The NGS kick-off meeting between Rotterdam and London schools was hosted by Erasmus Medical Centre (EMC) in Rotterdam. For this two day programme, young science students (16 to 19 years old) and their science teachers were recruited from schools in the Rotterdam and London areas.

Read more about the London programme in March 2006.

Download reports
Dr Claire McNulty has written a report on the Rotterdam meeting. Also, have a look at her article 'Curiosity, creativity and doubt'.

Day One The programme started with an opening lecture ‘Normal is not Commonplace’ by Professor Eric Steegers, followed by lab demonstrations and a discussion panel. In the evening a Junior Science Café explored ethical questions regarding genetics and identity. Speaker: Professor Frank Grosveld Facilitator: Quentin Cooper

Day Two
The theme of day two was ‘The Future of the Biosphere’ and started with an opening lecture which gave the students an overview on climate change. Afterwards the students divided into groups to address the question ‘What can I do about it?’ At the same time the teachers followed a workshop session on ways to enhance science learning in their schools. The day closed with the students presenting solutions in a creative way, followed by a panel discussion with experts focussing on the students’ presentations.  

Download more Information

			Rotterdam Programme
			‘Normal is not commonplace’ background paper
			‘The Future of the Biosphere’ background paper
			School profiles

Evaluation
Using questionnaires and interviews we will map the perceptions of students and teachers before and after the Rotterdam-London programme, to see if their outlook has become more international and whether their views of science and research have changed as a result of their participation in the programme. The outcomes will be used to identify areas of improvement and further development.

For more information, contact Joanna de Jong-Keogh.