Native Scientists launched the 5th edition of the Same Home Town programme

This year, the Same Home Town (SHT) programme will continue on the mission to bring scientists back to the schools they once attended, inspiring future generations.

The programme supports hundreds of workshops across Portugal and continues to be crucial for many children, as they meet a scientist for the first time. 

The programme creates direct encounters between Year 4 children and scientists, offering practical learning moments designed to spark curiosity, deconstruct stereotypes, and show that science can be for everyone. In the 2024/2025 school year alone, the SHT programme reached nearly 4,000 children in 48 municipalities, involving 146 schools and 100 scientists. For half of these children, it was the first time they had ever met a scientist in person, a milestone that reinforces the importance of continuing the programme.

“We want children to find role models in science with whom they can identify and from whom they can draw inspiration. When a scientist returns to the school where they once studied, they not only share knowledge and experience but also show that this path is possible,” highlights Joana Bordalo, Deputy Director of Native Scientists and Co-Founder of the SHT programme.

Workshops kick off in three regions of the country, inspiring future careers

On the 14th of November, the SHT programme took off for the 5th edition, which will focus on schools across all the islands of the Azores and Madeira, as well as mainland Portugal. 

The first workshops of this new edition were led by scientists André Carreiro, Sara Cerqueira, and Ricardo Miguel Godinho. The activities were held in Vila do Porto (Azores), Machico (Madeira) and Lisboa (mainland Portugal), respectively, with support from the Fundação Luso-Americana para o Desenvolvimento, Caixa Social Award from Caixa Geral de Depósitos, and Programa Bairros e Zonas de Intervenção Prioritária da Câmara Municipal de Lisboa.

In the Azores, André Carreiro led a workshop about AI. He brought several components and the children learned about different types of machine learning - unsupervised, supervised and reinforcement learning. They also had the opportunity to explore tools such as ChatGPT and other AIs to create music, quizzes and games to test their own knowledge. In addition, they discussed the risks of having photos online and how easily images can be edited or taken out of context.

In Sara Cerqueira’s workshop in Machico, in Madeira, the focus was on marine life through three main topics. First, the children learned how marine biologists explore the ocean through hands-on activity using a basin of water and diving masks, complemented by observing rented SCUBA equipment. They also discussed the importance of sharks in the marine ecosystem, using a card game about the food chain to demonstrate trophic balance. Finally, they carried out an experiment with water and oil to explain shark buoyancy. The highlight of the activity was definitely using the diving equipment — the children loved it.

In Lisbon, the workshop focused on human evolution. Scientist Ricardo Miguel Godinho brought a skeleton and several skull casts, using these materials to explain and illustrate how humans evolved.

Science as a tool for inclusion 

The SHT programme is one of Native Scientists’ flagship initiatives and is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, contributing to quality education and the reduction of inequalities.

Throughout the school year, more than 150 workshops are anticipated to take place nationwide. If you are interested in participating, send an email to info [at] nativescientists.org or apply here.