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| Titel |
Cassini Scientist for a Day: an international contest in Greece |
| VerfasserIn |
A. Solomonidou, X. Moussas, A. Coustenis, J.-P. Lebreton, G. Bampasidis, K. Kyriakopoulos, A. Kouloumvakos, G. Xystouris, E. Sigala, I. Patsou |
| Konferenz |
EGU General Assembly 2012
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| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| Digitales Dokument |
PDF |
| Erschienen |
In: GRA - Volume 14 (2012) |
| Datensatznummer |
250060280
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| Zusammenfassung |
| The international contest ‘Cassini Scientist for a Day’, organized by the Cassini Outreach team at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, provides school students all around the world with the opportunity to get involved in astronomy and astrophysics and planetary sciences in particular. It gives excellent opportunity for outreach and publicity for the Cassini mission and ESA and NASA activities in Greece. For the years 2010 and 2011, the Space Physics Group of the Astronomy, Astrophysics and Mechanics section of the University of Athens in association with external colleagues has been selected as the co-ordinator of NASA for the competition in Greece. This kind of school competition in Greece is particularly important since Astronomy and Astrophysics and Space Sciences, although very popular, are not included in the school curricula and thus students rarely have the opportunity to experience and participate actively in these subjects. Under the guidance of Cassini Outreach team, the members of the Space Physics Group have informed, explained and spread the rules of the competition at primary, secondary and high schools all over Greece. Our members kept open communication with students, teachers and parents throughout the holding of the competition for questions and guidance. In general, the students have the option to choose Cassini monitoring between three targets of the Saturnian system, which will bring the best scientific result. Their arguments should be summarized in an essay of 500 words more or less. They also have the option to do team work through groups of maximum three students. The participation in the contest for 2010 was unexpectedly high and thoroughly satisfied. The winners awarded through a ceremony which was held in the largest amphitheater at the central building of the University of Athens, that was fully packed. A large number of the participants of the 2010 contest are either participating in the new contest of 2011-2012 or –since some of them have graduated- are still in touch with the members of our group for study guidance. The running contest is already showing higher numbers of participation and interest, indicating the progress of this competition and its future involvements in school interests. This year we are planning again a similar ceremony, with lectures on the topic by specialists as well as some lectures by the pupil and an extra event at the Island of Salamis. |
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