The Santos Dumont Institute (ISD) opened the doors of the Edmond and Lily Safra International Institute of Neuroscience (IIN-ELS), one of its units located in Macaíba (RN), to students from the public education network in municipalities in the Metropolitan Region of Natal, as part of the 18th National Science and Technology Week (SNCT). From November 22nd, students from Parnamirim and Macaíba were able to experience activities involving virtual reality, electronics, microscopy and learn more about the functioning of the human brain, in activities taught by master's students and Scientific Initiation students from the Institute. 

History teacher at Escola Municipal Alzelina de Sena Valença, located in the municipality of Parnamirim, Andreia Mendes reports that the activity had a great impact on the students, many of whom had never had the opportunity to take a field class. “This is the first time that I have had the opportunity to take my students to a field class and see, in fact, not only the interest that the class aroused in the students, but also the enchantment they had with this relationship between science and technology.”, reports Andreia.

“Most of the students had never taken a field class, and none had had the opportunity to see, for example, a robotics class, a virtual reality class, a class, for example, with microscopes... for them, it was extremely rich . An immense opportunity, which greatly translated into the impression they had. Many described the field class at Instituto Santos Dumont as 'incredible', 'wonderful', 'unforgettable', 'surprising'... and many expressed their desire to stay longer and said they would like to return at other times", adds the teacher . 

ISD was one of the institutions awarded resources from the Ministry of Science and Technology (MCTI) to carry out the SNCT, in a project submitted by research professor Carolina Gonzalez. The resources made it possible to guarantee the transportation of students from their schools to the Institute's headquarters, located in the rural area of Macaíba, and the necessary materials to carry out the short courses and activities. 

According to research professor Carolina Gonzalez, promoting this type of activity is essential to allow children and adolescents early contact with science, and encourage them to enter and better understand the universe of scientific research. “Holding this type of event is of great importance, mainly because we work with public funding, which belongs to the Brazilian people, so it is our duty to be able to return this knowledge produced here to society. Furthermore, contact with science from an early age can encourage the training of new researchers, who will directly contribute to the country’s development”, he states. 

3rd year student at Escola Estadual Doutor Severiano, in Macaíba, Ana Vitória Ramos, 17 years old, is one of the ISD Scientific Initiation students who participated in the workshops and activities as a lecturer. “It was an incredible experience because, a few weeks ago, before we arrived at the Institute, we were them: we had no idea about robotics, electronics, neurobiology… it was sensational to realize that today we are able to explain and pass on the knowledge we are acquiring here every week with the professionals and researchers we have contact with in the laboratories”, says Ana. 

Throughout the week, there were different programs, depending on the age group of visitors. In addition to practical classes on robotics, microscopy, virtual reality and memory for the youngest, mini-courses on 3D printing, introduction to electronics, virtual reality and neurobiology were also offered to high school students, along with a conversation circle promoted by the students of ISD's master's degree in Neuroengineering on the importance of women's participation in science. “The main objective is for them to see that science can be something accessible, done by people like you and me”, highlights professor Carolina Gonzalez.