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Native Scientists
FoundedLondon, 2013
FocusPromoting and exploiting cultural and linguistic diversity in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths)
HeadquartersLondon
Directors
Joana Moscoso
Founders
Joana Moscoso, Tatiana Correia
Websitewww.nativescientists.org

Native Scientists is a non-profit organisation operating in various European countries to broaden the horizons of underserved children (6 to 16 years). It develops and implements programs that establish meaningful connections between pupils and scientists to promote science and language literacy.[1] Other aims include inspiring migrant young people to consider careers in STEM and training scientists to communicate their work to non-scientists.[2] According to their latest internal report, the organization has managed to establish over 20,000 connections (i.e meaningful interactions) between children and scientists through its different programs.[3]

History

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Native Scientists was founded in 2013 by two Portuguese scientists, Joana Moscoso, a biologist, and Tatiana Correia, a physicist, who met while studying in the UK. The organization was created to reduce inequalities affecting underserved children in the access to higher education and STEM subjects. In a recent publication in the OECD “The Forum Network”, Joana Moscoso, one of the founders, revealed that this motivation was rooted in personal history:

“The odds for me to become a scientist were very slim. I was born a girl in the ‘80s, I grew up in a village far away from scientific or higher education institutions, my native language was not English, and no one in my family or around me had graduated with a Ph.D. or was enrolled in a science career. According to evidence, my family background, native language, birthplace and, to top it all, my gender, did not favour a scientific career.”[4]

Native Scientists is mainly fueled by volunteer work from a wide network of international scientists.

Activities and Workshop Format

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Native Scientists' projects share the philosophy that creating meaningful connections between pupils and scientists is critical to achieving the organization’s goals. Science outreach activities are therefore premised on establishing common ground, which can be found in a shared heritage language, culture, or upbringing. "Native Schools", which joins international STEM scientists and migrant pupils in schools to speak about science in their heritage language, is Native Scientists' oldest and most successful endeavor. During approximately 60 minutes workshops, groups of 4/5 children interact with different scientists in a carousel, speed dating, style, which promote active and critical participation through language integrated learning.[5][6][7]

These workshops connect underserved children with role models of similar cultural background, aiming at increasing scientific literacy, encouraging scientific careers, and valuing multilingualism. Initially operating only in the UK for Portuguese-speaking communities,[8][9] the project has now expanded to other international communities inside the UK and other European countries, including France, Norway, Germany, Sweden, Ireland and the Netherlands.

Native Scientists also runs the program “Cientista Regressa à Escola”[10] which prompts Portuguese scientists to return to the schools where they originally studied to share their research and career path. One of the major Portuguese newspapers, “Público”, wrote a profile on this particular program. The piece covered a workshop which took place in Foros de Arão, a small rural village of Alentejo, and highlighted the view of one of the teachers of the elementary school:

“[she] notes that children of this age are not very aware of a scientist’s role. ‘ When we ask them [the children] what they want to be when they’re older, they usually answer firemen or policemen. Being a scientist is not something which feels close to them.’ The teacher also thinks that growing up in a rural setting makes science seem like a distant activity.”[11]

Other programs include “Cartas com Ciência”,[12] through which pupils and scientists from the CPLP exchange written letters, “Native Explorers",[13] which hosts events for older children and teenagers in museums, universities and research centers,[14] and “Native Training”.[15] which trains scientists on science communication and outreach. The organization has also launched scientific podcasts for children, school educational resources authored by scientists, and a collection of interviews about the benefits and challenges of being multilingual[16][17][18]

Partnerships

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The organizations is formally associated with more than 30 other European institutions, including other scientific and international associations, language institutes and universities.[19][20] Notable partners include the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, the Goethe Institute, Instituto Camões and the Elsevier Foundation.[21][22][23]

Awards

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Native Scientists created the Native Awards to recognise the creativity of pupils in the Native Schools project. Pupils are asked to draw what a scientist is for them, as well as to imagine and write a sentence of what they would do if they were a scientist.[36]

References

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  1. ^ "Tackling Educational Disadvantage | Native Scientist". nativescientist. Retrieved 2022-04-10.
  2. ^ "Programmes | Native Scientist". nativescientist. Retrieved 2022-04-10.
  3. ^ "Native_year 7_2019/2020_annual report.pdf". Google Docs. Retrieved 2022-04-10.
  4. ^ Network, The OECD Forum (2022-02-09). "Improving the odds for underrepresented groups in science". The OECD Forum Network. Retrieved 2022-04-10.
  5. ^ Elsevier. "Science and language learning go hand-in-hand in program for schools". Elsevier Connect. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  6. ^ Moscoso, Joana A.; Correia, Tatiana; Morgia, Francesca La (15 November 2018). "The Native Scientist project in Ireland: Promoting Heritage Languages through informal Engagements with Scientists". Teanga. 25: 170–175. doi:10.35903/teanga.v25i0.53. hdl:11585/936896.
  7. ^ Organ, Jason (13 May 2019). "How your science communication can turn multi-lingual!". plos.org. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  8. ^ Marques, Pedro (3 April 2018). "Portuguese complementary education in the United Kingdom". Revista Portuguesa de História. 48: 209–226. doi:10.14195/0870-4147_48_9. hdl:10316.2/43245. Retrieved 4 June 2019 – via impactum-journals.uc.pt.
  9. ^ "British backing for project to help Portuguese community in London". www.theportugalnews.com. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  10. ^ "Cientista Regressa à Escola | Atividades de Ciência | Portugal". Cientista Regressa (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2022-04-10.
  11. ^ Fieschi, Teresa Sofia Serafim, Matilde. "Cientistas regressam à sua escola primária para inspirar os mais novos". PÚBLICO (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2022-04-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ "Cartas com Ciência". Cartas com Ciência (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2022-04-10.
  13. ^ "Native Explorers | Native Scientist". nativescientist. Retrieved 2022-04-10.
  14. ^ "Native Scientist explores the Origin of the Universe". Native Scientist - Promoting Science and Language Learning. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  15. ^ "Workshops for Scientists | Science Communication and Outreach | Native Training". nativescientist. Retrieved 2022-04-10.
  16. ^ "Native Scientist, books, native books, scientists, multilingualism". Native Scientist - Promoting Science and Language Learning. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  17. ^ "nativescientist - Scientists are human too". Native Scientist - Promoting Science and Language Learning. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  18. ^ "Rádio Miúdos estreia programa "Os Cientistas Explica" em parceria com a Native Scientist". diasporalusa.pt. 21 March 2017. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  19. ^ "nativescientist - partners". Native Scientist - Promoting Science and Language Learning. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  20. ^ University, Heriot-Watt. "Native Scientist". www.hw.ac.uk. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  21. ^ "Projeto Escolas/Native Scientist". Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  22. ^ "The Elsevier Foundation - New Scholars Grants". elsevierfoundation.org. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  23. ^ "Native Scientist - Goethe-Institut". www.goethe.de. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  24. ^ Society, Microbiology. "Microbiology Outreach Prize". microbiologysociety.org. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  25. ^ "Society awards outstanding science communicators". RSB. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  26. ^ "Alumna da U.Porto premiada pela Royal Society of Biology". Notícias UP. 29 September 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  27. ^ "Imperial celebrates its societal engagement stars - Imperial News - Imperial College London". Imperial News. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  28. ^ "Joana Moscoso - Innovators Under 35". www.innovatorsunder35.com. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  29. ^ Innovators Under 35 (3 November 2017). "Non-profit organisation to reduce educational disadvantages - Joana Moscoso - #Innovators35EU". Retrieved 4 June 2019 – via YouTube.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  30. ^ University, Heriot-Watt. "2017 Winners". www.hw.ac.uk. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  31. ^ "NS receives EU label for promoting Cultural Heritage". Native Scientist - Promoting Science and Language Learning. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  32. ^ "Congratulations to the shortlisted nominees of the STEM Inspiration Awards - STEM". www.stem.org.uk. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  33. ^ Scientist, Native (1 November 2018). "Thrilled to have received the "Highly Commended" distinction today @UKHouseofLords, commissioned by @STEMLearningUK and under the #STEMinspiration category! A proud #NativeScientist community today! pic.twitter.com/x9o0RzoT9u". twitter.com. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  34. ^ "Winners of the 2018 STEM Inspiration Awards - STEM". www.stem.org.uk. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  35. ^ "Native Scientist | Falling Walls". falling-walls.com. Retrieved 2022-04-10.
  36. ^ "Pupils in Munich and London win Native Awards 2017". Native Scientist - Promoting Science and Language Learning. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
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