Employees of the Center for transfer technology and innovation at the Jozef Stefan Institute enthusiastically participate in various European projects and initiatives of science and society (Science with and for society). Activities promoting science and research work, which is an integral part of the mission of the Jožef Stefan Institute, are carried out at the Center and in cooperation with JSI researchers through various European projects and initiatives and other activities:
- European projects and initiatives (e.g. STEM4Youth, SciChallenge, European Researchers’ Night);
- programs for implementation in primary and secondary schools (physics, chemistry, astronomy, mathematics, medicine, engineering). Chemistry programs developed at JSI: Chemistry in Nanotechnology: Sunscreen Test and Photocatalytic Test. The program was prepared by the Department of Nanostructured Materials (K7) at JSI. Worksheets: mentors, students. Chemistry in Computer Science: Piezoelectric Materials. The program was prepared by the Department of Electronic Ceramics (K5) at JSI. Worksheets: mentors, students. Energy and environment: Solar cells and wind turbine. The program was prepared by the Center for the Transfer of Knowledge in the Field of Information Technologies (CT3) at the JSI. Worksheet for mentors and students. Chemistry in transport: Corrosion of aluminum or its alloys. The program was prepared by the Department of Physical and Organic Chemistry (K3), dr. Peter Rodič. Worksheets: mentors, students. Chemistry in sports; video 1: Superhydrophobic coatings on aluminum for sports applications. The program was prepared by the Department of Physical and Organic Chemistry (K3), dr. Peter Rodič. Worksheets: mentors, students. Chemistry in sports; video 2: Superhydrophobic coatings on aluminum for sports applications. The program was prepared by the Department of Physical and Organic Chemistry (K3), dr. Peter Rodič. Worksheets: mentors, students. Chemistry in medicine: Microorganisms in / on everyday objects and diffusion antibiogram. The program was prepared by the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (B1) at JSI. Worksheets: mentors, students. Chemistry in Agriculture: Determination of the amount of vitamin C in food. The program was prepared by the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (B1) at JSI. Worksheets: mentors, students. Recycling: Aluminum air batteries for easier recycling The program was prepared by the Department of Physical and Organic Chemistry (K3), dr. Peter Rodič, JSI. Worksheets: mentors, students. Chemistry in production: Corrosion of iron in chloride medium. The program was prepared by the Department of Physical and Organic Chemistry (K3), dr. Peter Rodič, JSI. Worksheets: mentors, students.
- Challenges for children in 8th and 9th grade of primary school or for the 1st year of high school (details, JSI News);
- implementation of mentorships for research assignments of high school students (details);
- organization of school visits during the school year (details);
- organization of JSI open daysJSI and open weeks (details on IJS Open Day , DOV 2019 in JSI News, Ventil, details on IJS Open Week);
- preparation and implementation of lectures for teachers and principals: In the possibility of conducting lectures for a closed group of professors e.g. professors who teach the program unit “materials” at secondary mechanical engineering schools in Slovenia are connected in a study group with a desire and need for greater knowledge. They want education in the field of newer materials in electrical engineering, mechatronics, in the field of metals and non-metallic materials, regarding the extraction, structure, properties, use and development of materials. In these areas, they want and ask for the presentation of a specific thematic set, in order to obtain the best and most up-to-date information that would be theoretically and practically supported;
- production of the European Researchers’ Night project (Researchers’ Night 2017, Researchers’ Night 2018, audio segment by Radio Trieste);
- participation in Znanstival: a festival intended to stimulate curiosity and creativity and the promotion of education and science and takes place on the streets, bridges and squares of Ljubljana. (Ventil 2016, CTT news, CTT news 2019, Znanstivalopis + Znanstival archive, video, newspaper Dnevnik);
- participation in the activities of the European Researchers’ Night (link, JSI News, project website);
- published JSI technology offers: CTT website (link), KTT website (link);
- presentations of JSI in the framework of other promotional activities and events (publication of advertisements in newspapers, publication of a radio advertisement, other publications in the media: etc.);
The Center for Technology Transfer and Innovation at the Jožef Stefan Institute, by participating in various STEM projects and initiatives, is actively involved in the process of establishing a learning society and expanding the interest of children, pupils, students and adults in science.
Below we present the results of two major European projects in the field of generating interest for and promotion of science and research among young people:
STEM4Youth: Within the STEM4Youth project, which aimed to promote interest in science and help young people to decide to study science, we made modules with partners from different areas (mathematics, physics, astronomy, chemistry, engineering, medicine) implemented by teachers with pupils and students in schools across Europe. In Slovenia, under the coordination of the Center for Technology Transfer and Innovation in cooperation with the research departments of the JSI, we have prepared nine modules in the field of chemistry, which are available on this website. In the project, 19 primary and secondary schools, 20 mentors and over 500 elementary and high school students participated in Slovenia.
SciChallenge: within the SciChallenge project, hosted by 9 European institutions, where the Slovenian co-organizer was the Center for Technology Transfer and Innovation at the Jožef Stefan Institute, an international competition SciChallenge (details) was held, whose main purpose was to increase interest of young people for education and professions in science, technology, engineering or mathematics. As part of the competition, participants, young individuals or groups of up to three people, could create a project in the field of science, technology, engineering or mathematics in the form of a poster, presentation or video and publish it on the website www.scichallenge.eu. Young people from 28 different countries took part in the competition with 438 projects registered. The most contributions – as many as 110 -, came from Slovenia. Based on online voting (with views and likes) and the evaluation of the expert jury, 12 winning projects were selected, including two Slovenian students.