NOVA Scientists Return to School

23 de January, 2025

 

“The experience enchants both children and teachers,” says Joana Bordalo, the initiative’s creator, as evidenced by the pictures below – which show Nova SBE’s Lucas Sousa with a class from Albufeira in his first school last December. The workshop he proposed focused on project management, his area of work, and allowed him to show how people can work together, addressing issues of time management, budgeting and planning. Between nervousness and a lot of laughter, “they learned in practice what it means to manage a project”, adds Joana, referring to the experience lived by one of the seven scientists from NOVA University of Lisbon who are participating this academic year in this unique initiative of Native Scientists called “Scientist Returns to School”. 

Created by Joana Bordalo, a graduate of NOVA FCSH and Starters Academy, NOVA Impact‘s entrepreneurship programme, aimed at stimulating students’ entrepreneurial spirit, the project is broad enough to welcome all scientists: To be eligible, scientists must carry out research in any field of knowledge and have completed the 1st cycle of basic education in Portugal. 

In total, this academic year, seven scientists from NOVA University Lisbon are confirmed in the project, helping to inspire new generations and share the impact of their scientific work in their communities of origin. 

After Antonio Granado, from NOVA FCSH, who visited the school he attended, in Fundão, this Monday the 27th, visits by Tiago Faria, from NOVA FCSH, to Fafe (13/03/2025) and Ana Raquel Barbosa, from NOVA Medical School to Ponta Delgada (28/04/2025) are already planned. The date of departure of Filipa da Silva Lopes, from NOVA FCSH, to Bagunte, Vila do Conde, and Raquel Viveiros, from NOVA FCT, to Braga, are still to be determined.