Primary school pupils in Amsterdam are presented with scientists in the classroom

Students in participating primary schools are already getting to know the world they will visit in a fun way. They use special teaching materials to discuss what science is, what scientists do, and the technical terms their guest teacher uses. Students also think about research questions themselves and explore their image as a scientist. During the guest lecture, the scholars then interact with the students to talk about their daily work, after which the scholars and schools share their experiences.

Increase access to science

By organizing this joint Get to know the professor The UvA and VU want to increase access to and proximity to science. “Ask someone to draw a scientist, or even Google the term ‘scientist,’ and you’ll soon be presented with a stereotypical image of a scientist. ‘A lot of the time a white guy, wearing a lab coat and glasses with a chemical tube in his hand,’ explains Bart Groenefeld, the initiator. From UvA. “This can create significant distance between students who are not aware of this themselves, especially students with non-Western immigrant backgrounds or with parents who have not received academic education.”