Teen Science Café

The Teen Science Cafe, is an initiative targeting Year 8 students in secondary schools. The aim is to offer young teenage students opportunities to encounter a number of professionals/experts from different science related careers who visit our school to share their career insights. The focus is on interactive, informal exchange between students and the professional/s to engage young students in conversation about relevant science career paths in an informal setting.

This first session of Teen Science Café was held on the 11th of November 2016. For this session, we were pleased to guest the following professionals/experts:

  • Doctor Daniel Micallef: Medical doctor specialising in Dermatology. Dermatology is the branch of medicine dealing with the skin, nails, hair and its diseases.
  • Blood Bank: A representative from the Blood Donation Unit: A blood bank is a centre where blood is gathered as a result of blood donation, stored and preserved for later use in blood transfusion.
  • Ms Daphne Zahra: Pharmacist, Nutritionist and Health and Safety expert. Pharmacy is the science and technique of preparing and dispensing drugs. Health and safety is the promotion and safeguard of a safe and healthy work environment while a nutritionist is a person who advises on matters of food and nutrition impacts on health.
  • Ms Julie Stevenson: Mental Health and Occupational Health. Psychiatric mental health nurses work with individuals, families, groups, and communities, assessing their mental health needs.
  • Professor Josette Camillieri: Professor at the faculty of Dental Surgery. Dentistry is a branch of medicine that is involved in the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the mouth.
  • Inspector Charlot Casha: Forensic Science Laboratory. Forensic science is the application of science during criminal procedures.

The second session of Teen Science Café was held at the beginning of the 2nd term, on the 11th of January 2017. For this session, six different professionals/experts were invited to attend. These were:

  • Ms. Claudia Galea: Quality Control Analyst at Aurobindo Malta. Aurobindo Pharma Limited is an Indian pharmaceutical manufacturing company.
  • Mr David Cardona: Curator for Phoenician, Roman and Medieval Sites at Heritage Malta. He is an archaeologist who’s job focuses on the decoration of the roman buildings in the Maltese Islands.
  • Ms Ilona Galea: A Junior Scientist at Wasteserv Malta; the company responsible for waste management, minimisation, collection, transport, sorting, reuse, utilisation, recycling, treatment and disposal of solid and hazardous waste.
  • Ms. Martina Brancato: Marine Biologist and a Science and Education Officer at Malta National Aquarium. Her main area of specialising is on marine mammals.
  • Mr. Ray Spiteri: Collections Manager at Heritage Malta. His job includes the management, restoration and conservation of valuable art pieces in our country’s collection.
  • Mr Mark Edward Psaila: Principle Educational Officer at the Vocational Education Unit responsible of Agribusiness.

On both occasions, the pupils, who were informed beforehand on who will be visiting the school, were very well prepared with loads of questions to ask. This resulted in the events being highly educational and interactive.

We, the Integrated Science Educators Team at St Nicholas Rabat Middle School, hope that this set of events managed to inspire as many young future scientists as possible.

Always remember that:

“The mind that opens to a new idea,
Never returns to its original size”

Albert Einstein

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