PaGES: How exciting is to be a scientist!

01/11 

   

(ph. Nicoletta Carboni, Fabio Mazzolini)

In February and March 2016, scientists and managers from CERIC-ERIC and Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste had the first meetings with the students and the teachers of the schools partners of the project PaGES. 

During the first two cycles of courses, the students have been introduced to the basics of project management: they have been explained what a project is, what are its characteristics and phases and what tools can be used for its planning, monitoring and management. The theoretical part has been linked to a team building game reproducing the characteristics of a project: a team with its capabilities, a limited amount of resources, a timeframe within which the project has to be concluded. 

The invited scientists showed some of the applications that the research on advanced materials can have. In particular, in occasion of the visit of the students to the synchrotron at Elettra, the participants had the chance to directly experience the life of a scientist, by learning how to create Composite Hybrid Materials and to grow Carbon Nanotubes. International researchers from CERIC were present to explain what are the main steps to take up a scientific career and answered to the many questions of the students. As a follow-up, hints and tips on how to present and disseminate the scientific data both to a scientific and to a wider public have been given, to increase the chances of an efficient science communication. 

The last cycle of events is planned in the beginning of April: the students will present their work and the results of the experiments to their schoolmates and to the professors. 

PaGES – Planning, Management and Implementation of a scientific experiment in an international research infrastructure – is a project funded by Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, under the regional Plan Educational Offer (POF), year 2015/2016: Special Projects.