News
As the school year comes to a close, we celebrate another milestone for the “Scientist Returns to School” program (translated from the Portuguese ‘Cientista Regressa à Escola’), which once again brought scientists back to their childhood classrooms across Portugal to inspire the next generation.
This year, the initiative led by Native Scientists connected 100 researchers with 3,881 children across 146 schools – from the bustling capital of Lisbon to the remote islands of the Azores and Madeira.
We are proud to share these latest accomplishments as we continue working towards a future where science is for everyone, everywhere.
This year’s edition saw scientists revisit their primary schools, delivering hands-on workshops to 4th-grade students. For 50% of the children, it was their first-ever encounter with a scientist. The impact was profound, around 95% of students loved the experience and96% of teachers recommended the programme and would like to repeat these activities for the following year.
“The kids said it was the best day of their school year”, shared one participating scientist. Another added, “I expected to inspire them, but their curiosity ended up inspiring me”.Teachers resonated with this enthusiasm, praising how the workshops made “distant science feel accessible” and revitalized classroom dynamics.
The programme’s reach was unprecedented:
- 48 municipalities engaged, including 20 in the Azores and Madeira archipelagos, the first time reaching all the islands in both archipelagos.
- 213 workshops were held, covering topics from marine biology to cutting-edge technology.
- 64% of activities were funded by grants, with private contributors and municipalities supporting the remainder.
As Native Scientists prepares for the 2025/26 school year, the focus remains on bridging gaps.
“Every child deserves to see science as a possibility”, said a scientist. “Whether in Lisbon or Lajes das Flores, that spark of curiosity is universal”.
Financiado pela Comissão Europeia. A visão e as opiniões são, no entanto, apenas do(s) autor(es) e não refletem necessariamente as da Comissão Europeia. Nem a União Europeia nem o financiador deste projeto podem ser responsabilizados.