Nysgjerrigper's highlights in 2005
Nysgjerrigper ? The Research Council of Norway's project for primary school children ? looks back on another successful year of science communication. Here are some highlights from 2005.
- In January, the web site nysgjerrigpermetoden.no was launched. This tool enables school children and teachers to cooperate on their science project.
- During February, a national network of teachers ? or ambassadors ? came together to spread knowledge about using scientific teaching methods in primary school. Throughout the year, they have lectured at schools, participated in conferences and teaching seminars. Also this month, the contest "Draw a scientist" was initiated. Many drawings were received, and a winner was elected in November.
- May and June: this is the time for the annual science contest! More than 100 projects were submitted, and a highly qualified jury, regional and nationally, spent two weeks deciding a winner. The winning class ? researching on why skin gets wrinkled under water ? and awarded projects in special categories, received their prices during a ceremony at the Norwegian Museum for Science and Technology. The contest was broadly covered in the national press and on television.
- Reaching September, the National Science Week is hosted all over Norway. In Oslo, and elsewhere nationwide, Nysgjerrigper cooperated with other communicating institutions to spread the message that science is fun!
- In November, Nysgjerrigper visited Brussels and the international conference Communicating European Research 2005. Here, pupils from the Scandinavian school in Brussels demonstrated to visitors how explaining DNA can be made easy by using jellymen and toothpicks!
- At the end of the year, a December issue of Nature published a short note describing the results of an informal study based on the drawings sent in to the "Draw a scientist" contest.
- All through the year, an increase in the demand for the Nysgjerrigper magazine is noticeable. All the articles, and more, from the magazine are published on Nysgjerrigper?s web site, and more and more of them are found in other media, citing Nysgjerrigper or nysgjerrigper.no. Also, the web site?s English section has been heavily expended and upgraded to meet the growing needs from more and more international visitors.
Last modified: 10.01.2006