Summer Science Programmes for Students|2006
at the Centre for Social Studies, University of Coimbra, Portugal
Ten years ago, the Portuguese agency ‘Ciência Viva’ created the Summer Science Programmes for Students. The main aim of the programmes is the promotion of scientific culture, enabling students from secondary schools to interact with teams in research centres.
For the first time in 2006, the Centre for Social Studies (CES) – a member of the ‘Ciência Viva’ Assembly – hosted four students attending secondary schools in two programmes that were specially designed for the occasion: ‘Diversity in the University’ and ‘Raising Conscience, Living with Science’. These programmes are related to research areas at CES, and they were coordinated by Marta Araújo and Tiago Santos Pereira. The four participants are from several areas of Portugal, namely Coimbra (1), Santarém (1) and Guarda (2). Their field of studies is: natural sciences (2) and social sciences and humanities (2).
The two programmes took place from 17 to 21 July. The students engaged with several activities related to research in social sciences, such as: review of the literature, preparation of fieldwork, administering and analysing questionnaires. The students also attended seminars included in the regular activities promoted by CES, and participated in a session on methods and techniques in social sciences. The latter was especially organised for them, and included presentations by José Manuel Mendes and Paula Meneses (CES). In the last day, the students presented the results of their research experience during their stay to the community of researchers at CES. This seminar helped students to understand how crucial is the sharing and confronting of ideas in the identification of new approaches, both to specific areas of research and to ways of producing knowledge.
In the evaluation of the Summer Programme, the fact that two of the participants had previously been involved in similar programmes in chemistry and geology labs proved interesting. This contributed to their understanding of the differences and similarities in the research practices taking place in various contexts. More specifically, this enabled the students to acknowledge the existing diversity in knowledge production.
Considering that the aims of the programmes were clearly achieved, namely promoting awareness about research in the social sciences and specific knowledge in the subject areas addressed, this initiative will be continued in the future. CES sees initiatives such as this, which involve the promotion of knowledge to no-academic publics, of particular relevance.
Diversity in the University
Diversidade na Universidade
Supervisors: Marta Araújo, Marisa Matias, Hugo Dias and Ricardo Cabrita
Every year, the University of Coimbra hosts foreign students, coming mainly from African Countries with Portuguese as an Official Language (PALOP). However, not much information is known about this community.
The project ‘Diversity in the University’ provided the participants with the opportunity to explore and deepen their knowledge about the cultural diversity of the university students in Coimbra. In particular, within the project they were able to look at questions such as: where do these students come from? Which are the main difficulties they face both at the University and in the city? What do they think about Coimbra? And what does the population from Coimbra know and think about them?
Summary of results
The students administered two small questionnaires: one to people living in Coimbra (in the city centre) and the other to PALOP students (in the university area). The questionnaires were partially similar in order to allow comparisons between the two groups. To administer the questionnaire, the population of Coimbra was divided in two age groups (under 32 and over 45), in order to compare eventual differences between people who experienced the dictatorial period and those who did not. 48 questionnaires were administered, with a balanced gender distribution. 20 PALOP students were enquired. This group was constituted by all those in the selected area who showed their availability to participate in the study.
The analysis of data suggested that the population of Coimbra tends to underrate the presence of PALOP students at the University of Coimbra amongst those with foreign nationality. Indeed, European countries were mentioned by around 70 per cent of those enquired as the place of origin of foreign students. This suggests that people do not tend to think of people from the PALOP as part of the University of Coimbra’s student community. Additionally, there was a discrepancy between the population of Coimbra and PALOP students regarding the motives leading to their choice of the University. The former tends to overstate characteristics associated with the University and the city, such as its prestige, history, tranquillity, and absence of violence. On the other hand, most students referred that they cannot choose the University they wish to attend, due to the universities quota system in place.
Regarding the difficulties experienced by PALOP students, whilst they themselves tend to refer the climate as the most important issue, the population tends to overrate financial problems. This indicates that they ignore the fact that, according to University data, many of those students have a higher socio-economic status than their Portuguese counterparts. Both groups pointed out racism as being the second most important difficulty faced by Black students.
Finally, people were enquired regarding the impact that these students can have in the city. Some of the answers were very negative, including racist remarks. Other people referred that these students can contribute to promote knowledge about different cultures. A few went further, considering that their presence in the city can facilitate social and cultural change. That is, they suggested that having contact with other ways of seeing and knowing can help the Portuguese society in rethinking what is usually considered ‘normality’, which tends to exclude the ‘other’.
Raising Conscience, Living with Science
Nascer Consciência, Viver com Ciência
Supervisors: António Farinhas Rodrigues, Tiago Santos Pereira and Marisa Matias
‘Raising Conscience, Living with Science’ was developed in association with the on-going research project ‘Science at the Parliament: a study of the boundary between science and policy’, funded by the Portuguese Agency FCT.
Science and technology often enter and influence our everyday lives. In particular, issues such as science and innovation, medically assisted procreation, nuclear power, stem cells or waste co-incineration are prominent in the media and have been the focus of much heated political debate in the last few years.
Summary of results
Students were engaged in a set of activities that enabled them to address the main concerns raised by the research project mentioned above. In particular, they dealt with some debates on the articulation between science, policy and citizenship, as well as on the role of science in citizens’ political awareness.
The research activities develop as part of this project were divided in two parts. Firstly, students searched the Parliament’s database regarding the legislative process (available online at http://www.parlamento.pt). Students then chose particular themes related to science and technology that they were interested in exploring, namely, medically assisted procreation, stem cells and pregnancy termination, after which they analysed debates and parliamentary initiatives on these subjects. The students considered that MPs are increasingly aware of these issues, in spite of the scarce discussion registered.
Secondly, questionnaires were constructed to enquire the population of Coimbra about these issues. The group of lay people enquired was divided in three age groups.
The questionnaire was structured in four different sections: the level of information of those enquired on several science-related themes that featured in recent debates; regarding the same themes, their opinion about the role that several political actors (including citizens) should play in decision-making processes; their opinion on the level of information that MPs show about those themes; and, finally, their positioning on a number of selected topics.
Data analysis confirmed that lay people have a deficit of trust regarding the capacity of MPs to decide on the issues related to science and technology. Considering that they are not sufficiently informed, people tend to agree that the decision-making on these subjects should be delegated to scientists and experts.
Additionally, the participants had the opportunity to test the hypotheses previously formulated by crossing the results (lack of information of MPs, different perspectives on actors that should be involved in the decision-making processes, the level of (dis)agreement on selected topics) with different variables (namely, sex, age, political orientation).
Students’ evaluation
Marisa Figueiredo
Coimbra, 17 years old
One day, at the Comprehensive School D. Duarte (Coimbra), I came across a poster advertising ‘Ciência Viva’ and decided to apply. I wanted to experience doing research. I checked their website and looked for available summer programmes in Coimbra. In the midst of many, I found one entitled ‘Raising Conscience, Living with Science’ which attracted me for enabling us to discuss interesting political and social issues.
So, I applied and longed for a positive reply. One day, someone called me saying that I had been short-listed. I was very happy, excited and looking forward to it. I waited for (a few) weeks, which was enough to feel impatient about the beginning of the activities. As this was my first experience of the kind, I wished it to be special and interesting.
In the first day, I woke up feeling anxious: I wanted to meet the other participants, the supervisors, to know what kind of things they do and the type of activities we would be engaged with. As I met our supervisors, I immediately thought they were very friendly, easygoing and smile-ish. I also met the other three participants who now I consider very sweet, interesting and funny. Since the first moments together we started creating strong bonds.
During the first day of the programme, we were introduced to the research activities developed at the Centre. We had a guided tour, stopping by every office where each researcher gave us some insight about the research work they were carrying out. Everyone was extremely friendly, warm and empathetic. This was very important because it made us feel welcome. In the afternoon, we attended a seminar in English on Peace Studies, which was actually a bit difficult to me as my English standards are poor. Nonetheless, the topic was very interesting. We also attended a seminar on research methods in social sciences, which was specially designed for us. This would be very useful for the following days.
During the second day, we visited the North-South Library, where we met two other very friendly people (the librarians). They taught us to use good search engines and tools. After this visit, the ‘real’ work started: we analysed the literature on the issues we would work on. We also looked for information related to the topics we selected (stem cells, medically assisted procreation and pregnancy termination) on the Parliament’s database. Then, we worked on the data to produce some graphs. This was a very interesting day, and I found some (considerable) information about the Parliament’s activities.
On the third day, we started fieldwork. We went downtown to the city centre to apply the questionnaires that we had prepared the previous day. This practical side of the programme was really fascinating. Besides, some curious and awkward situations happened whilst we were enquiring people.
The fourth day was the busiest of all. We analysed the data and prepared our next-day presentations. Even though it was a bit tiring (so many sheets and numbers), it was very illustrative and absorbing.
Today, unfortunately the last one 
, we presented the seminar on the work that we carried out throughout the week. We were really nervous and a bit insecure. Finally, it came out quite well. Now, that I am writing this mega ‘historical’ evaluation, I think that it was a great experience. I have learned a lot of new stuff, felt easily integrated and loved the other participants. The only thing I can say about the supervisors is that they are outstanding. And I finish here wishing that we can meet again some other time!
Erica Mascarenhas
Entroncamento, 14 years old
Looking back, I found this experience very enriching in several ways. It allowed me to get to know the daily life of researchers in social sciences, and it also enabled me to spend time with other secondary school students.
It was also very positive to realise that many syllabus contents from different subject areas that we study in secondary school are really useful when we are involved in research.
However, I think that the programme was a bit too short. In order to carry out the amount of tasks planned, a tight schedule and coordination was required. I thus suggest that, in the future, the length of the programmes should be extended (to about two weeks).
In short, despite the busy schedule, this summer programme was an unforgettable experience, both in terms of acquiring and deepening knowledge in the field, and for meeting and mingling with the other students.
Sara Rodrigues
Guarda, 17 years old
Honestly, I think that the summer programme was very well organised. The fact that so many researchers got involved in the activities with ‘simple’ students from secondary schools surprised me and was really flattering.
I think that the programme should be continued in coming years, since this is a great chance for young people (who are still deciding upon their future) to meet researchers and ‘walk in their shoes’. This programme allowed us to experience their research routines, and eventually might lead us to choose the same path one day.
Patrícia Rodrigues
Guarda, 20 years old
If we mix both positive and negative aspects, shake them well… The result is: grand!
Since this is an evaluation exercise, I would say that the organisation, activities and hosting were just excellent!
I really appreciate the fact of having all the data, pictures and videos gathered in a DVD-ROM. Our ‘memory chip’ is selective and has a limited storage capacity. Thus, even though too many pictures were taken, I commit to that in the name of the preservation of our troubled memory!
To conclude, though this might be commonplace, I wish most sincerely to thank you once again (and again). Who knows, may be we meet again next year!…
Ciência Viva Summer Courses 2006
June 21, 2006
The courses will take place at the Center for Social Studies (from July 17th until the 21st) 
Launched in June 1996, the Ciência Viva programme is the contribution of the Ministry of Science and Technology to the promotion of a scientific and technological culture among the Portuguese population.
