scientific credibility (Scientific American)

Non-open access

- Context of discovery and context of justification (Springer)

- Scientific Discovery, Logic and Rationality (Springer)

- Naturalistic Fallacy (Evolutionary Psychology)

- Scientific Honesty (EMBO)

)

- Pure Science and the Problem of Progress (Elsevier)

- Politics and Science (SAGE Journals)

Our and guess what? In 2018 Native Scientist celebrated five years!

Our pioneering project, Native Schools, continued to conquer new lands and new students. The Netherlands and Norway joined us, taking the number of countries where workshops are held up to six! Over 890 pupils and 140 scientists participated in 40 workshops during 2017/2018, confirming the commitment of the scientific community and of teachers and pupils to this fast-growing non-profit project. Last year was also a year of new adventures! We launched the Native Explorers project, which takes students out of schools into laboratories or museums, and the Challenging Assumptions project, which took Native Schools traveling around 8 European countries. Both projects were a success, reaching 85 and 236 pupils, respectively.

In 2017/2018, training of the scientists that work with us was also a priority with 15 webinar sessions being organized.

MIT Technology Review magazine and the European Year of Cultural Heritage both recognized the innovative and impactful work of Native Scientist on promoting STEM subjects and tackling the educational disadvantages faced by migrant pupils. Moreover, Native Scientist has received sponsorship from MathWorks, meaning that we have diversified our revenue stream.

Native Scientist's eyes are now focused on the year ahead. We will continue the work that we have been developing up to now and have set two important milestones: 1) find a sustainable financial model that makes Native Scientist less reliant on short-term grants and 2) find efficient ways of measuring and disseminate the impact of our work.

For more information about Native Scientist´s achievements during 2017/2018 please consult our annual report .

On the 6th of July, six German-speaking scientists came together to explain their work to school students aged 16 to 18 years old. The workshop took place at the German School Max Tau in Oslo.

Scientists talked about how yeasts are used in research, how cells “drink” through a process called macropinocytosis, how the cellular waste removal machinery works, what’s the difference between a normal cell and a cancer cell, and how ticks cause diseases.

“The workshop exceeded everyone’s expectations. All scientists were stunned with the curiosity of the school students, who really engaged in scientific discussions,” says Viola Nähse, coordinator of the workshop. She adds that “My scope for the workshop was to meet school students which were about to leave school for go on to university. I think they felt inspired to become a scientist. When I was at school myself, I would have liked to meet real scientists, but didn’t have the opportunity.”

All participating scientists have a broad experience from living in several countries and speaking several languages. At the beginning of the workshop, the scientists introduced themselves and their career path. “We wanted to show these young adults what they can do with their lives if they are able to speak several languages,” adds Viola. Her goal is to build up a closer relationship to the German school, to give more students the chance to meet real scientists and help them making decisions if they want to pursuit a career in science. As German is often part of the curriculum at Norwegian schools, these workshops can be also held at Norwegian high schools.

Regarding this workshop, our co-founder Joana Moscoso says that "It's really cool to see Native Scientist go to one more country and working alongside Viola to deliver it was super easy and professional. Last school year, Viola had participated in a German STEM workshops within the scope of the Challenging Assumptions project, which was developed in partnership with Goethe-Institut."

Native Scientist workshops help pupils feel prouder of speaking more than one language and feel inspired to become a scientist. We hope that this workshop is only the first step of a wonderful journey in Norway!

Last week and this week, King’s College London is the stage of Portuguese science workshops engaging 40 bilingual pupils aged 8 to 14.

On the 8th and 9th of June, the Centre for Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine (CSCRM) hosted a series of Native Explorers events designed to help universities and research centres engage with local communities and encourage pupils to have a positive attitude towards science and multilingualism. Commenting about this initiative, Professor Fiona Watt, director of the CSCRM, said: ‘I am delighted to be hosting the Native Explorers at the CSCRM at King’s College London. Language is a tool for communication, so communicating the excitement of science to school children in their native language is an excellent idea.’

During the event, pupils put on the scientist gown and discovered the world of skin regeneration, embryo development and DNA. Dr Inês Sequeira, who leads the project at King’s College London, explains that ‘these hands-on workshops are an extremely valuable experience that engages and inspires students in the wonders of science. As scientists, we have the responsibility to communicate our science with the public and for me doing it my mother tongue is at the same time a challenge and a pleasure’.

The event is the result of a partnership between Native Scientist and the CSCRM, Instituto Camões (Portuguese homolog of the British Council) and Oval Learning Cluster (network of school located in the Oval area).

‘To bring pupils of this age and with a migrant background to King’s is a very special opportunity that connects them with role models and opens their horizons, helping them feel that speaking another language is an asset, not a handicap, and that becoming a scientist is a real and viable option’ says Dr Joana Moscoso, from Native Scientist.

The last Native Explorers event in this series will happen on the 15th of June when another 10 pupils will discover the wonders and power of stem cells in regenerative medicine. Interestingly, this event is also part of a research study aimed to understand the outcomes for attitudes towards languages and sciences and conducted in partnership with Dr Patrick Rebuschat at Lancaster University.

A mini-documentary of the event will be submitted to the Bristol Science Film Festival in July. We hope that this will spread the word of the initiative far and wide. The Native Explorers programme was launched at Lancaster University in May. This programme gives pupils the opportunity to explore settings like universities, research centres and museums. In Lancaster, pupils interacted with different bilingual researchers. In Edinburgh, pupils enjoyed a guided visit to Dynamic Earth, a visitor attraction dedicated to the origin of the Earth.

This project had the support of The Wellcome Trust.

For more information, please contact Dr Joana Moscoso (joana.moscoso@nativescientist.com) or Dr Inês Sequeira (ines.sequeira@kcl.ac.uk).

Also talked about here:

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/lsm/newsevents/newsrecords/2018/june/language-of-science-crosses-borders.aspx

A group of Portuguese-speaking scientists delivered a unique workshop to children in Edinburgh.

Around 20 youngsters aged between 6 and 12 were given expert insight into the origins of the universe at Dynamic Earth, courtesy of Native Scientist - a not-for-profit network of international scientists that promotes diversity in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths).

The day was specifically aimed at boys and girls whose parents are originally from overseas where Portuguese is their heritage language.

This initiative celebrated diversity in STEM and was led by Dr Ana Catarino from Heriot-Watt’s School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society and Catarina Novo, a PhD student from the university’s Institute of Photonics and Quantum Sciences.

Catarina Novo, who is the Portuguese Manager of Native Scientist in Edinburgh, said: “This was an amazing opportunity for both students and scientists to interact and explore important scientific concepts. Time-travelling through important geological events in a virtual and extremely interactive environment and engaging with colleagues and pupils about science in my mother tongue, was a very inspiring experience.”

Team of Portuguese-speaking scientist guiding the visit to Dynamic Earth.

From left to right: Ana Catarino, Diogo Oliveira, Daiane Oliveira, Joana da Luz, Amanda Santos and Catarina Novo.

The young explorers visited the immersive galleries at Dynamic Earth to discover key aspects of our history, from the explosive nature of early Earth to the extinction events that trace a line from the first living organisms through to the 21st century and beyond.

The workshop was only possible thanks to The Principal’s Public Engagement Award won by Dr Ana Catarino, recognising her work engaging with audiences traditionally less involved in science and outreach.

Dr Catarino continued: “The collaboration between Native Scientist, Heriot-Watt and Dynamic Earth, brings a new dimension to outreach events, where diversity and multilingualism are part of the core communications between scientists and the public. Science has no frontiers and should be accessible to all.”

Brendan Seenan, Community Learning and Development Officer, says “We’re very grateful to host this event at Dynamic Earth and explore this partnership with Native Scientist and Heriot-Watt. Language is just one of many barriers that prevent people accessing learning opportunities and Native Scientist provides a unique opportunity to remove that barrier. Dynamic Earth is proud to provide fascinating ways to engage with the science of our planet and Heriot-Watt are providing the scientists who are out there uncovering it for us all!”

Reading time: 5 min | Difficulty: easy

I clearly remember the day when I decided to become a scientist: I was in high school and suddenly realised that science was the only subject I could follow without forcing my mind to stay focused. A few years forward, I also clearly remember when I sought my supervisor for advice about my future after my PhD thesis defense. At that moment, I was not sure whether I wanted a career as a Principal Investigator/Group Leader but he said ‘You did a PhD, what else do you think you could possible do?’ Though he spoke quite bluntly, in a sense I thought he was right…What on earth could you do in your life if you had embraced the academic career path up to now?

At that time I was randomly applying to everything I could find that was not lab bench related. I didn’t know what else I could or wanted to do. Of course, I ended up doing a post-doc. I will never forget the day I packed my life in a suitcase and moved to ecstatic London with my own fellowship to do research at a top UK institution. That day I didn’t feel very ecstatic. I was nervous and committed to making the most out of my professional future.

How do you know what you want to do if the only thing you have ever done (and known around you) is working in the lab? Well, you better start somewhere, and volunteering was for me the best way to expose myself to possible careers and try them out. I filled up my – little – free time with all sort of volunteer activities: from school events to writing and editing for blogs and journals. Surprisingly, doing these science-related-not-bench-dependent activities made me a better scientist. When you explain your scientific ideas to a group of pupils and try to answer their tricky questions, you understand better the impact of your work. In addition, if you learn to find weaknesses and strengths in someone else’s work you can do the same to your own beloved research project. Eventually, by being exposed to different volunteer experiences, I found my path.

I love science, I still do. However, I mostly love talking about science, organizing science-related events, and help people improve their scientific knowledge. Volunteering as project manager for Native Scientist has given me the unique opportunity to discover and develop all these skills in one go. Having to find and establish new contacts, organize (and sometimes deliver) workshops and manage all the communication afterwards has been very rewarding and, most importantly, is an essential plus on my CV which has helped me to get where I am now. When my post-doc experience was coming to an end, I got a job as Programme Manager at Imperial College London. On my work, I deal with everything regarding the use of animals in research and the 3Rs (replacement, reduction, refinement) principle: organizing and delivering courses, looking for grants and fellowships, managing the webpage or being part of advisory committees. I’m still surrounded by science (even more than before), but far away from the bench, finally!

If I could go back in time, I would do everything again - exactly as I did it! Getting a degree in biotechnology, doing a PhD and then a post-doc, has given me limitless amount of skills that I could not have acquired in any other way. Those skills, transferable skills, are the most important things I got in my life. Only when I started to get as much out-of-the-lab experience as possible, I realized that I actually had them. Every undergrad, PhD student or post-doc acquires a set of skills while doing science that can be translated into a wide variety of professional futures. For certain jobs, these skills may need to be complemented with specific training, but many times they are sufficient. You just need to be aware of them!

Although along the way I felt that pursuing an academic career was the only option, I’ve learned the hard way that this is the biggest lie all students and scientist are being told. If at any point you realise that lab work is actually not your cup of tea, you are not and you will never be a failed scientist. “They are not alternative careers, they are just careers,” said Francis Collins, renowned scientist and director of the US National Institutes of Health, in an interview to Nature.

To give up the lab bench is not an easy step to do. It took me 4 years of PhD to come to the conclusion that bench work was not my passion, 4 years of post-doc to get ready for the next move, and several rounds of applications to be offered a job position that suited me. Importantly, every single step helped me get to the final goal. So, whatever you are going to do with your life, always keep this in mind: never give up!

About the author: Anna Napolitano

Anna Napolitano is currently working as QA and 3Rs Programme Manager at the Imperial College London. She is an immunologist with years of experience working in academic research teams across Europe. Anna has always had a big passion for science communication. She is a highly-motivated person that works hard to achieve her goals.

Further reading:

- leaving the ivory tower (Science);

- life after academia (Nature News);

- away from the bench (Nature Blog).

.

Cultural heritage is the identity we have inherited from previous generations, live with today, and pass on to future generations. It surrounds us in towns and cities, natural landscapes and archaeological sites. It's the stories we tell to our children, the food we enjoy and the films we watch. To encourage more people to discover and engage with Europe's cultural heritage, and to reinforce a sense of belonging, 2018 has been designated as the European Year of Cultural Heritage by the European Commission.

Native Scientist is a non-profit award-winning organisation that organises workshops that bring together international scientists and pupils that share a common heritage language and culture. Defined by being people-centred and forward-looking, Native Scientist is building a network of scientists and teachers committed to tackle the educational disadvantage faced by migrant pupils.

All NS workshops organised in 2018 fall into the scope of the European Year of Cultural Heritage. On receiving this label, our co-founder Joana Moscoso says "It's an honour for us to be part of this movement and we congratulate the EU for putting together this initiative. In times when Europe is threatened by division and terrorism it's important to raise the awareness on what heritage means and to actively promote the formation of open and cohesive societies. Our goal is to celebrate diversity and promote social cohesion by acting on education, so that every person in society fulfills their potential and functions as an autonomous, self-realised citizen."

On the 1st of March, Lancaster University and Native Scientist launch their first joint project. Named Native Explorers, the project aims at, on the one hand, promoting innovative outreach initiatives among academics and, on the other hand, encouraging STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) education and careers among Portuguese 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.

Dr Patrick Rebuschat, who is leading the project from Lancaster University, explains that “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 organsation that inspires migrant children and adolescents across Europe to pursue STEM subjects and develop proficiency in their heritage languages.”

Two purposes, two days

Native Explorers has two days and each day has a different purpose. The first day, aimed mainly aimed at academics, professional services, science communicators and social entrepreneurs. It consists of a symposium 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, aimed at adolescents between 12 and 15 years old, is a series of four science workshops delivered by leading Lancaster University researchers. Offered in Portuguese, the workshops are an opportunity to learn concepts from four different fields: astrophysics, chemical engineering, plant biology and social entrepreneurship (see the programme here). 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, visit the website or contact native-explorers@lancaster.ac.uk.

The initiative is funded by Lancaster University’s Widening Participation Programme, and is part of the new Heritage Language Consortium, a strategic partnership between six European universities and the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Reading time: 6 min | Difficulty: High | Sources: 8 out of 12 are open access

The answer is “light!” But wait, don’t stop reading just yet. We have more questions for you. What’s the science that studies light and its applications? What is light composed of? What does the word laser stand for? What is an optical fibre? And - Why should I care about this?

Having a chemical engineering background, it wasn’t until I started a project in physics that I became fascinated by the science of light. The project consisted of studying of an optical fibre sensor to monitor a winemaking process. Light was used to see the evolution of wine without taking a sample of wine or doing time-consuming laboratory analyses. This was very important because the process in analysis had a significant impact on the final product. The optical fibres used offered an easy, low cost solution that required non-skilled handling; thereby overcoming existing difficulties and improving analysis time. Since then, I have been very fascinated by the amazing possibilities that light offers, in particular, the amount of questions that light can solve, which is why I decided to go abroad and do a PhD in the field.

The transition between fields of study is not always easy. However, I learned by building upon previous knowledge and it was useful to have interdisciplinary experience. Here, I've answered to 5 key questions about the science of light.

What’s the scientific name for the science of light?

Photonics is the science of light. It is the technology of the generation, control and detection of light waves. It is also common to say Optics and Photonics. Some authors defend that in this expression the light’s dual nature is explicit: as a propagating wave and as a particle (photon). Optics and Photonics are specialised fields within physics and engineering.

What is light composed of?

Light waves are composed of photons, which are the particles of light. The colours that we see are only a small part of the entire light wave range, where each colour has a specific wavelength range. Photonics works with a wider range of wavelengths including the infrared and ultraviolet wavelengths. The entire electromagnetic spectrum englobes gamma rays, x-rays, ultraviolet, visible, infrared, microwaves and radio wavelengths.

What does laser stand for?

Laser is the acronym of Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Laser light is a form of electromagnetic radiation and relates to the energy emission associated with the transition of an electron, from a higher to a lower energy level, within an atom. This happens when the atom absorbs a photon, thus becoming excited to a higher state. When the excited atom is stimulated by a photon it releases another photon as it transitions to a lower state, resulting in stimulated emission. The incident and emitted photons have the same characteristics and are in phase, resulting in coherent light (a group of photons act as a single unit), with the same direction, frequency and state of polarization.

What is optical fibre?

There are many types of optical fibres, a simple description being a cylindrical waveguide that consists of a central core in which the light is guided, surrounded by an outer cladding. They can be made in glass or polymeric material. There are also the optical fibre sensors that can be classified depending on the localization of the sensor (intrinsic or extrinsic), operating principle (intensity phase, frequency or polarization) and application (physical, chemical or biochemical).

Why should I care about this?

Because light is already being extensively used in our everyday lives and the number of applications is growing rapidly.

Laser light, for example, can be found in supermarkets scanners, CD players, laser pointers, medical devices, biosciences, electronics, high average power industrial applications (for cutting, welding or hardening), communications and astronomy. It has been used to study gases in the atmosphere of the Earth and in instruments that map the surfaces of planets.

The optical fibre has revolutionised communications allowing for faster internet connections due to an enormous bandwidth when compared with the metallic cable systems. Other main advantages are small size, low weight, electrical isolation, immunity to interference and crosstalk, signal security, low transmission loss, ruggedness and flexibility, system reliability, ease of maintenance and potential low cost.

Finally, light is also being applied in precision sensing, imaging and metrology. Precision sensing is being performed increasingly with optically based measurements. Optical fibre sensors have been applied to the measurement and monitoring of strain, temperature, displacement, bending or torsion, vibration, acceleration, rotation, current/voltage and chemical detection. The advantages of optical fibre sensors over conventional electronic sensors are: immunity to electromagnetic interference, high sensitivity, compactness, light weight, inability to conduct a current, large bandwidth, robustness/resistance to harsh environments, and the possible use in-situ or distribution with remote sensing capability.

It’s amazing what we can do with light and its properties. Photonics is a technology with a “bright” future, so don’t be surprised if this word comes popping up more and more often.

About the author

Catarina Novo graduated in Chemical Engineering at University of Aveiro (Portugal) and research has been a passion ever since.

Living in Edinburgh since 2014, she is currently a Physics PhD researcher at Heriot-Watt University, working on microstructured optical fibre sensors. Catarina loves to get involved with science outreach and has been with Native Scientist since 2015.

She enjoys long walks on the beach, traveling, sharing a good meal with friends and family, and dancing.

Sources:

Open access

- What is Photonics (2015 International Year of Light)

- What are Optics and Photonics (OSA The Optical Society)

- Introduction to electromagnetic waves (Khan Academy)

- Principles of Laser Materials Processing (Wiley)

- Classification of fiber optical sensors (IJECCT)

- Lasers in Space (Proc. of SPIE)

- NASA Space Place (NASA)

- Optical Fiber Communications (Pearson)

Non-open access

- Optical fibre monitoring of Madeira wine estufagem process (Proc. of SPIE)

- Optics and Photonics (The National Academies Press)

- Fundamentals of Photonics (Wiley)

- Review of the present status of optical fiber sensors (Elsevier)

Last month, staff at MathWorks voted on Native Scientist to receive financial support from their employer. The money received will allow Native Scientist to reach another 80 migrant pupils, 40 of which will feel inspired to become a scientist and 60 of which will feel prouder of speaking more than one language (based on impact rates calculated in 2015).

MathWorks is a leading developer of mathematical computing software for engineers and scientists. They created MATLAB and Simulink and they standout not only for their products, but also for a strong social mission, supporting local and professional communities through initiatives that advance STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) education, foster staff volunteerism, build environmental sustainability, and aid global relief efforts.

Dr Maria João Rosa, who works at MathWorks, explains why NS was nominated for an end-of-year donation: "Being a migrant and a scientist, I have great admiration for the work Native Scientist is doing. It's obvious that many communities are under represented in STEM and that's something we must change. We need everyone's talent and for that to happen, it is necessary to inspire the young generation, especially those with limited access to science and technology."

"Every pound counts! We feel extremely honoured and grateful to MathWorks leaders and staff for having this end-of-year donation programme and for voting on Native Scientist. We truly believe in the work we do and it's rewarding and inspiring to see others doing so" says with enthusiasm NS co-founder Dr Joana Moscoso.

Immigrant kids are twice as likely to underperform at school or droup out than the rest. Native Scientist is a network of international STEM professionals committed to tackle this educational disadvantage and drive a societal change where:

girls and boys both think that becoming a scientist is a real viable option;science communication is second nature for the majority of scientists;multiculturalism and multilingualism is accepted and celebrated (not marginalised or repressed).

Through our work we are inspiring the future generation of STEM professionals and we are training the current generation on science communication. Since 2013, we have reached over 2500 pupils and more than half (60%) said they have met a scientist for the first time of their lives during a NS workshop.

On the 2nd of December, six Portuguese scientists and engineers in the Netherlands brought together their work tools and brain to creatively explain science to children aged 6 to 15 years old.

This Native Scientist science plus language workshop took place in a community centre based in Amsterdam, where two language teachers from the CEPE-Camões network usually give Portuguese classes to sons and daughters of migrant families.

All participating scientists showcased their day-to-day tasks. STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths) topics covered included:

1. how work is like in manufacturing;

2. how blood flows in our body;

3. how we can prevent skin cancer;

4. how new medicines are designed;

5. how the solar system is visualized.

It was a real mix of topics and "based on the evaluation and children's smiles, I dare to say it was a true success where every child leaned at least one new thing" says Natacha Ogando, coordinator of the workshop. Natacha is one the newest NS coordinators and she adds that "It has been a roller coaster since June. It only took an e-mail and a short Skype with Native Scientist to start this adventure. I think it is amazing what people can build together when they work hard to develop an idea. That is why I always have in my mind «Always keep moving forward» slogan from Meet the Robinsons, a Walt Disney animation movie."

Regarding this workshop, our co-founder Joana Moscoso says that "As we enter our fifth year, we move into our fifth country, the Netherlands. Earlier this year we hosted German STEM workshops in the Netherlands within the scope of the Challenging Assumptions project, which was developed in partnership with Goethe-Institut. Last Saturday, we organised a Portuguese NS workshop in collaboration with the CEPE-Camões in the Netherlands thanks to the initiative and dedication of Natacha, an enthusiastic PhD student that brought together a team of scientists to deliver an unforgettable workshop."

Photos of the workshop are available here.

Native Scientist workshops help pupils feel prouder of speaking more than one language and feel inspired to become a scientist. We hope that this workshop is only the first step of a wonderful journey in the Netherlands for the next couple of years.

Anna Isabel (aged 10), from Munich, and Camilla (aged 8), from London, are this year's winners of the Native Awards.

On its 3rd edition, two categories for the Native Awards were considered - 'Best Sentence' and 'Best Drawing' -, based on a worksheet that is given to pupils participating in Native Scientist's workshops. A total of 5 finalists for each category were selected by the founders Joana and Tatiana and votes from 19 members of the Native Scientist core team were accounted for.

Anna got the 'Best Sentence Native Scientist Award' and Camilla got the 'Best Drawing Native Scientist Award'.

Camilla attended an Italian Native Scientist Workshop, which she found "very interesting because I could see things in action and I have learned lots of new scientific facts." Camilla seems to have a natural passion for science communication as when she grows up, she would like "to write books and movies about discoveries."

Anna is an aspiring marine biologist and athlete. She attended a Portuguese Native Scientist Workshop, which she "enjoyed a lot, because there were "ciências" that I didn't know they existed."

Prizes consist of a branded tote bag and the book “Outside” autographed by Maria Ana Peixe Dias.

Our co-founder Joana says that "the quality of the entries this year was exceptionally high. It was very difficult to choose the finalists. Camilla's drawing reflects, with amazing detail, what a lab looks like. It's impressive how a 8 year old takes us there in a few seconds. Anna's sentence is very well structured. She goes, very charmingly, from the most obvious to the most ambitious. She shows signs of having skills that are highly developed in scientists such as logical thinking and problem-solving."

On the left, it's Anna from Munich, and on the right is Camilla from London. Both are holding the book included in the prize.

Reading time: 5 min | Difficulty: easy

I am a scientist with passion for science and education. This passion brought me to the world of science communication. I started to dive into this world four years ago when - I have to confess - I knew as much about education as a non-scientist knows about bacteria (my subject of study in the lab). After many hours dedicated to organising, delivering and improving 100+ science workshops to school children, and after attending a summer course delivered knowledgeably by Rosie Tanner and Elma Zijderveld at Utrecht University (Netherlands), I realise that I have learned some valuable lessons during this journey. Therefore, I would like to share with you my 6 top tips for scientists on effective teaching:

About the author: Joana Moscoso

Co-founder and director of Native Scientist. Joana also works as a post-doc at i3s, the biggest research institute in Portugal. She is trying to understand how bacteria cause infections. Joana likes traveling the world and has previously lived in Sweden, Australia and the UK. She speaks 3 languages. Joana loves spending time with friends and food. She dreams of having her own restaurant one day.

Further reading:

- multiple intelligences: https://www.edutopia.org/multiple-intelligences-research

- learning pyramid: http://www.workingoutwhatworks.com/~/media/researched/red%20files/briefings/learning-pyramid.pdf

Information is the gold of the modern age. Everyone is always seeking truth - googling any question that arises in a conversation. This constant search emphasizes the need to differentiate truth from myth. One of the themes that gets people’s attention, lately, is the occurrence of outbreaks like Ebola in Africa (2014-16) or the pandemic swine flu in 2009. Thus, let us clarify some common misunderstandings, because, in reality, bacteria and viruses are very different.

First, to understand both better, let us enter the microscopic world and talk about size. Viruses are smaller (10 to 100 times) than bacteria, which are 10 to 100 times smaller than the diameter of a string of hair. Bacteria are microscopic organisms capable of living and replicating independently and considered to be the first forms of life on Earth. Viruses are scientifically not considered alive as all of them lack any form of energy, metabolism, and ability to replicate or evolve without infecting a cell. So, what are they? They are an inanimate complex of proteins (typically arranged as a shield) with genetic information (DNA or RNA) inside. To multiply, viruses need to infect a cell, which can be a plant cell or a human cell - or even a bacterium.

No matter which type of cell, a viral infection follows these general steps:

- attachment to and entry in the cell;

- production of the necessary proteins;

- replication of the DNA or RNA;

- assembly of the newly produced components;

- and release of new viruses into the immediate environment or into another cell.

Sometimes, the time between production and assembly of the components is very long, years even, so a person may carry a virus but not show any signs of illness. In this case, viruses enter a dormant phase. This happens for example with viruses causing AIDS (human immunodeficiency virus), chickenpox (varicella zoster virus) or cold sores (herpes simplex virus).

Another myth around viruses is their reputation as pathogens. Yes, viruses can cause a disease, but some viruses are actually valuable to their host and can live in a symbiotic relationship with them. Research has shown that some viruses decrease the number of tumors in hamsters whereas others increase the survival of parasitic wasp eggs in insect larvae. Moreover, in humans it is known that viruses played a major part in the evolution of the placenta and that 8% of the genome is from viral origin. Finally, some viruses, especially those that infect bacteria (called bacteriophages), are currently being considered as a therapeutic option to control bacterial infections, such as ear or human skin infections, or to target cancer cells.

It is interesting to realize the importance of studying these microorganisms, as it can provide evidence about our surroundings, our history and life itself. Recently, some scientists discovered and resuscitated from ice a new type of virus that lived 30,000 years ago. This means that ice melts may trigger the return of other ancient viruses with potential traces of our past or with potential risks for human health. Regardless of what is to come, we have to continue seeking truth and work towards abolishing myths because, as Kofi Annan said “knowledge is power”. It is crucial that we keep track of our knowledge as we develop and improve our technological capabilities and understanding of the world.

About the author: Natacha Ogando

Natacha is currently doing her PhD degree through the ANTIVIRALS project (a Marie Sklodowska Curie European Training Network) at Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands. She is trying to identify broad-spectrum coronavirus inhibitors and understand their mode of action. Besides, she likes to play football and goof around with her friends. She consider herself a citizen of the world and it is always planning new adventures to meet new cultures and new people.

Sources:

PNAS

- Retroviruses push the envelope for mammalian placentation (2012)

- Thirty-thousand-year-old distant relative of giant icosahedral DNA viruses with a pandoravirus morphology (2014)

Nature Reviews Microbiology

- The good viruses: viral mutualistic symbioses (2011)

- A century of the phage: past, present and future (2015)

Others

- Impact and effectiveness of the quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine: a systematic review of 10 years of real-world experience (2016)

- Aciclovir. A reappraisal of its antiviral activity, pharmacokinetic properties and therapeutic efficacy (1994)

- Inhibition of adenovirus oncogenicity in hamsters by adeno‑ associated virus DNA (1981)

- Virus in a parasitoid wasp: suppression of the cellular immune response in the parasitoid’s host (1981)

Even though immigration is relatively new in Ireland, 10% of the students in Irish primary schools are immigrants. Having to manage culturally diverse classes is therefore a new challenge for Irish schools and to avoid social exclusion and underachievement, support is needed at different levels: on the development of proficiency in the school language; on pupils’ acceptance of their bicultural nature; and on advancing pupils’ bilingual potential.

On Saturday, the 7th of October, a group of 4 expat researchers from Portugal and Brazil working at the APC Microbiome Institute, University College Cork, took their lab coats off to inspire Portuguese-speaking pupils to do science and celebrate their bilingual nature.

During this Native Scientist workshop, which took place at St. Peter’s Cork and was organised by Dr Ana Almeida in collaboration with the Education and Public Engagement team at the APC Microbiome Institute, scientists talked about the immune system, the gut microbiota and the gut-brain axis.

Ana, the coordinator of this project, says “the workshop exceeded all our expectations. The children were very enthusiastic and fully engaged in the activities.” Furthermore, Eimear Ferguson who coordinates the APC’s Education and Public Engagement activities added “the students were invited to embrace their abilities in speaking Portuguese in a new environment. Oftentimes, their native tongue is used only at home with family. This was their opportunity to realise their rare talents in multilingualism in a completely new setting while learning and being inspired by researchers who served as role models.”

This was the first time that Native Scientist organized a workshop in Ireland. On average, almost 50% of pupils are inspired to become a scientist after a workshop and 70% feel prouder of speaking more than one language. Native Scientist is a non-profit enterprise that connects immigrant pupils and scientists to tackle educational disadvantage and promote science and language literacy. Since its foundation in 2013, 100+ workshops have been organised, reaching over 2000 pupils.

Last Thursday in Paris, our co-founder Dr Joana Moscoso received the prestigious MIT Innovators Under 35 Europe recognition.

Held annually by MIT Technology Review, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the MIT Innovators Under 35 distinguishes and gives visibility to the most talented and innovative young leaders in the world, capable of materializing ideas that can change the way we use technology or make business in the future. Brought to Europe in 2011, the initiative pays tribute to young innovators in 5 categories: entrepreneurs, humanitarians, inventors, pioneers and visionaries.

Presenting the Native Scientist project, our Portuguese co-founder Dr Joana Moscoso is one of the 35 Europeans receiving the MIT Innovators Under 35 title. Upon receipt of the award, Joana explained that "Immigrant pupils are twice as likely to underperform at school than the rest of the pupils. Technology is allowing is to create a network of international scientists that are committed to tackle this educational disadvantage and in turn, we are advancing technology by inspiring and training the future and current generation of scientists."

This title recognizes the innovative nature of the Native Scientist project and puts its founders in the map of the most promising social changemakers.

Native Scientist received the 2017 Heriot-Watt Principal's Public Engagement Prize thanks to the collaboration of Ana Catarino, an early career researcher who, for the last 3 years, has been coordinating Native Scientist in Scotland.

When asked about the award, Ana Catarino said she is "passionate about science communication. This prize is the recognition of the work I've developed with Native Scientist in Scotland, thanks to a fantastic team, who, like me, believes that diversity enriches science."

Joana Moscoso, co-founder of Native Scientist highlights that "awards like this are very important for the future of science because they recognize efforts from scientists who are conscious about the needs of our society and they value initiatives that go beyond the traditional duties of a scientist. We are extremely proud of Ana Catarino and all the other team members in Scotland and we thank their creativity, commitment and effort."

In Scotland since 2014, Native Scientist started with one Portuguese workshop in Edinburgh and has now organised over 10 workshops in Arabic, German, Polish and Portuguese.

Estonian joins Native Scientist's language portfolio. On the 10th of June, six Estonian-speaking scientists in London will visit the Estonian Saturday School in Chiswick, London.

During this Native Scientist workshop, scientists will showcase their work to pupils who speak Estonian at home with their parents. They will explain how scientists are fighting cancer, how the brain is formed, why it gets sick, and also, why we need to be careful with pesticides.

"For children managing a home language and a school language, it is very important to provide positive memories in the home language. Our workshops are very dynamic and interactive, and expose children to new and exciting experiences in the home language. Promoting the learning of the Estonian language is not only an effective way to preserve and pass the Estonian identity from generation to generation, but also a means to develop a bilingual brain." says Dr. Joana Moscoso, co-founder of Native Scientist.

Native Scientist is a non-profit organisation that connects immigrant pupils and scientists to tackle educational disadvantage and promote science and language literacy. Since its foundation in 2013, 100+ workshops have been organised, reaching over 2000 pupils. This Estonian science workshop is being organised by Sander Tanni, an Estonian scientist at University College of London.

If you are a scientist or an undergraduate student and speak Estonian, you can inspire the next generation by volunteering your time and sharing you passion for science. To know more, please email Sander (sander.tanni@nativescientist.com) or register here.

On the 27th and 28th of May, Native Scientist invites members and friends to celebrate their success in London, Edinburgh and Paris. Founded in 2013, NS has reached this year the following milestones: 100 workshops, 2000+ pupils and 700 volunteer scientists.

The gatherings planned range from a Challenge Party in London (27th May), a Potluck Lunch in Edinburgh (28th May) and a Networking Evening in Paris (27th May). The events are free to attend but registration is required. Please follow this link to register.

About the gatherings:

1. Challenge Party in London

Join us for some fun and challenges on the 27th of May (Saturday), 7.30pm at Dickens Inn (E1W 1LA). Finger food will be available.

This event is an opportunity to know more about NS, meet like-minded people, share your thoughts and ideas, celebrate your enrollment and talk to the NS founders!

All NS volunteers, teachers, parents and supporters are welcome!

2. Potluck Lunch in Edinburgh

Join us for a potluck lunch on 28th May (Sunday), 12noon at Slateford Green Community Centre (EH14 1NF).

Please bring a food item/drink to share. We will provide plates, cups, snacks.

This event is an opportunity to meet people from a different community, celebrate multilingualism and network in an informal manner.

This is a family-friendly event, so everyone is welcome. Weather permitting, we can visit the Soughton Park and its Rose Gardens.

3. Networking Evening in Paris

Join us for some drinks and nibbles on the 27th of May (Saturday), 7.30pm at Pub Saint Hilaire. (Rue Valette). Finger food will be available.

This event is an opportunity to gather all Native Scientist volunteers, teachers and friends living in the Paris region! A chance to know more about NS, share your experience, or simply network and meeting new people.

To find these events on Facebook, please go here.

Please contact:

- joana.moscoso@nativescientist.com (London),

- anai.catarino@nativescientist.com (Edinburgh),

- rafael.galupa@nativescientist.com (Paris),

if you have any questions.

Dr Janine Pforr, scientist at the European Space Agency (ESA), writes to winner of 2016's Native Scientist Best Sentence Award.

Every year Native Scientist organizes a "What is a scientist/If I were a scientist" Competition. Last year's winner for the Best Sentence Category was 5-year old Charlotte von Scheven, from Edinburgh. Charlotte, who is bilingual for German and English, is an aspiring firefighter and emergency doctor. She wrote "If I were a scientist, I would try to find out why the stars are "round" and don't have the shape of a "star"."

When hearing about the award and reading the sentence, German scientist Dr Janine Pforr, from ESA, wrote a letter to Charlotte congratulating her on her achievement and curiosity. She says "You can be very proud of yourself; the award you got is really a great achievement! I really like your sentence because it reflects your thirst for knowledge and at the same time it refers to a fundamental law of physics."

To know more about the scientist, please go here.

If you are as curious as Charlotte and wonder why that is, you can follow this link for an explanation.

How do fish swim? Why do we get old? Can we predict the future? In partnership with Rádio Miúdos (first Portuguese radio station for children), scientists from our network answer these and other questions in a new radio show going live on the 22nd of March.

Two social innovation projects working with Portuguese immigrant pupils, Native Scientist and Rádio Miúdos, partnered up to create a radio show that unveils science facts to children aged 6 to 12 years old. The show is called Os Cientistas Explicam (translated into Ask The Scientists) and will be aired by Rádio Miúdos (www.radiomiudos.pt) for 8 weeks on

Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, 6am, 4pm and 9.30pm. Every week, the programme answers a different question, which is carefully explained by Portuguese scientists around the world.

“Every child is curious and wants to know more about what surrounds them. This programme was created to nurture that children’s curiosity and to make science more accessible to all, in particular, Portuguese pupils living abroad. The radio station hosting the programme is listened in 144 different countries and Native Scientist has a network of over 500 international scientists so we felt that an initiative like this could have a great impact in disseminating Portuguese science, culture and language” says Joana Moscoso, co-founder of Native Scientist.

Native Scientist is a non-profit enterprise that connects immigrant pupils and scientists to tackle educational disadvantage and promote science and language literacy. Since its foundation in 2013, 70+ workshops have been organised, reaching over 1,800 pupils, in 4 different countries. Recently, they also launched a book for Portuguese pupils abroad, Uma volta ao mundo com cientistas portugueses.

Rádio Miúdos is the first Portuguese radio for children, parents and teachers. Founded in November 2015, it’s aired online in over 144 countries. Their team includes education and media graduate professionals as well as pupils, who gain experience as reporters and correspondents in Portugal and abroad.

To celebrate diversity in science, Native Scientist will bring together 10 Arabic- or Polish-speaking scientists to participate in two workshops aimed at promoting science among immigrant and bilingual pupils. On the 18th of March, a group of over 50 pupils will learn about scientific fields such as microbiology, evolution, geology and laser physics.

According to reports by the Royal Society and the National Foundation for Education Research, minority ethnic students are less likely to progress to scientific jobs after graduating, facing lower expectations of their abilities - even if they achieve well. To counterbalance this, Native Scientist organises science and language workshops that promote a positive attitude towards science and heritage languages.

Ana, the coordinator of this project, says “the workshops were designed to target pupils who speak a different language at home and in school. They help pupils realise their full potential while acquiring science knowledge and developing language skills. They are a great opportunity to meet role models and raise pupils aspirations.”

Parents can register their children for the Polish or Arabic Science Workshops by following the respective link. Registration is compulsory.

The workshops are being organised by Dr Ana Catarino and Dr Stephanie Zihms, project managers at Native Scientist and researchers at Heriot-Watt University. They count with the collaboration of Leith Labs and Bilingualism Matters and the support of the Biochemical Society.

Native Scientist is a non-profit enterprise that connects immigrant pupils and scientists to tackle educational disadvantage and promote science and language literacy. Since its foundation in 2013, 70+ workshops have been organised, reaching over 1,800 pupils.

For more information on these events, please contact Ana at anai.catarino@nativescientist.com.

12 linguistics experts, bilingual scientists, teachers and parents to bilingual children talk about the challenges and benefits of being multilingual. The interviews, carried out by Native Scientist, are now released in a booklet that fosters bilingual education.

"People don’t appreciate the linguistic richness in their families, and they themselves don’t believe in the value of their language" says Dr Napoleon Katsos, a linguistics expert from the University of Cambridge (UK). According to him, raising a child bilingually "is one of the most wonderful gifts you can give to your child.”

This booklet is the first publication of a programme called Native Aware, which aims at raising awareness about multilingualism. The interviews, carried out over two years by members of the Native Scientist team, help demystifying some of the preconceptions about bilingualism and language acquisition. They are a source of inspiration to parents who wish to raise their children bilingually and a resource for teachers or schools to define policies towards bilingualism and home language speaking.

To download the booklet, please go .

To provide feedback or for questions, please e-mail Joana at joana.moscoso@nativescientist.com.

In collaboration with the Goethe-Institut, Native Scientist will travel around 8 European countries to organise German science workshops and promote science and language integrated learning.

The project is called "Wissenschaftliche Herausforderungen" (translated to English as Challenging Assumptions) and invites German-speaking scientists in 8 cities (London, Dublin, Glasgow, Amsterdam, Oslo, Stockholm, Helsinki and Copenhagen) to talk and demonstrate their work to secondary school pupils. The idea is that the scientists speak in German and present their field of research from an angle that shows how scientific conceptions and misconceptions shape our understanding of the world. For example, an astronomer that wants to talk about how we explore other planets may start by explaining that initially people thought that Earth was the centre of the Universe and that the sun was orbiting Earth. However, people now know that it is the Earth that orbits the sun.

If you are a German-speaking scientist and live in one of the cities listed, we invite you to join our workshops by signing up to volunteer here. If you are not too sure if you can participate or don’t know what to say or show, don't worry, we can give you support. Please write to Kerstin (kerstin.beer@nativescientist.com) and she will give you advice.

According to Kathrin Lauber, project manager at the Goethe-Institut in London, "German science workshops combine German with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects. The workshops link to core subjects which are part of the curricula in Northwestern Europe. They inform students about the recent research projects of German scientists, showcase future prospects and focus on the topic of studying in Germany. Apart from that, they have a motivating character and set the language in a real context.” The Goethe-Institut organises activities and promotes projects that enable the learning of German as a foreign language all around the world, helping the different national educational systems implement the learning of German.

Native Scientist is a network of international scientists that promotes science outreach and language learning. Since its foundation in 2013, 60+ workshops have been organised, reaching over 1,700 pupils.

In partnership with the Embajada del Ecuador en el Reino Unido and with the support of the Biochemical Society, Native Scientist is organising a science workshop for Ecuadorian pupils living in the UK.

The workshop, taking place at the Consulate near King's Cross station on the 28th of January, 3pm, will provide an opportunity for pupils and their parents to speak Spanish and learn about the work of Ecuadorian scientists in London. During the workshop, which will last approximately 2 hours, the scientists will be demonstrating their work in a fun and engaging way, inspiring pupils to learn science and fostering the learning of new vocabulary in Spanish.

To register your child for this workshop, please follow this link. Please be aware that limited places are available.

If you are an Ecuadorian scientist and would like to contribute by volunteering, you can do so by signing up here.