ESPEM offers immersion in a cutting-edge environment for research and scientific development at the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM/MCTI)
Teachers of physics, chemistry, and biology are eligible to apply for one of 40 slots available in the fifth edition of the Sirius School for High School Teachers (ESPEM 2023), which will be held from July 7 to 21, 2023. ESPEM is an initiative of the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), an organization overseen by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), in partnership with the Brazilian Physics Society (SBF).
Since 2019, ESPEM has served over 500 teachers of physics, chemistry, and biology from across the country. The school provides theoretical and hands-on classes led by CNPEM staff and guest lecturers from the areas of education and science to encourage teachers to bring ideas from modern science back to their classrooms.
The application process for ESPEM 2023 opens on May 21, 2023, and teachers who work in municipal, state, federal, or private high schools throughout Brazil may apply. For one week, the participants will become students again as they are immersed in the state-of-the-art research and development environment at the CNPEM.
ESPEM 2023 is a free, in-person program with 40 hours of activities. The schedule includes classes introducing the Sirius synchrotron light source (which the event is named for), the science and technology of particle accelerators and synchrotron light production, the interaction between light and matter, and applications in various scientific areas. There will also be seminars on current topics in the various areas in which CNPEM staff work, with tips on how the teachers can take this knowledge back into the classroom.
The teachers will also visit the CNPEM facilities and get an introduction to the studies and development taking place at the National Laboratories, as well as the interdisciplinary undergraduate program in science, technology, and innovation (the Ilum School of Science) at the CNPEM. There will also be a space for discussions among the teachers who participate, to expand contacts and exchange ideas and technologies with colleagues from across the country.
ESPEM 2023 organizing committee will select the participants according to geographical distribution (prioritizing cities far from state capitals), gender balance, and distribution between physics, chemistry, and biology according to demand from each area, with at least 25% of slots reserved for each. 80% of the spaces will be reserved for teachers in municipal and state schools.
Candidate selection criteria include classroom teaching activity, participation in various activities such as PIBID (early career teaching experience projects), Science Olympics and other events, and teaching-related research/extension activities, as well as a letter of intent submitted during the application process.
More than just an initiative to publicize activities at Sirius and the CNPEM, ESPEM 2023 has the potential to be a turning point for teachers who participate: in their own professional development and in their practice inside and outside the classroom.
Event:
Application period: May 2–21, 2023
Event dates: July 17–21, 2023
Cost: Free
Slots available: 40
Candidates: Teachers of physics, chemistry, and biology in municipal, state, federal, and private high schools across Brazil
Apply at: https://pages.cnpem.br/espem/
About CNPEM
With a sophisticated and vibrant environment for research and development that is the only one of its kind in Brazil and found in only a few scientific centers in the world, the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) is a private, non-profit organization overseen by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI). The Center operates four national laboratories and is home to Sirius, the most complex project in Brazilian science and one of the world’s most advanced synchrotron light sources. The CNPEM is home to highly specialized multi-thematic teams, globally competitive lab infrastructure that is open to the scientific community, strategic lines of research, innovative projects in partnerships with the productive sector, and training for researchers and students. The Center is an environment driven by research into solutions that impact the areas of health, energy and renewable materials, agri-environmental, and quantum technologies. In 2022, with support from the Brazilian Ministry of Education (MEC), the CNPEM expanded its activities with the opening of the Ilum School of Science. This interdisciplinary undergraduate program in science, technology, and innovation implements innovative ideas to provide a high quality free and full-time educational opportunity immersed in the research environment at the CNPEM. The CNPEM 360 Platform provides visitors with a virtual immersive visit to the Center’s main environments and activities. Visit at: https://pages.cnpem.br/cnpem360/.
