Univasf’s Art, Science and Culture Space (EACC) is accepting registrations for the Chico Science Fair

With the theme “The São Francisco River and its Banks”, the Art, Science and Culture Space (EACC) of the Federal University of the São Francisco Valley (Univasf) together with the Social Service of Commerce (Sesc) will promote the Chico Science Fair, from October 18 to 20, in Sesc-Petrolina.

The event aims to present works on the São Francisco River, its animals, plants, culture or history, as long as they are based on concepts of sustainability.

Students who are enrolled in a state, federal, or private educational institution, and who are between the ages of the fifth year of elementary school and the third year of high school, may participate. Submissions for projects to participate in the exhibition are open until September 20.

Those interested must register using an electronic form and registration must be made by teams of three students and a maximum of two professors. Mixed teams may be formed between years, as long as they are from the same school. Projects can be entered into three categories: Chico Sciences, which can be entered in the fields of exact, physical, biological, chemical, social, etc.; Chiquemáticas, the class in which the team must be formed by women only and have a project in the field of exact sciences; and Chico Inova, where innovative projects must be entered, with new ideas, products or services, innovating in concept or approach.

Prizes will be awarded to the first three teams in the Chico Sciences category and the first in the Chiquemáticas and Chico Inova categories, for a total of five teams awarded. The winning teams will receive Junior Scientific Start-up (ICJ) grants to improve their projects, with the guidance of Univasf professors in the winning areas, over the course of four months. Members of the top five teams ranked in the Chico Sciences category, as well as members of the top three teams in the Chiquemáticas and Chico Inova categories will receive medals. All participants in the exhibition will receive certificates of participation in the event.

The first places award also includes the financing of up to R$1.5 thousand in materials for the implementation of the project presented in Chico Ciência, for its improvement or implementation, depending on the case. Third-year high school students will not be able to receive scholarships, because they have already graduated the following year. All participation rules and information about the award are available at the link. The center held a course in June to train teachers from schools wishing to participate in the exhibition on scientific methodologies, topics and feasibility of proposals, which can be watched on Espaço’s YouTube channel.

Participation in the fair encourages collaborative and inclusive work aimed at developing products and projects that solve issues and challenges related to the São Francisco River in a sustainable way, and encourages the use of science in resolving regional issues. “In general, our goal is to awaken the interest of children and young people in the São Francisco Valley, especially in public education, science and the different ways to research and analyze it, using it as an invariable part of their lives, which is the São Francisco River, ”says Mônica Sberze, Director of Research and Development at EACC .

Mônica also highlights the importance of bringing students of this level of education closer to Univasf. “It is certain that direct contact with the researchers, acquaintance with the laboratories and participation in the implementation of the project will have a very positive effect on the students to also aim to become students at this university, noting that they are not as far from this reality as sometimes I think,” she says. .

The Chico Science Fair is supported by the Center for Ecology and Environmental Monitoring (NEMA), the Center for Conservation and Management of Caatinga Animals (Cemafauna Caatinga) of Univasf and the Science and Technology Support Foundation of the State of Pernambuco (Facepe), as well as funding from the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq).

Ascom Univasf photo illustration