NMS Researchers participate in the second edition of the FIC.a - International Science Festival with two activities tailored for children and teenagers, which took place in Oeiras between October 10 and 14.
Hub-ACT, the art, science & technology hub of Oeiras, hosted The second edition of the FIC.a that welcomed thousands of scientific activities, combining science, art and technology, to raise the interest and curiosity of the population.
Daniela Dias, coordinator of the Fly Facility, and Andreia Oliveira, PhD student from the Proliferation and Fate Regulation of Stem Cells Lab, jointly promoted an activity entitled "The role of Drosophila in Science" in which they demonstrated the potential of scientific research using the fruit fly as a research model. Together, Daniela and Andreia received more than 125 children, between 4 and 10 years old, who had the opportunity to understand how fruit flies are similar to humans and learned, for example, to distinguish females from males, learn how their wings can look like and what they eat and how well they are maintained in the lab. Andreia Oliveira defends that participation in this type of event is very important and says that "it is not only an opportunity to disseminate the research we perform, but also to demonstrate to the general public the potential of animal models, such as Drosophila, in the study of human disease". The researcher hopes that in the future there will be more opportunities to participate in these types of activities as "it is very gratifying to be able to educate and inspire younger minds to pursue a career in science." In the same line, Daniela Dias considers that "the participation in these events represents an added value in fostering the Fly Unit, showing the fundamental role of Drosophila in science and health.", adding that "the flies are always very well received by the public and, at the FIC.A, it was no exception. The younger ones showed a lot of curiosity about this model organism, being very participative and interested."
Maria João Jacinto, executive director of Patient Innovation, presented this platform and challenged the teenagers from classes she received, to create solutions to deal with diseases or potential conditions that affect the lives of patients. Maria João Jacinto highlighted that "the ability to innovate has no age, and that's why we really like to present the project and work with the younger ones, in activities such as the Ciência Viva internships or in workshops at FIC.a - it is always very creative". Moreover, the researcher believes that "we can spark curiosity and innovation in young people, so that later on we can help develop their ideas for their own needs."
Link to event.