Program offers high school students from the Campinas region interdisciplinary experience in science
Registration is open until March 22 for the 2026 Learning Workshops program, an extension project of the Ilum School of Science at the Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM). This initiative targets students in public and private high schools in the city of Campinas, São Paulo and the surrounding area, offering a hands-on immersion in the world of science and technology.
The Knowledge Workshops promote interaction between the young participants and undergraduate students at Ilum, who plan and carry out the activities under the supervision of their professors. There are 30 slots available, and the workshops will be held on 16 Saturday mornings from April 11 to November 7 of this year.
According to Ana Carolina de Mattos Zeri, an educator at Ilum responsible for the Learning Workshops program, the project plays a central role in the academic and social development of the participants. “The main objective of the Learning Workshops is to offer an environment for the Ilum students’ curriculum extension activities, in such a way that contributes to the education of high school students,” she noted.
The experience is also strategic for the Ilum undergraduates. “It is a unique opportunity for the students at Ilum, since they learn so much by teaching. And for the high school students, it is a dive into interdisciplinary science and a chance to learn more about Ilum and the research done at CNPEM,” she added.
The activities are developed by the Ilum students during the school year, and involve experiments and activities on themes like the interaction between light and materials, molecular biology, robotics and sensors. “The experiments are based on topics suggested by our students, and the high schoolers are active participants in the hands-on activities, which are always guided by the Ilum staff,” explains Zeri.
Participants are selected after analysis of their academic transcripts. The students chosen to participate will be announced March 30, and will receive transport assistance and a certificate of participation as long as they attend at least 70% of the workshops.
