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Past events
Submitted by sis on Tue, 2006-08-01 16:55.
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1 July 2008: Merlin Theatre, Pembrokeshire College, Haverfordwest, UK Secondary schools in west Wales are invited to attend the Bionic Ear Road Show. Organised by the Darwin Science Festival and Deafness UK, the free road show involves a giant ear, a giant brain and lots of audience interaction. Learn about hearing and the science behind many types of deafness. More information: www.darwincentre.com 24-28 June 2008: Burgundy, France Scientists, biology teachers, teacher trainers, policymakers, business people and media specialists, as well as philosophers, theologians, and ethicists, are invited to take part in this year's BioEd conference. Organised by the International Union of Biological Sciences, the conference addresses the topic 'Sustainable Development, Ethics and Education for the 2020s: What Challenges for Biology?' and aims to:
Participants from around the world are invited to report on their research, experiments, and practical and empirical results, and to demonstrate educational materials (e.g. posters, videos, exhibits, and theatre). Registration fee: 240 € (or 200 € before 24 April 2008). More information: www.ldes.unige.ch/bioEd/bioEd2008.htm 2-22 June 2008: UK Are you a secondary science teacher who wants help to bring the curriculum topic of 'how science works' to life in the classroom? With the free pilot event, ‘I’m a Scientist, Get Me Out of Here!’ you can get your students talking to real scientists online. Then get them to vote who should get the prize. The event is supported by well-structured, thoroughly-tested lesson plans and resources that teach students how to debate and discuss issues. There are separate sites for GCSE (aged 14-16) and A/AS Level (16+) students. If you would like your class to be one of 40 classes across the UK taking part, please get in touch. More information: http://imascientist.org.uk/?page_id=8 4-8 June 2008: Cheltenham, UK At the 7th Cheltenham Science Festival, events for school students of all ages include many interactive workshops and activities which bring the science curriculum alive. More information: www.cheltenhamfestivals.com 5 June 2008: Rugby School, Rugby, UK The day consists of three lectures (one each on research physics, physics education and both education and entertainment), plus a series of six parallel workshops and a discussion session. Dame Professor Jocelyn Bell Burnell (who, as a research student, discovered the first radio pulsars) will speak about astrophysics and Professor Peter Main (director of education and science at the Institute of Physics) will talk about the future of physics education in schools. The meeting is open to teachers, teachers in training and technicians from all countries. It will cost £30 per person including lunch and refreshments (£15 for newly qualified teachers and trainee teachers. More information: www.iop.org/activity/education/Events/Events%20for% December 2007 - May 2008: Life Learning Center (Fondazione per le Biotecnologie), Turin, Italy The Life Learning Center organises one-day theoretical and laboratory courses for science teachers who would like to increase their knowledge of biotechnology and bioinformatics and bring modern biology into their classroom. The courses are free of charge, including printed materials and an activity booklet. One-day practical laboratory courses are also available for high-school students. They cover biotechnology and bioinformatics topics and molecular biology techniques (PCR, digestion with restriction enzymes, gel electrophoresis). The students are guided by young scientists; after the hands-on laboratory work, the students can discuss the experiment with their teacher and the supervising scientists. These courses cost €5 per student, including printed materials. All courses are run in Italian. More information: www.llctorino.it 8-10 May 2008: Braga, Portugal Scientists, researchers, politicians, teachers, nursery teachers, parents, students and pupils are invited to attend the I International School Congress. Organised by the Lamacaes School Cluster and the Instituto Superior de Saúde do Alto Ave, the event addresses ways in which education can find new solutions for the global problems of health and the environment. Participants will have the opportunity to interact with a panel of international specialists in:
The official languages are Portuguese, English and sign language. The registration fee is 30€ (10€ for students). Simultaneously, there will be seminars for students (9 May) and a fair entitled 'Environment, Health and Well-being' (9-10 May) taking place in two museums in Braga. More information: www.cie-portugal.net Until 6 May 2008: Worldwide The year 2009 sees both the bicentenary of Charles Darwin's birth (12 February) and the 150th birthday of his most famous work, On the Origin of Species. In anticipation of the celebrations, the British Society for the History of Science Outreach & Education Committee is offering prizes for original designs that best illustrate the significance of either (or both) of these anniversaries. Entries may submitted in one of the following electronic formats:
Entries may be submitted as jpeg files or in other standard formats including digital photographs or digital scans (for any entry prepared initially on paper). The file size should be no more than 500 kB to ensure that the winning entries can easily be downloaded from the website. There are three age categories for entrants, a prize of £100 being awarded in each category:
For categories 1 and 2, the age of the entrant must be confirmed by a responsible adult (parent, guardian, teacher) and the entrant’s age should fall within the relevant category by the competition deadline of 6 May 2008. Entries should be emailed by 6 May 2008 as a file attachment to outreachcompetition2008@bshs.org.uk. More information: www.bshs.org.uk/bshs/outreach 6 May 2008: Communication Centre of the German Cancer Research Centre, Heidelberg, Germany This symposium offers school students the chance to present activities in the life sciences and technology, to get in touch with scientists and to learn about neurobiology in a series of scientific lectures. It is organised by the Initiative Youth and Science, which cooperates with industry, research institutions, universities and schools to establish a network of out-of-school activities for young, talented pupils. The conference language is German. More information: http://www.explo-heidelberg.de/lernlabor/Symposium_JuWi.htm March - April 2008: Five venues in the UK The Institute of Physics advanced physics revision roadshows for students feature exciting experiments and interactive lectures summarising key information from the AS and A2 physics courses. The courses cost £20 per student, and include revision lectures, student handbooks, lunch and refreshments. Accompanying teachers are free. More information: http://advancingphysics.iop.org Until 30 April 2008: UK Are your students podcasting? Well, here’s a chance for them to show off their skills by entering our SciencePod competition by interviewing friends, family or teachers on one of these health-related topics:
The competition is open to 14-16 year olds and links particularly well to the GCSE Science, English and Citizenship curricula, encouraging students to debate topical issues and examine science in society. There’s an MP3 player for the winner, plus prizes for second and third place winners. Entries should be no more than 4 minutes and we can only accept UK entries. The closing date is 30 April. More information: www.sciencepod.org.uk 8-12 April 2008: Tartu, Estonia EuroPhysicsFun, the European network of physics shows, is organizing its third annual conference on physics shows, Show Physics 2008. The conference consists of talks, group discussions and experimental sessions. At the end of the week, the participants will take part in a science festival. Contact: Kaido Reivelt By 7 April: Europe Pupils, and their teachers, from European secondary schools are invited to take part in a science film script contest with the chance to have their film produced by a professional team, to present their film to the European Commission in Brussels, and to win €5000-worth of teaching aids for their schools. To enter the contest, a class and their teacher need to write a script for a film no longer than 6 minutes, on the topic of ‘Impact of climate change or human activities on marine ecosystems’. Teams need not cover the whole topic, but can choose just one aspect and examine in depth. The script should be in the language of the country in which the school is, but we would appreciate an English translation. Whatever the chosen approach (e.g. interviews, investigations, dance or other artistic activities), teachers must encourage a scientific approach, and points will be awarded for the scientific accuracy of the facts presented, as well as for the students' personal point of view on the topic. The contest is open to students of all ages from France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Italy, Monaco, Poland, Spain, and Sweden, who have signed up for EUR-OCEANS’ educational program 2007-2008 (only one registration per class is allowed). The deadline for entries is 7 April 2008. More information: www.eur-oceans.info By 31 March 2008: World-wide Why not get your students to enter the Microbiology in Schools Advisory Committee's writing competition? Patients often ask their doctor or pharmacist for information about the medicine they have been prescribed to treat their illness. They want to know how it is produced and how it works. There is a need for a range of information sheets for patients explaining the facts about different drugs. Many of the medicines in common use today are produced by fungi. Imagine you are a medical writer and you have been asked to produce a factsheet about one drug of fungal origin. Your factsheet should be A4 in size, attractively illustrated and factually accurate. More information: www.microbiologyonline.org.uk By 31 March 2008: World-wide Plus magazine is again looking for the science writers of the future, who can make mathematics lively and interesting for a general audience. There are three categories to this writing competition: school students; university students; and the general public. In the first category, secondary-school and sixth-form students are invited to write a piece of up to 900 words about the life and/or work of any mathematician, living or dead. The winning entries will be read by an international audience of over 200,000 in the June 2008 issue of Plus. There are also prizes for the best submissions, including signed copies of popular science books and an Apple iPod. The closing date is 31 March 2008. More information: http://plus.maths.org/competition 10-16 March 2008: Portugal Brain Awareness Week is an international effort organized by the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives to increase public awareness about the progress and benefits of brain research. During this week, school activities (visits to scientific laboratories, school visits by scientists, science lectures at schools) will be held all over Portugal, involving students from primary, middle and secondary schools. More information:http://brainweek.dana.org and 12-14 March 2008: European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany The European Learning Laboratory for the Life Sciences (ELLS) is an education facility to bring secondary school teachers into the research lab for a unique hands-on encounter with state-of-the-art molecular biology techniques. ELLS also gives scientists a chance to work with teachers, helping to bridge the widening gap between research and schools. The three-day course is designed to enable the participating teachers to explore a range of activities, which they can practice in the lab and then take back to the classroom. The course is open to 20 European high-school science teachers and is run in English. The course, including course materials, catering and accommodation, is free of charge; participants are expected to meet their own travel costs. More information: www.embl.de/ells Until 29 February 2008: worldwide This international competition for school students is run by ESO (the European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere) and the EAAE (European Association for Astronomy Education). Students can win a trip to visit the ESO Very Large Telescope on Cerro Paranal in Chile, and many other prizes. Choose from three different competition categories:
Submission deadline: 29 February 2008 More information: www.eso.org/catchastar 17-19 February 2008: London, UK Organised by the Institute of Physics (IOP), this study course for sixth formers and college students consists of a series of 6 lectures. The course costs £20 per person for three days or £7 per day. Contact: Leila Solomon (+44 (0)20 7470 4821 or leila.solomon@iop.org) 16 January 2008: Zaventum, Belgium Organised by Science on Stage Belgium, this conferences is aimed at secondary-school science teachers, as well as teachers and students of pedagogy. During the course of the afternoon, participants from the Science on Stage international teaching festival will present many of the ideas that they saw demonstrated there. At the end of the day, each participant will receive some innovative teaching materials. More information: www.scienceonstage.be Until 4 January 2008: UK and rest of Europe Why not encourage your students to enter this competion for short films of science demonstrations - or enter it yourself?. Deadline: 4 January 2008. Competition entries must be from the UK, but - depending on demand - films from elsewhere in Europe may be included on the website. Email and ask. More information: www.planet-scicast.com Until 31 December 2007: Poland Two websites, www.astronomia.pl and www.interklasa.pl together with Fizyka w Szkole magazine (Physics in School) have organized an astronomical contest for teachers in Poland. Participants should prepare a series of lessons, an astronomy day at school or other event during which students learn about astronomy. More information: www.astronomia.pl/konkursy Until 12 December 2007: many UK venues The science of light and colour is fantastically important in an enormous number of areas: from observing and understanding the Universe in astronomy; to diagnosis and treatment processes in medicine; to efficient communications and signal processing in industries. The Institute of Physics 2007 schools lecture will be presented by Dr Pete Vukusic, a researcher and lecturer at the University of Exeter’s School of Physics. He is one of the leading scientists in the world involved in broadening our understanding of how nature uses and controls the flow of light and colour. Light Fantastic: the Science of Colour will open pupils’ eyes to the basic concepts of the science of light and colour and show how technology is making the most of light’s astonishing properties. This presentation will include demonstrations, hands-on activities and movie clips to help shed light on the science of colour. The lecture lasts an hour and is suitable for students aged 14-16. More information: www.iop.org 6-9 December 2007: Cambridge University, UK This course for practising teachers of physics consists of a series of talks and workshops in which participants will:
Cost: £70 (non-residential) or £130 (residential) Contact: Leila Solomon (+44 (0)20 7470 4821 or leila.solomon@iop.org) Until 30 November 2007: Italy, Austria and Switzerland In this search for talented young researchers, young people are required to develop scientific projects on many topics, including art and music. Regional finalists, selected on the basis of a report they submit, present their project to an international jury and the public. Prizes of €1500-3000 are awarded. The competition is open to people aged 16-20 living in South Tyrol (Italy), Trentino (Italy), Tyrol (Austria) or Grisons (Switzerland) and is held in the regional languages German and Italian. To enter the next competition, register before 30 November 2007. The final event will take place in March 2008 at the University of Innsbruck in Austria. More information: www.explora-science.net/wettbewerb 1 October - 21 November 2007: Germany This year's DECHEMAX school competition, organised by the DECHEMA, addresses 'Green chemistry - staying nice and clean'. It covers the uses of biotechnology, chemistry and technology in our environment, from renewable energy to chemistry on the sea floor. Teams of 3-5 students from Years 7-11 (13-18 years old) in German schools can take part. In the first round, students can use internet research to answer eight questions. Teams that correctly answer six or more questions receive a certificate and a small prize. In the second round, teams use household objects to carry out two experiments and then write a report. The winners receive books, journal subscriptions or vouchers. The three best teams will be invited to the ProcessNet Jahrestagung in Autumn 2008 to receive their trophy and prize money. Registration is open from 1 October until 21 November 2007. More information:www.dechemax.de 15-16 November 2007: Science Center NEMO, Amsterdam, Netherlands This international conference about primary education is the closing conference of the EU project Hands-on & Brains-on. Participants can take part in the hands-on activities created by eight science centres. Additionally, the recent Rocard Report A renewed pedagogy for the future of Europe will be discussed by representatives of EU, science centres, headteachers, teachers, educational administrations and decision makers, researchers, journalists and other experts in science learning and communication. The conference is in English and the registration fee is €100. More information www.e-nemo.nl/Handson-Brainson-conference2007 6-8pm, 7 November 2007: Battle Abbey School, Battle, UK Do you have a revolutionary idea that will improve our energy efficiency? Do you know of a viable alternative to oil for Schools are invited to put forward teams to discuss their plans to fuel the future and help fight climate change. Using baseline data and resources supplied by the Royal Society of Chemistry, teams will work in advance to More information: www.nuffieldchemistry.org/news/chemistry-week-nov-09,877,NS.html 2-3 November 2007: European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany Teachers and their students are invited to attend this year's EMBO/EMBL Joint Conference on Science and Society entitled 'The future of our species: evolution, disease and sustainable development'. The four sessions of the conference cover:
The conference fee is €40 (€20 for students). More information: www.embo.org/scisoc/conference07.html 31 October - 2 November 2007: CERN, Switzerland CERN, the world's largest particle physics laboratory, organises courses for physics teachers who would like to The courses are free of charge, but the participants are expected This course is for participants from France and takes place in French. Contact: Mick Storr (mick.storr@cern.ch) Until 26 October 2007: Republic of Ireland Is gene therapy a potential panacea for terrible illnesses or a Pandora's box in which genetically enhanced 'designers babies' with perfect looks and high IQs become a reality? Secondary-school students from the Republic of Ireland are invited to share their views in short essays. Prizes include a laptop, an iPod, trophies and a money for science equipment. More information: www.remedi.ie 19-21 October 2007: Plaza del Pilar, Zaragoza, Spain Ciencia en Acción recognises, promotes and rewards the efforts of teachers of all levels in order to help all students to extend their science background and their appreciation of the role of science. The festival takes place in Spanish and Portuguese, and is open to science teachers from all Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries. Deadline for applications: 5 July 2007. More information: www.cienciaenaccion.org 18-23 October 2007: Petnica Science Center, Serbia The Network of Youth Excellence (NYEX) is a UNESCO-sponsored network to share good practice between worldwide initiatives that encourage research possibilities for motivated secondary-school students. The next conference will have three main topics:
To take part in the conference or/and to give a presentation, submit your application by 1 May. More information: http://nyex.info/58-11706.html 11-14 October 2007: Bucharest, Romania This main session of this international workshop is aimed at science education researchers and institutions involved in science education. Two satellite events are specifically aimed at teachers:
The satellite events are free; the fee for the conference is €80. Register by 15-25 September 2007 (depending on event). The workshop and events are organised by the Center for Science Education and Training in collaboration with the education network Hands-on Science. More information: http://education.inflpr.ro/en/ses07.htm 10-12 October 2007: European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany The European Learning Laboratory for the Life Sciences (ELLS) is an education facility to bring secondary school teachers into the research lab for a unique hands-on encounter with state-of-the-art molecular biology techniques. ELLS also gives scientists a chance to work with teachers, helping to bridge the widening gap between research and schools. The three-day course is designed to enable the participating teachers to explore a range of activities, which they can practice in the lab and then take back to the classroom. The course is open to 20 European high-school science teachers and is run in English. The course, including course materials, catering and accommodation, is free of charge; participants are expected to meet their own travel costs. More information: www.embl.de/ells 21-30 September 2007: Warsaw, Poland The XIth Science Festival includes about 460 various events in scientific institutions around Warsaw. From 24-28 September, scientists will present 220 classes for school students (ages 6-18), together with their teachers. The classes cover all branches of science, especially those that are not taught in detail at school. Dr Marek Ostrowski, the scientist and photographer will give an exhibition and multimedia presentation for teachers on Warsaw, its history and future, and how to teach this in schools and universities (5pm, 24 September at the Warsaw University main campus). All events are free and in Polish. Classes must register by 14 September. More information: www.icm.edu.pl/festiwal 29 September 2007: Cork Institute of Technology and Blackrock Castle Observatory, Ireland All teachers interested in physics teaching are invited to attend a day of lectures, demonstrations and workshops for post-primary teachers of physics, organised by the Institute of Physics and the city of Cork. The working language is English and the registration fee is €30. More information: www.physics.cit.ie/frontiers2007 14-20 September 2007: CERN, Switzerland CERN, the world's largest particle physics laboratory, organises courses for physics teachers who would like to The courses are free of charge, but the participants are expected This course is for participants from Germany (Baden-Württemberg, Saarland and Sachsen-Anhalt) and takes place in German. Contact: Mick Storr 9-15 September 2007: York, UK In September, the University of York, the city of York and the surrounding area will experience an explosion of science. From excursions and hands-on family days to debates on current hot topics and unique opportunities to question the UK’s top scientists, the BA Festival of Science offers something for everyone. Schools can be involved through a programme of specifically designed activities for students of all ages, their teachers and their supporters. As Europe’s largest celebration of science, it offers the opportunity to find out about latest developments in an exciting and informative way by connecting with a range of scientists, engineers, technologists, museums and businesses. There is also a strand of education events aimed specifically at science teachers. Local UK schools will receive full details and booking information in the summer term. To make sure you are on the mailing list, email or call us, mentioning the schools programme. More information: www.the-ba.net/festivalofscience 9-15 September 2007: CERN, Switzerland CERN, the world's largest particle physics laboratory, organises courses for physics teachers who would like to The courses are free of charge, but the participants are expected This course is for participants from Portugal and takes place in Portuguese. Contact: Mick Storr 1-8 September 2007: CERN, Switzerland CERN, the world's largest particle physics laboratory, organises courses for physics teachers who would like to The courses are free of charge, but the participants are expected This course is for participants from Germany (Bavaria, NRW) and takes place in German. Contact: Mick Storr 4-7 September 2007: ExploHeidelberg Teaching Lab, Germany This course will introduce standard molecular biology techniques by cloning an interesting region of the bacteriophage Lambda into the plasmid vector pUC18. The properties of DNA and protein, their isolation, production and manipulation are taught theoretically as well as practically. Starting with genomic DNA, we will amplify an interesting gene fragment by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), digest it with restriction enzymes and insert it into the vector (ligation). Additional methods include: agarose gel electrophoresis, transformation, blue-white selection, selection and validation of the clones. Then we will focus on protein biochemistry and examine protein expression of the marker gene GFP (green fluorescent protein) that will be isolated from E. coli culture by affinity chromatography. Homogeneity and yield is then checked by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and a Bradford protein assay. Finally we will touch immuno methods and determine the antibody titer of an unknown sample using the ELISA technique. The course runs in German, is for a maximum of 12 senior high-school students and costs More information: www.explo-heidelberg.de/lernlabor/ 26-31 August 2007: Opatija, Croatia For the first time the GIREP (International Research Group on Physics Teaching) Seminar is organised as a joint event with the European Physics Education Conference (EPEC). Whereas GIREP traditionally gathers experts and practitioners in educational physics, EPEC is a young conference organised by the European Physical Society, which attracts the top physicists in Europe. The joint conference will bring together physics teachers from schools and universities across Europe, encouraging dialogue and the exchange of best practice in physics education. Teachers are invited to join this conference. (Theme to be arranged, the working language will be English.) More information: www.ffri.hr/GE2/ 18-30 August 2007: Petnica Science Center, Serbia The summer program of the Petnica Science Center gathers gifted and motivated school students from south-eastern Europe and beyond. This intensive and stimulating course on All students aged 17-20 are eligible. The main selection criteria are motivation for out-of-school learning and a demonstrated More information: www.psc.ac.yu/pi 4-28 August 2007: Göttingen, Germany Organised by XLAB, the international science camps are open to interested high school students and undergraduate college and university students, about ages 17-22, from all over the world. Courses are offered in biology, chemistry and physics and held by scientists from the University of Göttingen and affiliated research organizations. The scientists are assisted by experienced technical assistants. More information: www.xlab-goettingen.de 19-25 August 2007: CERN, Switzerland CERN, the world's largest particle physics laboratory, organises courses for physics teachers who would like to The courses are free of charge, and the participants are expected This course is for participants from Hungary and takes place in Hungarian. Contact: Mick Storr 22-24 August 2007: Gembloux Agricultural University, Gembloux, Belgium This congress for secondary-school science teachers includes lectures in science and didactics, workshops, demonstration experiments, a textbook and science hardware fair, plus visits to various labs, industries and places of scientific interest. The working language is French and the congress fee is €10 (or free for many teachers). More information: www.congres-des-sciences.be July 2007: Moscow, Russia It's 50 years since Sputnik 1 was launched by the Soviet Union so what The Space Development, Theory and Practice workshop is run by the Youth Space Centre, part of one of Moscow's best More information: http://ysc.sm.bmstu.ru 22-28 July 2007: CERN, Switzerland CERN, the world's largest particle physics laboratory, organises courses for physics teachers who would like to The courses are free of charge, and the participants are expected This course is for participants from Spain and takes place in Spanish. Contact: Mick Storr 21-25 July 2007: Ecole Normale Superieure, Paris, France This annual summer science festival is dedicated to children and teenagers from underprivileged backgrounds. It takes place at the prestigious Ecole Normale Superieure, a university at the heart of the scientific area of Paris. The science festival opens the world of science and research to its 3000 visitors, aged nine to 17. More information: www.paris-montagne.org 2-21 July 2007: CERN, Switzerland CERN, the world's largest particle physics laboratory, organises courses for physics teachers who would like to The courses are free of charge, and the participants are expected This course is for participants from Europe and the USA and takes place in English. Contact: Mick Storr 23 June - 17 July 2007: Göttingen, Germany Organised by XLAB, the international science camps are open to interested high school students and undergraduate college and university students, about ages 17-22, from all over the world. Courses are offered in biology, chemistry and physics and held by scientists from the University of Göttingen and affiliated research organizations. The scientists are assisted by experienced technical assistants. More information: www.xlab-goettingen.de 10 July 2007: Madrid, Spain Physics and chemistry teachers of different educative levels are invited to a workshop organised by the Real Sociedad Española de Química (Spanish royal sciety of chemistry) and the chemistry didactics group at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, about cooperative learning, conceptual maps, problem-based learning, laboratory activities, and other educational tools for active chemistry and physics learning. It is also an opportunity to discuss the European credit transfer system used at universities. All papers presented will be published in a book.The working language is Spanish but teachers from outside Spain are warmly welcome. More information: www.etsii.upm.es/ieducativa/Jornada2007.htm 4-6 July 2007: European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany The European Learning Laboratory for the Life Sciences (ELLS) is an education facility to bring secondary school teachers into the research lab for a unique hands-on encounter with state-of-the-art molecular biology techniques. ELLS also gives scientists a chance to work with teachers, helping to bridge the widening gap between research and schools. The 3-day course is designed to enable the participant teachers to explore a range of activities, which they can practice in the lab and then take back to the classroom. The course is open to 20 European high-school science teachers and is run in English. The course, including course materials, catering and accommodation, is free of charge; participants are expected to meet their own travel costs. More information: www.embl.de/ells Until 5 July 2007: All Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries As part of the Ciencia en Acción festival, young people can take part in the Adopta una Estrella (adopt a star) competition. The main objective of the competition is to arouse the interest of children and teenagers in the world of the astronomy. The contest is aimed at teams of 3 school students (not university students) coordinated by a teacher. There are 12 prizes of 1500 € for the best projects presented. The first prize consists of a trip for the group to a centre of the CSIC (the national council of scientific research) of Spain. The competition is in Spanish and Portuguese, and is open to science teachers from all Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries Deadline for applications: 5 July 2007. More information: www.cienciaenaccion.org 3-24 June 2007: CERN, Switzerland CERN, the world's largest particle physics laboratory, organises courses for physics teachers who would like to The courses are free of charge, and the participants are expected This course is for participants from Finland and takes place in Finnish. Contact: Mick Storr Until 20 June 2007: Germany Secondary-school teachers in Germany are invited to enter this year's Science on Stage Deutschland competition, 'Spannung in die Schule' (excitement at school). Entries should consist of exciting and practical teaching ideas, school projects or activities. They may include any subjects, but should be relevant to science. Prizes worth up to €3000 will be awarded in September 2007 by Nobel Prize winner for physics, Professor Bednorz. More information: www.science-on-stage.de 14 June 2007: Technopolis, Mechelen, Belgium Science teachers are invited to participate in workshops and debates on how schools and science centres can come together at the forefront of science education. The conference will give concrete examples of best practice from the 14 European PENCIL pilot projects, covering a wide range of topics and student age groups. These projects have been tested and evaluated in schools, as well as in science centres and museums. Using these results, the conference offers teachers pragmatic guidelines on the following key areas:
Teachers will have the chance to network and exchange their experiences with colleagues from all over Europe. The working language is English and participation in the conference is free. More information: www.xplora.org/xplora/pencilconference07 3-9 June 2007: CERN, Switzerland CERN, the world's largest particle physics laboratory, organises courses for physics teachers who would like to The courses are free of charge, and the participants are expected This course is for participants from Germany (RPf, BW) and takes place in German. Contact: Mick Storr 7 June 2007: Rugby School, Rugby, UK Organised by the Institute of Physics, this is a one-day meeting for teachers of physics in schools and colleges, and for teachers in training. The main purpose is to bring together physics teachers from both state and independent schools to learn about the latest developments in physics and physics education. Three lectures are given by leading research physicists and by physics education experts, together with a series of six hands-on workshops, discussion sessions and a teacher exchange of news and information. The meeting also provides an opportunity for equipment suppliers, publishers and awarding bodies to communicate their new products. Most participants come from England and Wales, but teachers from further afield are very welcome. Conference fee: £30 including lunch (concession for new and trainee UK teachers: £15). Contact: Chris A Butlin, Chairman of the Institute of Physics School Physics Group (ChrisAButlin@aol.com or +44(0)1904 607 169) Until 4 June 2007: UK Send off for a free pack of mint seeds, a balance sheet and a wall chart of growing tips. Grow your own mint and then, if you like, have some good ideas to sell it and let Planet Science know the total of your turnover. Get in the top 50 money earners and your ideas will be considered for a prize of £1000 worth of gardening vouchers (£250 for each of the four runners up). More information: www.planet-science.com/outthere/mint/ 20-28 May 2007: CERN, Switzerland CERN, the world's largest particle physics laboratory, organises courses for physics teachers who would like to The courses are free of charge, and the participants are expected This course is for participants from Poland and takes place in Polish. Contact: Mick Storr 10-12 May 2007: Pavilion of the Future, Seville, Spain During the three-day science fair, students from primary and secondary schools as well as universities will present science projects that they have prepared with their teachers. The projects will be communicated and exhibited to visitors in an interactive, engaging and entertaining way. National private and public institutions will also present their current research. Organised by the Andalusian Society for the Popularisation of Science (Sociedad Andaluza para la Divulgación de la Ciencia), the science fair aims to help teachers, students and scientific communities share scientific experiences, as well as to promote science in our society. Most participants will be from Andalucia, but everyone interested in presenting and developing this kind of educational science project is welcome to attend. The working language will be Spanish. More information: www.cienciaviva.org 11 May 2007: Museum of Industry, Oberhausen, Germany Eleven teams from four different countries participated in the European school project, Innovative Technologies Move Europe. The teams of teachers and students developed creative and innovative projects in their schools, addressing one of the following topics:
Teachers are invited to join this final meeting, where the student will present the results in English. More information: www.science-on-stage.de Until 1 May: UK and Republic of Ireland Young people in the UK and the Republic of Ireland are invited to enter a 700-word article to the The Daily Telegraph and Bayer Science Writer competition. Winners will have their 700-word articles published in the The Daily Telegraph, receive cash prizes, subscriptions to Nature and New Scientist, and work placements with either The Daily Telegraph, Bayer or the Royal Society. The deadline is 1 May 2007 and entries are judged in two categories:
More information: www.science-writer.co.uk 9 March - 30 April 2007: UK Are you a budding science reporter, aged 14-16? Why not enter our science writing competition and win a day with the Cancer Research UK press team? To take part, write a news story about something related to health or medicine that has recently been in the headlines. Entries should be no more than 300 words and the competition is open to all schools in the UK. Deadline for entries: 30 April 2007. More information: http://info.cancerresearchuk.org 22-28 April 2007: CERN, Switzerland CERN, the world's largest particle physics laboratory, organises courses for physics teachers who would like to The courses are free of charge, and the participants are expected This course is for participants from Slovakia and takes place in Slovak. Contact: Mick Storr 27 April 2008 - 31 January 2008: UK NESTA, the Engineering and Technology Board and the Institute of Physics are putting together a database of mini movies of science demonstrations and experiments. Everyone in the UK is encouraged to enter the competition by submitting films of two minutes or under. More details will be available in April, but the prototype website has some examples of movies that have already been made. Make sure you have Quicktime installed to see the films. More information: www.planet-scicast.com/ 15-21 April 2007: CERN, Switzerland CERN, the world's largest particle physics laboratory, organises courses for physics teachers who would like to The courses are free of charge, and the participants are expected This course is for participants from Poland and takes place in Polish. Contact: Mick Storr 11-15 April 2007: CERN, Switzerland CERN, the world's largest particle physics laboratory, organises courses for physics teachers who would like to The courses are free of charge, and the participants are expected This course is for participants from Finland and takes place in Finnish. Contact: Mick Storr 13-14 April 2007: University of Vienna, Austria This German-language symposium organised by the Österreichisches Kompetenzzentrum für Didaktik der Biologie includes presentations, indoor and outdoor workshops. Biology teachers interested in carrying out biodiversity activities at school, as well as scientists working in the field of biodiversity, are invited to participate. Contact: martina.knapp@univie.ac.at 10-13 April 2007: CERN, Switzerland CERN, the world's largest particle physics laboratory, organises courses for physics teachers who would like to The courses are free of charge, and the participants are expected This course is for participants from the UK and takes place in English. Contact: Mick Storr 4-6 April 2007: Petras Vileisis' Gymnasium, Pasvalys, Lithuania Organised by the Association of Lithuanian Natural Science Olympiads, this 40th Lithuanian biology olympiad focuses on academic innovations and educative leisure. For the first time, Lithuanian schoolchildren will participate in International Biology Olympiad (IBO’18 in Canada). 'Step to the future' therefore not only includes the Lithuanian Biology Olympiad, but also preparation camps for the IBO. More information: www.olimpiados.lt 2-6 April 2007: European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble, France Science on Stage offers European science teachers the chance to exchange successful and innovative teaching methods and materials. In 2006, national competitions, workshops and events in 30 participating European countries raised awareness of best practices in science teaching and identified exceptional teaching projects and outstanding educators in each country. At the European science teaching festival at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in Grenoble, France, 500 teachers selected from the 30 countries will take part. The event will showcase the very best of today's science education and serve as a discussion forum for relevant topics. More information: www.scienceonstage.net 25 March - 1 April 2007: Potsdam, Germany The European Union Science Olympiad (EUSO) is a team competition for EU secondary-school science students (aged 16 or under). The intention is:
The deadline for applications is 1 March 2007. More information: www.euso2007.de Until 30 March: Worldwide Entries for the Catch a Star! Artists competition (see announcement) are now in. You can help to choose the winner Until 30 March 2007: Europe-wide To celebrate Biodiversity Day, MarBEF (Marine Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning) are launching a competition for European children and adults to capture marine biodiversity by:
Winners will receive prizes of a value of up to €100, and their entries may be published online and in the MarBEF newsletter, which is delivered to almost 1000 scientists across Europe. More information: www.marbef.org/outreach/kids/competition.php 22-24 March 2007: Vilnius, Lithuania Organised by the Association of Lithuanian Natural Science Olympiads, this 45th Lithuanian chemistry olympiad focuses on academic innovations and educative leisure. Students with the most outstanding performances will be invited to preparation camps for the Baltic and international chemistry olympiads. More information: www.olimpiados.lt 20 March 2007: Worcestershire, UK This training course aims to:
More information: www.slcs.ac.uk/wm/ 19 March 2007: Warwickshire, UK This training course aims to:
More information: www.slcs.ac.uk/wm/ Until 17 March 2007: Germany Teachers in German secondary schools are invited to take part in a national competition to recognise, reward and spread innovative teaching ideas. More information: www.unterricht-innovativ.de 15-16 March 2007: Riga, Latvia This conference will consider the development of science didactics in Latvia, current problems in science education, as well as its place in pedagogy and natural sciences. Discussions will take place in plenary sessions and workshops. University teachers, scientists, school teachers, doctoral and masters students and others interested in the issue are invited to participate. The conference is organised by the Riga Teacher Training and Educational Management Academy, the Association of Biology Teachers of Latvia and the Natural History Museum of Latvia. Conference fee: €10 (5-7 LVL for participants from Latvia). Deadline for submission of abstracts: 1 February 2007. More information: www.rpiva.lv 14 March 2007: Keele, UK This new course views learning from the pupil's perspective and seeks engaging solutions to motivate and inspire adolescents to succeed in science. Pop culture, movies and games can all be applied in new teaching and learning approaches. This course will share outcomes from classroom-trialled activities and recent research findings to provide participants with immediate ideas for the classroom. More information: www.slcs.ac.uk/wm 10 March 2007: Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium The Flemish Association of Mathematics Teachers invites Dutch-speaking teachers to attend its annual meeting. Teachers from the Koninklijk Atheneum Geel (secondary school) will present their experiments with 'accompanied independent self-study', Professor I. Daubechies will speak on cryptography and John De Poorter will present his interactive science game, 'De doos van Borromini' (Borromini's box). Cost: €25/€20 More information: www.vvwl.be Until 2 March 2007: Worldwide This competition, organised by the European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere (ESO) and the European Association for Astronomy Education, aims to encourage students to work together, learn about astronomy and discover things for themselves by researching information. Student teams can write a project about a chosen topic in astronomy, selecting an astronomical object such as a nebula, star, planet or moon, or a more general theme such as ‘black holes’ or ‘star formation’. Younger students may take part in a drawing and painting competition. Prizes include a trip to visit ESO’s Very Large Telescope facility on the Paranal mountain-top in Chile. Deadline for entries: 2 March 2007. More information: www.eso.org/catchastar/ 28 February - 2 March 2007: European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany The European Learning Laboratory for the Life Sciences (ELLS) is an education facility to bring secondary school teachers into the research lab for a unique hands-on encounter with state-of-the-art molecular biology techniques. ELLS also gives scientists a chance to work with teachers, helping to bridge the widening gap between research and schools. The 3-day course is designed to enable the participant teachers to explore a range of activities, which they can practice in the lab and then take back to the classroom. Teachers will:
The course is open to 20 European high-school science teachers and is run in English. The course, including course materials, catering and accommodation, is free of charge; participants are expected to meet their own travel costs. The registration deadline is 16 February 2007. More information: www.embl.de/ells 26-27 February 2007: European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Monterotondo, Italy Organised by Cusmibio in collaboration with the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Monterotondo, this course is intended for high-school science teachers and PhD students in the biological sciences. Given by prominent scientists in the field of stem cells, from basic research to clinical applications and bioethics, the lectures (in Italian) will cover:
More information: www.cusmibio.unimi.it 4-6 January 2007: Birmingham University, UK Aimed at teachers of 11-16 year olds, these 90-minute workshops help biology, physics and chemistry teachers to teach science in an earth science context, making the science relevant to the world around us, our environment and our lives. Workshops are relevant to teachers in all countries. The workshops are led by science educators from the Earth Science Education Unit and will take place within the Association of Science Education (ASE) annual conference. More information: www.earthscienceeducation.com 3-6 January 2007: Birmingham, UK Science teachers and technicians are invited to explore, debate and discover what is important to them in the world of science education in over 350 lectures and workshops. Highlights include:
More information: www.ase.org.uk Throughout 2006: Europe-wide By sharing the enthusiasm of scientific discovery and the beauty of the sea, Marine Genomics Europe wishes to raise awareness among European citizens of the value of science and the need to protect our marine heritage. In a photography competition, underwater images will be publicly exhibited during 2006 in a travelling exhibition at aquaria, museums and schools. Schools, science museums and others are invited to host the exhibition. More information: www.marine-genomics-europe.org 24-25 November 2006: Gläserne Labor, Berlin-Buch, Germany Genlabor & Schule is a network of learning laboratories for the molecular life sciences in Germany, coordinated by the German Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (GBM). Science teachers, research scientists and representatives of learned societies, governments, companies and foundations are invited to attend. Participation costs 30€, with a discount for members of the GMB or representatives of NaT-working projects. More information: www.genlabor-schule.de 22 November 2006, 9 am and 11am: San Lazzaro di Savena (BO), Italy On her Italian tour, Rossella Palomba, researcher at the Italian National Research Council and ambassador for equal opportunities in science, will meet higher secondary-school students, to stimulate their interest in scientific careers. More information: www.lascienzainpiazza.it or www.irpps.cnr.it/diva 22 November 2006: Technopolis, Mechelen, Belgium All teachers who teach technology to 12- to 13-year-olds are invited to attend a day of workshops, information sessions and a fair of education materials to provide practical information to be used in the classroom. Currently, all the planned activities are in Dutch, but if there is sufficient interest, this can be changed. More information: www.technopolis.be 21 November 2006, 6pm: San Lazzaro di Savena (BO), Italy At this science cocktail, Rossella Palomba, researcher at the Italian National Research Council and ambassador for equal opportunities in science, will discuss about gender problems linked to scientific carriers. More information: www.lascienzainpiazza.it 18 November 2006: Leuven University, Belgium The Flemish Society of Science Teachers invites Dutch-speaking science teachers to join them for a conference of workshops and lectures on teaching biology, physics and chemistry. As the number of participants is limited to 700, early registration is advisable. More information: www.velewe.be 15 November 2006: Catalonia, Spain As part of Science Week (10-19 November), one hundred scientific researchers will visit secondary schools to talk about being a scientist, share their expertise and answer questions. More information (in Catalan): www.setmanaciencia.org 15 November 2006: Homburg, Germany Of interest to German-speaking school students is the 'Rund um Biowissenschaften' job fair, which provides information about all careers and job opportunities in the biological sciences. More information: www.biopher.de 7-10 November 2006, 11am and 1pm: Glasgow Science Centre, Scotland, UK An open-ended investigative workshop using chemical reactions and teamwork to create surprising results! More information: www.glasgowsciencecentre.org 7-10 November 2006, 10 and 11am, 12, 1 and 2pm: Glasgow Science Centre, Scotland, UK Let your pupils see how much fun they can have studying chemistry in this interactive workshop. Experience fire writing, outrageous ooze, ‘dynamite soap’, ‘electric writing’ and much more. Activity sheets and CD resources included. The session is delivered by Development to Update School Chemistry (DUSC). More information: www.glasgowsciencecentre.org 9 November 2006: Oxford, UK This conference, run by The Oxford Trust, will explore how schools can encourage students to study science after the age of 16, and whether there is a valuable role for local industry and delivery organisations such as The Oxford Trust/SETPOINT in helping schools to meet new targets in this area. The goal of the conference is to bring schools, research organisations and companies together to develop some practical outcomes in the form of innovative programmes that can be piloted with Oxfordshire schools. Contact: Bridget Holligan (bridget.holligan@oxtrust.org.uk) 8 November 2006, 4.15-6-30pm: Glasgow Science Centre, Scotland, UK Presented in association with Development to Update School Chemistry, this workshop is aimed mainly at supporting physicists and biologists but also new (and not so young) chemists. It allows teachers a chance to see some novel demonstrations and try some unusual experiments including fire writing, outrageous ooze, 'dynamite soap' and piezo rockets. Pupil activity sheets and take-home CD resources included. Cost: £10 plus VAT. More information: www.glasgowsciencecentre.org 26 October - 7 November 2006: Genoa, Italy For the Genoa Science Festival, the whole city – the squares and the historical buildings, the harbour and the theatres – will be the stage for over 250 events, to discover the most fascinating and innovative scientific research and its connections with our daily life. The festival offers a wide range of conferences, interdisciplinary meetings and round tables with international scholars, interactive exhibitions, play-and-learn laboratories, musical, theatrical and cinema performances and shows. Highlights for the teaching community include:
More information: www.festivalscienza.it 3-4 November 2006: EMBL Heidelberg, Germany This conference will consider the current – and future – uses of new neurological knowledge and technologies. What are the consequences when biochemical solutions to behavioural problems such as depression, addiction, or eating disorders take precedence over attempts to repair the social environment or defective inter-personal relations? How do we avert the risk of psychopharmacology being abused for neurochemical enhancement? Although new knowledge coming out of the neurosciences has an enormous potential benefit, treating or manipulating the mind also has important social, legal and bioethical implications. These are some of the main issues that will form the basis of this conference. More information: www.embl.de/aboutus/sciencesociety/conferences/2006/scope06.html 2 November 2006: Glasgow Science Centre, Scotland, UK This course, developed and presented by Scottish Earth Science Education Forum and Earth Science Education Unit, consists of morning and afternoon workshops. Both workshops include teacher resource packs, a free rock kit and maps. Cost: £10 half-day / £18 full-day (incl. lunch) + VAT.
More information: www.glasgowsciencecentre.org 1 November 2006 4:15pm - 6:30pm: Glasgow Science Centre, Scotland, UK Boost your confidence in this often difficult-to-teach subject: Earth in space. Experience the night sky with expert astronomers in the ScottishPower Planetarium; visualise what it's like to work and live in space in a 3D IMAX film, Space Station 3D. Cost: £10 plus VAT. More information: www.glasgowsciencecentre.org 18 October 2006, 6pm: Techniquest, Cardiff Bay, Wales, UK Could stem cells be a 'wonder cure'? Why are embryos used as a source of stem cells? What impact could stem cell research and therapies have on our society? In this public discussion, experts will discuss the potential uses of stem cells, the possible medical concerns, the ethics surrounding in stem cell The event is free, but registration is necessary. Contact: Claudine Anderson (AndersonCN@cardiff.ac.uk) 16 October 2006: Birmingham, UK This new course views learning from the pupil's perspective and seeks engaging solutions to motivate and inspire adolescents to succeed in science. Pop culture, movies and games can all be applied in new teaching and learning approaches. This course will share outcomes from classroom-trialled activities and recent research findings to provide participants with immediate ideas for the classroom. More information: www.slcs.ac.uk/wm 12-14 October 2006: Europa Park Rust, near Freiburg, Germany Young would-be-scientists are invited to join exciting experiments, workshops, hands-on activities and science shows. Over 100 scientific organisations (from research, industry and education) present a range of activities to communicate science in a fun and playful way. Cost: 5€. The events on Thursday and Friday (12-13 October) are particularly aimed at school students. School classes are advised to book in advance. More information: www.science-days.de 9 October 2006: University Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France 200 Alsatian pupils and their teachers are invited to become students for the day at the Kids University, initiated by the League of European Research Universities (LERU). Children take part in a conference, practical work, a museum visit and have contact with researchers, introducing them to scientific research through the theme of the climate. More information: http://science-ouverte.u-strasbg.fr/KUSweb 4-6 October 2006: EMBL Heidelberg, Germany The European Learning Laboratory for the Life Sciences (ELLS) is an education facility to bring secondary school teachers into the research lab for a unique hands-on encounter with state-of-the-art molecular biology techniques. ELLS also gives scientists a chance to work with teachers, helping to bridge the widening gap between research and schools. The 3-day course is designed to enable the participant teachers to:
The programme includes:
The course is open to 15 European high-school science teachers and is run in English. The course, including course materials and catering, is free of charge; participants are expected to meet their own travel and accommodation costs. The registration deadline is 22 September 2006. More information: www.embl.de/ells 4 October 2006: Keele, UK This training course aims to:
More information: www.slcs.ac.uk/wm 1 October 2006: Germany The Science on Stage programme offers European science teachers the chance to exchange successful and innovative teaching methods and materials. The deadline for German teachers to submit applications to take part in this European science teaching festival (2-7 April 2007 in Grenoble, France) is 1 October 2006. More information: www.science-on-stage.de 10 May - 30 September 2006: worldwide Plus magazine is launching the Plus New Writers Award to find the people who can bring mathematics to life. Published online and free of charge, Plus is an award-winning magazine about mathematics which is aimed at the general public. Its articles by top mathematicians and science writers provide a window into the world of mathematics with all its beauty and applications, and cover fields as diverse as art, medicine, cosmology and sport. The competition is open to new writers of any age and from any background who can explain a mathematical topic or application they think the public needs to know about. There are two categories of entrants: secondary school students and the general public. The winning entries will be read by an international audience of over 100 000 in the December issue of Plus, and the prize pool includes an iPod. The closing date is 30 September 2006. More information: http://plus.maths.org/competition 22-24 September 2006: Wolfsburg, Germany At the European 'Teaching Science in Europe' conference, Science on Stage Deutschland e.V. (SonSD) will present a publication with teaching materials, elaborated by teachers from 15 different countries. European science teachers are invited from Friday 22 September at 6.30pm until Sunday 24 September 2006 at 3pm to the science centre phaeno in Wolfsburg, Germany (1 hour from Berlin and Hannover). The conference is also the kick-off-meeting for the continuation of our process and we would welcome your participation. The new working groups will deal with the following topics:
The registration deadline is 22 August 2006. For European participants, the costs of the conference, accommodation and food will be covered by Science on Stage Deutschland e.V. More information: www.science-on-stage.de 15 May - 15 September 2006: worldwide The Nuffield Council on Bioethics, UK, has launched a consultation on the ethical dilemmas related to public health, such as the difficulties in balancing individual choice and community benefit. A consultation paper provides background information and asks questions in the context of five case studies: infectious diseases, obesity, smoking, alcohol, and the supplementation of food and water. For example:
You might decide to pick one topic for a lesson – the consultation paper includes lots of information to use with a class. Your students' views will certainly be heard, as all responses will be considered by the Nuffield Council. The deadline for responses is 15 September 2006. More information: www.nuffieldbioethics.org Until 15 September: European Union Sixteen- to 18-year-old school students in the European Union are invited to apply for the Development Youth Prize by entering a piece of artwork (photo, poster or multimedia presentation) accompanied by a short message or caption. The topic of the 2006 competition is Africa, and applications should apply to one or more of the following themes: education, health or environment. The text may be in any of the official EU languages, but a version should be included in either English, French or German. All entries must be associated with a school or recognised youth organisation. More information: www.dyp2006.org 4-9 September 2006: Braga, Portugal The 3rd International Conference and Symposium on Hands-on Science offers those involved in science education an opportunity to exchange experience on syllabus and policy matters, social factors and the learning of science, and other issues related to science education, concentrating on the increased use of hands-on experiments in the classroom. The contact seminar, ‘Building bridges: Towards an Improved Science Education’, will promote the discussion and preparation of new Comenius 1 and Comenius 2 school projects. More information: www.hsci.info/hsci2006/index.html 8 September 2006: Universität Kassel, Germany Biology teachers who teach in English are invited to a free workshop organised by the Verband deutscher Biologen and the Hessian Vereinigung für bilinguale Schulen. English-language teaching materials will be developed in small working groups and presented to all participants. Teachers from outside Germany are warmly welcome. More information: www.vdbiol.de 6-29 August 2006: XLAB, University of Göttingen, Germany The 4th International Science Camp for high-school students and first-year university students from all over the world offers courses in biology, chemistry and physics. The courses are taught by scientists from the University and other research organisations in Göttingen. At weekends and in the evenings, XLAB will arrange a cultural and social programme led by experienced teachers. The two-week camp costs 1500 €, all inclusive. More information: www.xlab-goettingen.de 20-25 August 2006: University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands GIREP conferences aim to bring together physicists, physics educators and physics teachers from all levels of education around issues in physics education and physics education research. The biannual conferences have grown out to major events with over 300 participants from all continents except Antarctica. The theme of this year’s conference is 'modelling in physics and physics education' and guides the morning lecture sessions and some workshops. The parallel paper, poster, symposium, and workshop sessions may focus on other themes in physics education such as physics curriculum, laboratory, equipment, teacher education and professional development, assessment, and use of ICT in physics education, and teaching physics for engineering or medicine. More information: www.girep2006.nl 16 July - 5 August 2006: Tremesek, Czech Republic Every year the International Over three weeks, the participants work on their own astronomical project, with a team of young scientists to help and guide them. The theme Since this is More information: www.iayc.org/next_camp.php 20 April - 30 July 2006: Genoa, Italy The first Arena of Mathematics allows students and the public of all the ages to discover to how useful and amusing mathematics is and how important in daily life. Visitors can get involved through games, experiments and many other interactive activities. More information: www.matefitness.it 17 July 2006 11:30-13:00: Forum am Deutschen Museum, Munich, Germany Are Europeans feeling more and more disconnected with science and technology? This interactive webcast will directly connect an audience of students in Munich with young scientists working at the cutting edge of research. The scientists are working on some of the most exciting large-scale experiments and they are able to outline the cutting edge research they are doing in terms that are suitable for our target audience (from particle physics to fusion research, space exploration to molecular biology, astronomy to probing the very heart of matter). Students will have the opportunity to discuss with researchers what some of their daily tasks are, how they got to work at one of the world largest research organisations and what made them choose a scientific career thus enabling them to catch an exciting glimpse of science in practice. The event will be held in German and entry is free. More information: www.esof2006.org 15-21 July 2006: Munich, Germany For this week, almost everything in Munich will revolve around science. Laboratories and institutes will be open to the public during the Lange Nacht der Wissenschaften (The Long Night of Sciences), exhibitions will display intersections between science and art, while current issues and research discoveries will be discussed in symposia, talk-shows and cultural events. This year, the Wissenschaftssommer and ESOF 06 will happen at the same time in Munich – a perfect excuse to visit the Bavarian capital. More information: www.wissenschaft-im-dialog.de 15-19 July 2006: Forum am Deutschen Museum and the Deutsches Museum, Munich, Germany ESOF brings together all groups involved in scientific endeavour, including researchers, policy-makers, representatives of industrial research and development, science journalists and the general public. It fosters debate about science and society, presents science and the humanities at the cutting edge and stimulates scientific awareness. The programme will include hands-on experiments. This year, ESOF and the German national science week (Wissenschaftssommer) will be happening at the same time in Munich – a perfect excuse to visit the Bavarian capital. More information: www.esof2006.org |