Session B02: Education to Bridge Communities

The Accelerating Teaching project: Teaching accelerator physics and its uses in high school classrooms

"Race to Space" is a learning game that combines neutron scattering with a narrative pedagogical approach to engage high school students in physics. The game provides an active learning setting, where students take on the role of a team of scientists who will use neutron scattering techniques to analyze materials as part of in an interactive story. As the story progresses, the scientists (students) are put in situations, where they need to also consider connections between neutron scattering and other physics disciplines (planetary science and biophysics). They are faced with moral and ethical dilemmas concerning funding, commercialization, and scientific values. This talk will focus on the development of the game and how it was presented in a MOOC that was targeted at European science teachers.   

Helping to build global communities through research, education and outreach

The Abdus Salam ICTP, a UNESCO institute in the basic sciences, has been supporting scientists in all stages of their careers, and in nearly every country across the globe, for the past 60 years. Helping to build or enhance communities across divides-- whether economic, geographical or otherwise-- has been at the heart of its mission from the beginning, and successful programs have been developed as tools towards that end, with a strong emphasis on programs aimed at students and early career scientists. ICTP also participates in a number of global scientific outreach events-- such as international scientific days and years-- which can help to nurture an appreciation for science and society across all boundaries and build a larger community based, in the words of Abdus Salam, on a universal heritage for humanity.   

Networking and teamworking

The complexity of certain physics problems and the urgency to contribute to societal challenges has been accompanied by a dramatic shift toward collaborative research or "team science". In this talk I shall focus on how to build up your network with European researchers by profiting from opportunites like Joint/Double Degree PhD projects, postdoctoral programmes, visting fellowships and becoming part of research projects financed by the European Commission. Joint/Double Degree PhD projects are particularly popular in Europe and Canada: the PhD student has two supervisors at two different universities and spends time at each (typically at least 1 year at the European or Canadian partner). The results are summarized in 1 thesis, defended at one or at both partners; the diplomas issued after defence are valid only together. I shall give tips on how to set up such a project. National funding agencies in Europe, the European Commission as well as some European universities and research institutions offer postdoctoral fellowships that are also open to incoming researchers from other continents and awarded on the basis of a research proposal submitted by the candidate. I shall explain how to go about preparing such an application. The same advice also helps to apply for visiting scientist grants offered by the same funding bodies. Once the early career physicists have their own groups, they need funding for their research and for paying their PhD students and postdocs. The European Commission has established the HORIZON EUROPE scientific research initiative for 2021-2027. To particpate researchers from EU and from associated countries form consortia to address the 5 missions (climate change, cancer, ocean and waters, smart cities, healthy soils). Among the associated countries are also countries on other continents like Tunesia, New Zealand and South Corea. I shall focus on Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Networks and explain how to prepare such a proposal.