More than 22,000 students benefited from the program Scientists at the service –A initiative of the non -profit organization Puerto Rico Science (Sciencepr) that promotes the active participation of experts in Stem (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) in the country’s scientific education, in its virtual and face -to -face modality -, which culminated this month its most recent editions.
Since 2019, the component of visits from scientists to the service PAREA VOLUNTARY EXPERTS – PROFESSIONALS AND ADVANCED UNIVERSITY STUDENTS – with schools from the entire archipelago, to offer talks about their scientific trajectories and their careers. During the 2024-2025 school year and in collaboration with the entity Science in your handsfor the first time, a mentoring component for visits to sixth to eighth grade students was integrated.
This program phase offered unique experiences to 396 students, from 20 public schools, which belong to the educational regions of San Juan and Ponce. The experts, who were trained in scientific communication and mentoring, visited their schools assigned twice. On the first visit, they offered talks about their disciplines and trajectories, accompanied by an experiment designed to arouse the scientific curiosity of young people. In the second, they presented the Guide of Research Projects and Scientific Fair, an educational tool that served to motivate students to participate in research and exploration activities and to know the processes of the scientific and design method for engineering.
“This new mentoring component strengthened the commitment of sciencepr with an accessible, contextualized and transformative scientific education. We know that practical experiences and the accompaniment of mentors can make a deep difference in the academic and vocational development of our students ”the doctor said ABNIEL MACHÍN DE JESÚSDirector of the SciencePR Education Unit, via press communication.
Regarding the virtual component of the program, during the school year, they were carried out 37 online talkswith the participation of scientists from various disciplines. They were broadcast live, through Sciencepr YouTube channelreaching more than 57,000 people. Of those, more than 22,000 students, from sixth to twelfth grade, obtained digital participation certificateswhich can be validated as hours of green contact or occupational exploration.
The talks addressed issues in environmental sciences, chemistry, robotics, mental health, cancer, biology, medicine, space science and energy, among others, and were moderated by Elvin EstradaCoordinator of Scientists at Service for more than five years.
“We want each student in Puerto Rico to be reflected in a scientist or scientific of their community and knows that it can also be part of that world. With online service scientists, we create connections between youth and Stem experts, who are a source of inspiration and knowledge so that they are exposed to concrete possibilities for their future, ”commented, meanwhile, the doctor Greetchen Díaz MuñozExecutive SciencePR Director.
All resources generated as part of scientists to the service, including the guide and recordings of virtual talks, are stored in the Catalog of Educational Resourcesan open digital platform available in The portal of science pr.