Welcome to the wonders of science
To keep young scientific minds fit and enquiring, the EU-funded 'Welcome to observations, news and demonstrations of European research and science 2007' (Wonders07) project organised science festivals in cities spanning the whole of Europe. Organised by Euscea, the European Science Events Association, together with EUSJA, the European Union of Science Journalists' Associations, and EUN, the European Schoolnet, Wonders07 promoted science to students in universities and schools across the continent. Overall, almost 100 festivals took place in cities with a launch in Berlin. Onward from there, the University of Strasbourg in the west of France, Tartu in Estonia, Ireland and Iceland hosted the festivals, to name but a few venues. In line with their motto 'look closer' that steers student minds to delve below the surface and think more about the task in question, Wonders07 devised two events to stimulate the minds of the participants. First, a carousel of science, through which interactive science presentations would be exchanged. A discussion game 'Decide' was the second novel form of encouragement for students to actively participate. The carousel of science lives up to its description. One science festival sends its presentations to the next and so on until the last festival communicates with the first closing the circle. Basically, it is a lively way of achieving two-way interactive communication. The game 'Decide' involved schools in the cities hosting the festivals. A discussion game with rules in debate format, it also gives the student a chance to load the results onto the Internet. Wonders07 science communication events were a new form of cooperation between those with a deep and committed interest in science. Inspiring young people to follow scientific thought, project events have created an inspired dialogue between students which constitutes a firm foundation for European competitiveness in the future of science.
