ITALY
THE SPECIAL LANGUAGE OF RESEARCH IL LINGUAGGIO DELLA RICERCA This initiative is promoted by the BOLOGNA RESEARCH AREA - CNR (NATIONAL CENTRE OF RESEARCH) AND INAF (NATIONAL ASTROPHYSICS INSTITUTE) and is intended for Higher Secondary School students from 14 to19 years of age. More information is available here. Organisation in charge: Bologna Research Area - CNR (National Centre of Research) and INAF (National Astrophysics Institute), Bologna Email: linguaggiodellaricerca@isof.cnr.it Website: http://www.bo.cnr.it/linguaggiodellaricerca Contact person: Mila D’Angelantonio - Email: mda@isof.cnr.it
INITIATIVE
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The Special Language of Research is a project whose aim is that of improving the relationship between science and society by activating a new channel of communication between the school system and that of scientific research carried out by the Bologna Research Area - CNR (National Centre of Research) and INAF (National Astrophysics Institute). With this purpose it addresses students of higher secondary schools of all kinds, particularly those who are about to make crucial decisions about their future, including choices regarding uptake of university studies or entry into the work environment and aims to stimulate their interest in the popularisation of current scientific research activities amongst a non expert public (society in general). The original idea was proposed and developed by Carla Ferreri and the project involves all the institutes of the Bologna Research Area, many higher secondary schools (from 2004 to date, 17 schools in total) and a group of scientific popularisers and journalists who this year are members of the International Rotary Club - Felsineo Group. The project foresees two phases. In phase 1 researchers meet the students in a cycle of presentations and guided visits to the laboratories of the CNR and it also includes exercises on subjects (agreed beforehand with the teachers) considered capable of providing suitable enrichment of the school curriculum. Phase 2 comprises lectures by journalists and popularisers with regard to how science can be communicated, and includes presentations, articles or other multimedia products (video, website, PPT presentations etc.) elaborated by students themselves and relevant to certain subjects dealt with in phase 1. The “best” products developed and received during the year are presented on the project website and on occasions at workshop events. At the end of the project, a workshop is organised that involves students, teachers, school directors and other regional contributors to the project. During the workshop there is an exhibition of all works received and prizes are awarded to the best works. A very important element of the project is its bilingual character (use of Italian and English) both during the lecture presentations by the researchers and in the materials produced by students. English accompanies the Italian mother tongue because it is the main language for the communication of scientific news and because the technical-scientific knowledge generated is relevant to a generation of European citizens who have high levels of mobility within a Pan-European work environment.
SUBJECT/S The topics dealt with involve various research areas relevant to the Bologna Research Area group, like geology, chemistry, biochemistry, physics, astrophysics and biometrology. A wide range of presentations are made available to interested schools, from which they can choose those they consider most suitable or relevant to their particular school curriculum. The presentations and guided visits available to date, include up-to-date topics like: food and the damage caused by free radicals, air quality, climate change, the global challenge on energy conservation, radioactive pollution, new methods to fight malaria, the connections between art and science, new novel materials and their production, nanotecnologies, microelectronics and the most up to date topics in the area of astrophysics research. The lectures which focus on science communication techniques deal with the art of science popularisation and the experiences of professional journalists. Particular attention is paid to the use of vocabulary and terminology in both English and Italian.