The event opened formally with words from Dean Fadeev from the Pedagogical University, a representative of the local education authority welcoming such a project to the city and encouraging opportunities for interschool investigative research as well as welcoming words from Natalia Gapanovich. Natalia read a special letter to the participants stressing the importance of communicating Science to young people and for young people becoming competent Science communicators themselves. The letter was all the more important as it was countersigned by Academician O. M. Nefedov, chairman of the National Committee of Russian Chemists, Member of the IUPAC bureau, Supervisor of the Chemistry College of Higher Education of the Russian Academy of Science and Academician N. P. Laverov, Vice-president of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Supervisor of the College of Rational use of Nature of the Russian Chemistry-Technological University, D. I. Mendeleyev and N. P. Tarasova, Member of the Russian Academy of Science, Member of the Committee of Chemical Education IUPAC, Headmaster of the Institute of Chemistry and problems of the steady development of the Russian Chemistry-Technological University, D. I. Mendeleyev.

43 teachers came from all parts of the Krasnoyarsk region for the 5-day YAC workshop and a significant element in the first day’s programme were presentations from colleagues on their school contexts and Science Education in their areas.

Young Ambassadors for Chemistry is funded by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (website) through the committee for educational projects. The main aim of the YAC project, as you may already know from postings on previous events around the world, is the popularisation of Science and raising the public awareness of Science by employing young people as ‘Ambassadors’ of Science. In this context, students of the participating teachers mediate between the public and the Science activities explaining what is going on, answering questions and also gaining valuable feedback from the public on their opinions on what they witness happening in front of them.

Russian language materials

Of particular significance in Russia is the preparation of the Science Across the World materials ‘Chemistry in our Lives’ and ‘Talking about Genetics around the World’ in the Russian language. Natalia and her daughter, Katya, get special thanks for this tremendous achievement. This brings the tally to Spanish from Argentina YACs, Chinese from Taiwan YACs and now Russian from Siberian YACs. These materials will be on the Science Across website very soon, if they are not there already.

Partners

Day 1

Intro SAW

Day 2

Day 3

Closure and goodbyes

Outcomes

Whatismore, the very collaboration necessary in getting the project to work on the ground is no small achievement. Many thanks to partners, the British Council in Russia for the communication between their offices in Moscow and Krasnoyarsk in coordinating our travel from the UK and Holland to the Krasnoyarsk. Many special thanks to Marina and colleagues at the teacher training University for their hospitality as well as the colleagues who interpreted for us (Sveta, you’re a star!). Another significant characteristic of this event is the collaboration between English and Science teachers in two working languages, as well as their commitment to carrying out collaborative work together back in their schools.

This initative is part of a long term series of workshops with teachers in Krasnoyarsk and in Siberia and the next step will be these teachers cascading what they have learnt to colleagues in neighbouring schools. Lida and I both look forward to being involved!

Best wishes
Keith

Keith Kelly (Language Education Consultant)
FACTWorld Coordinator (www.factworld.info)
NILE Associate Trainer (www.nile-elt.com)
SAW Consultant (www.scienceacross.org)
Home address: 20 Rose Valley, Norwich, NR22PX, UK
Home tel: 0044 1603610896
Mobile: 0044 778 2356776
email: keithkelly@factworld.org

Download the report here.