Applications are open for MSCA fellows and alumni to engage with thousands of school pupils from across Belgium at this unique science fair in Brussels.
Science is Wonderful! is the annual science fair organised by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA). It invites EU-funded researchers from around the world to come to Brussels and explain their work to children and youngsters.
We are calling on MSCA fellows and alumni to apply and present your research projects to 4,500 pupils coming from all corners of Belgium to see science come alive. The 2025 edition will take place in Brussels in mid-March 2025.
About the 2025 science fair
The science fair lasts 2 days, with teams of researchers showcasing their work at booths through
- live experiments
- interactive presentations
- floor games
- physical challenges
- and many other creative formats
Groups of pupils visit the booths. Group sizes can vary from a small group to an entire school class, usually from 7 to 18 year-olds. On average, groups will spend 15 minutes at your booth.
Science is Wonderful! survivors say that modular activities work best. That is a range of different but linked activities that the researcher can pick and choose from based on the audience (age, group size, level of interest).
The science fair also hosts science shows. These are 30-minute presentations or workshops given on stage to a slightly larger audience (approx. 60 people).
Formats that worked well in the past included
- plays
- group experiments
- quizzes
Researchers can decide the age restriction of their show. Science is Wonderful! hosts about 12 science shows over the course of two days, so spots are limited.
What is in it for you
Science is Wonderful! is a unique event that allows you to meet like-minded researchers from all over the world and engage in this once-in-a-lifetime adventure together.
You can expect
- networking with other MSCA fellows and alumni and other researchers
- unexpected insights from a young audience
- new communication skills through training (communication workshop) and practice
- that warm, fuzzy feeling when you do something meaningful in life
The European Commission will cover the travel, accommodation and meals of your team (up to 3 people; up to 3 nights). If you need a bigger team, please make sure to request and justify this in your proposal.
The Commission will also help you purchase or ship any material you need to present your work. Although we encourage you to be creative and challenge us, note that we cannot pay for “goodies” or give-aways.
What we expect from you
To guarantee the quality of Science is Wonderful! we would like you to take the following to heart
- You will be asked to attend a communication workshop on 4 December 2024. It is an important moment for you to get to know the organisers and understand the next steps.
- You will have to attend the entire event. This includes set-up the day before and the two full days of the science fair. We want all pupils to have a wonderful experience. For this to happen, booths should always be staffed so that schools who travel from far and arrive late get to see the same experiments as schools who arrive early.
- All applicants and researchers attending the fair should speak English fluently. Since our visitors will speak mostly French and Dutch, language assistants will be there to help deliver your message in these languages when needed. Whenever possible, we encourage you to recruit Dutch or French-speakers in your team, but this is not a prerequisite.
- Try to come up with activities for all age groups. Children are curious by nature, so we invite you to think of interactive experiments and activities involving manual work and the use of all senses. This year, we will allow pupils of all ages to come to your booth so be ready for cuteness and teenagers. Those two do not go together. We know.
Apply by 30 September 2024
If you are ready to join the next edition of Science is Wonderful!, complete the application form by 30 September 2024, 12.00 CEST, where you will also find more details about the fair.
Our evaluation team will check and appraise each application regarding its
- feasibility (can the idea be executed),
- suitability (does the proposal match the audience, is it interactive and does it communicate the research well),
- impact (that the research presented is relevant and interesting for the age group).
Additionally, the jury will carefully check a balanced representation of research fields, nationalities, and genders is reached.
We will inform you on 7 November 2024 via email whether your application was successful or not.
Timeline
- 30 September 2024: deadline to submit your proposal for a science booth and show
- 7 November 2024: results of the call will be announced
- 4 December 2024: online communication workshop to prepare for the big event
- 15 January 2025: online workshop for science show presenters
- mid-March 2025: Science is Wonderful! Fair
Source: European Commission (Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions) | What’s new (https://shorturl.at/ElMNv)