Juliana Pitombeira, Isabela Costa, Pedro Carvalho and Laura Viera. With the help of professor Cícero Inácio, the students formed the Olimpianos Team and, together, won the first place of Science Days Challenge Sorocaba . In order to contribute to a society that is more attentive to the environment, the team used innovation and creativity to bring information in a playful and practical way.

The prominent place came thanks to the creation of an app. “The 'Reciclo' project proposes to create a gamified platform, which consists of using elements and techniques borrowed from games in areas where they were not originally present,” explained the mentor. Through the program developed by the group, citizens of the city of São Paulo, mainly in the metropolitan region of Sorocaba, have easy access to garbage collection points close to their homes, for example.

The recognition was the result of a long and precise research work. In direct contact with professionals in the areas of sustainability, marketing and economics, the students sought to analyze the environment in which they live and the needs it presents, and then try to solve the problems found. In the process, the team developed communication skills, autonomy, and social awareness.

For the project coordinator, “bringing scientific knowledge to basic education is very important”. The chance to observe the work of other participating teams favors the exchange of positive experiences, which contribute to building a better world. Cícero pointed out that “there are several projects in various areas of knowledge, which will enrich the students' knowledge, open their minds to possibilities that perhaps they didn't know existed”.

“The Science Days Challenge inspires innovation, teamwork and collaboration in schools where it is promoted due to the interest in this area, but also due to the interest of students in the topic. We can say that the Michaelis Foundation achieves its goal of making young people and adults fall in love with the scientific world.” said Maria Ines Carvalho with Facens

Special thanks to our partners, who help us, each edition, to share, with different schools, the importance of STEM teaching for social transformation.

To learn more about Science Days, visit: http://www.SciencedDays.org/

To learn more about Facens, visit: https://facens.br/

Luma Keily
International Correspondent

United by the same purpose, 21 students from the E.E. Roberto Pascoalick school formed the “Robotics and Sustainability” team. To recognize the importance of mechanical engineering in fundamental activities, the team sought to reproduce great inventions that are part of our daily routine, making use of recycled materials in the process.
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Cardboard, ice cream sticks, bottle caps and electronics scraps. These were just some of the objects collected by the students to build their projects. In a collaborative practice, the institution provided, for the 6th graders, a playful workshop, in which it was possible to transform the collected waste into intelligent systems, with motor functions.

For mentor Mário Henrique de Souza, the experience brought a valuable exchange of knowledge. “This interaction between students and Facens was very important in collaborating with current information and guidelines for our project,” he said. According to the University Center, the partnership with the Michaelis Foundation through the Science Days Challenge seeks to encourage young people to enter the aerospace market: "we could not have imagined how much the SDC would be praised".

After delivering the projects, Mário revealed the expectations of E.E. Roberto Pascoalick´s team for the Science Days in person in 2022. According to the teacher, having the opportunity to meet big names in the aerospace market will allow participants to create and develop “projects in the STEM area with the goal to spread and raise awareness of the importance of studying and learning about new professional opportunities in the space area”. “It is an honor for our team to participate in the Science Days Challenge proposal,” he pointed out, gladly.

“Through Science Days and Science Days Challenge, we have the challenging mission of introducing the 'New Space' to our new generation, seeking to always bring STEM education into the classroom in a playful way. Together, we want to show them that space science is incredibly enchanting to explore, even more so when you have your friends by your side in the process;" – Jefferson Michaelis

To learn more about Science Days, please visit: http://www.sciencedays.org/

Luma Keily
International Correspondent

For the curious, the surprise of who would be the special guest of the Space Talk that happened on November 26th, was revealed on Instagram: Patricia Feingold, from Maxar Space in the USA! The information only increased the anxiety of students who signed up to participate in the activity, but since those who “believe always achieve”, the long-awaited day finally arrived.
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 To the sound of “Do I wanna Know”, by the American band Artic Monkeys, the students were welcomed at the event, which began at 2 pm (GMT). Throughout her story, Patrícia brought to debate the issue of female presence in the universe of space exploration, aiming to break the paradigms that say that women have no space in the aerospace market.

To show that it is possible to achieve a prominent position in the sector, the guest presented the reality of her work routine. “I'm part of a team of 40-odd engineers and our role is to work in the 'dynamics and control' area, that is, we create algorithms to control the positioning of the satellites”, she explained. The engineering leader also took the opportunity to add the importance of innovating when seeking to enter the market.

In addition to the gender theme, Patrícia sought to bring to the participants the differentiated look that the company she works for has towards environmental issues. “In Brazil, we are engaged in a part of analyzing the impacts of reforestation in the Amazon Forest”, she pointed out, with the aim of presenting new areas of activity and interest that are within the aerospace universe. “Studying English is not easy, but I must tell you: the sky is not the limit, it’s the destination” she affirmed.

Green field. At the end of the video call, the guest spoke about the benefits of New Space and the opportunities and doors it opens for future space explorers. “Your generation has the power to transform the human species”, she told the students. “It's revolutionary,” she concluded. To end the mutual exchange experience with the students, she left a single tip: “Stay curious, don't hold back!”.

If the news of the end of the virtual meetings brought a feeling of nostalgia to this year's Space Talk participants, the news of an in-person event in March 2022 has already brought new expectations to the students. To participate in next years edition, it is necessary to pay attention to the Science Days social networks, as the announcement of the opening of registrations will be made through the project's platforms and online groups.

To learn more about the foundation and its activities, please access:  http://www.michaelisfoundation.org/
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 - Luma Keily
MFGE International Correspondent
 

A man of many abilities. Engineer, professor, entrepreneur, inventor and speaker, Rodrigo Simon, from Birigui, Brazil, was responsible for organizing, with the Michaelis Foundation, one of the largest Science Days of 2019 in Araçatuba, which was attended by more than 20 thousand people. Honored by the City Council with the diploma of honor to merit in 2016, Rodrigo has been encouraging STEM learning through numerous projects.

Married to Lucinéia dos Santos and father of two girls, Rodrigo's story begins in São Caetano do Sul. Due to a rare disease that prevented him from having contact with pollution, at the age of 4 he moved to Birigui. At the age of 10 he became interested in working with his father. “On weekends we would go to a farm, and I really enjoyed fishing. We had a fair there. I used to sell cheese on the street, fruit and even ice cream”, he said. At this point, selling had fascinated Rodrigo more than studying.

It was only at the age of 13 that this scenario began to change, when Rodrigo took a computer course and three years later he was offered a teaching position. The experience led him to study computer engineering at college and, after the mother of one of his classmates excluded him from a video for considering him a “poor student and example for his son”, Rodrigo decided to focus more on studying “to make my parents proud”.

A game changer worthy of admiration, Rodrigo had many difficulties studying the subject of electronics at the university , which is now the one he currently teaches at. In 2017, through the faculty where he works, he took his students to participate in the International Innovation and Technology week in the United States. In October of this year, he went with students to present projects at Cape Canaveral.

In his professional career Rodrigo has already had the opportunity to present his “Pool Airbag” project in the United States and to enter his creation “Smart Chair” in the Shark Tank Brazil program. However, in a conversation with his daughter, he was asked: “Daddy, why aren't you famous?”. At the time, the question took him by surprise, but today Rodrigo speaks with pride about the learning that his daughter brought to his life. “My concept was to be a millionaire, but I realized that it is no longer my focus. What I want today is to live”, he said with a smile on his face.
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In 2016, Rodrigo carried the Olympic torch and, in order to leave a legacy to his family, he donated the object to the city of Birigui, where it will be exhibited at Espaço Rodrigo Simon. Fulfilled, the professional has yet only one dream he aims to fulfill in the short term: “I want to bring Science Days to my city, Birigui”.
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For more information about Science Days, please visit: http://www.sciencedays.org/sdc-brazil
 
Luma Keily
International Correspondent

Science Popularization. It was with the common goal of inserting STEM and Space education in an interactive and creative way in the lives of countless students, that the Brazilian Space Agency joined forces with the Michaelis Foundation to develop a greater partnership. The international collaboration that started in 2018, and is growing ever since, will now provide particularly for the Science Days and Science Days Challenge participants a greater access to the New Space opportunities.

In a gesture of gratitude for the support, the Foundation gave life to the “AEB Globe Award”. The award is a tribute to the “Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment Program”, an initiative that was integrated in Brazil in 2015 after an agreement between the AEB and NASA.

The Brazilian Space Agency, within its activities that captivated values ​​of fostering vocations and encouraging young people to follow careers related to space activities, is happy to join forces with the Michaelis Foundation and promote events of this nature, including now with a more specific award for those who stand out. We are sure that this type of opportunity can decisively influence young Brazilian values ​​– Carlos Augusto Teixeira de Moura, President of the Brazilian Space Agency

Focusing on a major analytical work, the program encourages students to collect environmental data - following specific protocols - for use in academic work and scientific research. This way, the teams that perform a broad verification process when developing their projects, will receive the Science Days “AEB Globe Award”.

During the Science Days’ events, AEB will be present through exclusive lives. The lectures will bring details of the Globe Program, with the purpose of making students aware of the existence of Brazilian actions that aim to bring young people, of all ages and through educational programs, closer to the vast scientific universe.

“We are very excited about the expansion of our alliance between Brazil and the United States, we are sure that it reinforces our commitment to continue creating more access for students and educators and a path to the New Space area! Together, we are building a bridge that is allowing the new generation of space explorers to reach for the stars, offer7ing tools and opportunities to fulfill their space dreams, despite any challenges that may come their way.” – Jefferson Michaelis

We would like to give a special thanks to AEB ( https://www.gov.br/aeb/)

For more information about Science Days Brazil please visit: http://www.ScienceDays.org
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Press Information: International Correspondent – ​​Luma Keily

A common passion that brought together more than 80 students in a single virtual space meeting. Through the experiences of the vice president of Vaya Space in Latin America, Darcton Damião, high school students from different Brazilian schools had the opportunity to learn about the space industry.

In a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) approach to learning, Space Talk promoted a debate about the New Space, the new revolution in the aerospace field. "We live in a unique time in history, it is a once in a lifetime opportunity to experience this transformation as it happens", said Darcton, when analyzing the change that allowed small companies to have access to the field.

Science popularization. According to the professional's experiences throughout his career, Darcton stated that this is the great benefit that he evidenced with the origin of New Space. According to the mentor, the new generation of space explorers will have the opportunity to enter the sector in the near future, as a result of this “metamorphosis” of the area. He pointed out that “Brazil is in the top 5 of countries that have all the criteria for the use of satellites and launching systems.

At the end of the event, the organizations sponsoring the project - KSCIA International Space Academy, Michaelis Foundation of the United States and Facens - announced the plan for a face-to-face meeting in 2022, the Space Talk Experience. The event will address, in addition to space exploration, innovation in new technologies and the vast universe of natural sciences.
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To learn more about the foundation and its activities, please access:  http://www.michaelisfoundation.org/
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 - Luma Keily
MFGE International Correspondent
 

The search for extracurricular projects that arouse the interest of students. One of the few educational institutions chosen to participate in the International Journey of Science and Technology in the United States, The Santa Rosaria School, located in the city of Sorocaba, offers high school students the opportunity to immerse themselves in the universe of space exploration.

In order to insert elementary school children in similar activities, the school's director, Raul Fonseca, joined the Michaelis Foundation to bring Space Day into the classroom. For the professional, learning STEM is the path to a promising future for young people. “The entry of many private companies in the sector will certainly lead to the generation of many specialized jobs”, he mentioned when analyzing the aerospace market.

Among the activities related to innovation and science, young students had the opportunity to create and launch cardboard rockets, learning in practice about concepts of propulsion and kinetics. Raul stated that “the event brought a lot of learning and encouragement for new discoveries for the students” and added that it was possible to see the happiness stamped on the faces of the participants.

With the achieved goal, Raul revealed that, at the end of the activities, the students “stated that they are getting ready for the International Journey”. Very excited, one of the students revealed that he really enjoyed seeing "space flow artifacts, replicas of space suits and helmets, and even photos of people who have already gone into space and stepped on the moon."

Check out excerpts from the event through the following video: https://fb.watch/9ebj-iTN0i/

For more information about SPACE DAY go to: http://sciencedays.org/SpaceDay

Do you want to have a Space Day at your school too? Please contact us at the following email: Info@MichaelisFoundation.org

Luma Keily
International Correspondent

The fascination for exploring the mysteries of space. Without the need to get on a rocket and travel for hours (or days) to reach the International Space Station (ISS), students at the Acadêmico School had the opportunity to experience outer space without leaving Earth, and in a single day!

Promoted by the Michaelis Foundation, Space Day features activities such as: a mega quiz with questions about the space program, an interactive map that reproduces the terrain of Mars (developed by astronaut Buzz Aldrin), a space talk about the new generation of space explorers, among others. “Educating goes beyond the walls of the classroom. We have to promote curiosity, knowledge, and motivation”, said the director of the institution, Ana Karina”.

Through our projects, we increasingly seek to bring STEM teaching to Brazilian schools. Together, we want to show future generations that anyone can be an astronaut, all it takes is to have willpower, creativity and the ability to dream big. It's never been easier to reach for the stars. – Jefferson Michaelis

Touch artifacts that were part of NASA missions, launch rockets and experience the challenges of an astronaut's life. Among so many activities, students were encouraged to learn together. The educator pointed out that to be part of it (activities), you have to give your very best. “Learning is a broad process and requires teamwork. That way, it is much more significant”, she explained.

A pioneer in the Limeira region (in Brazil) to address the theme of space education, the Acadêmico School has already participated in other actions of the foundation and had the opportunity to take up to 16 students to an annual immersion in the US, at the Center for Space Education. For Ana Karina, the partnership in collaboration with KSCIA reveals “the importance of bringing the universe of space exploration, the concept of Space Education and new career possibilities in private companies such as SpaceX and Blue Origin” to schools across the country.

On behalf of our entire team, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to the KSCIA International Space Academy. We are deeply grateful for your enormous contribution to our project. With your help, we can continue to inspire kids to look for the stars!

For more information about SPACE DAY go to: http://sciencedays.org/SpaceDay
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Luma keily
International Correspondent for MFGE

An out of this world zoom call. On October 25th, 5th grade students from the Miraflores school in Brazil had the opportunity to participate in an International Space talk with the writer and scientist Jonna Ocampo, the 6th Grade Science Teacher at Boeckman Middle School in Farmington, Minnesota, and Education Outreach for CD-SEAS Mission Microgravity, Todd Kohorst, and KSCIA International Space Academy representative in Brazil, José Carlos.

The initiative, promoted by the Michaelis Foundation for Global Education, provided a ludic space for students to ask questions related to the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, in addition to learning about the life of a space explorer. The conversation covered topics such as NASA's Artemis mission and the goal to send women to the Moon.

Dressed as an astronaut, student Gustavo asked about “what is needed to travel to outer space”. To facilitate the understanding of everyone in the class, the author of the book "Henry the astronaut" made an analogy to bring the students closer to the reality of an astronaut´s life. “The capsule where the crew is located is small, it's like being stuck in the same classroom for a year without being able to leave,” she explained, pointing out the importance of prior training and teamwork in space missions.

After the students' doubts were clarified, Professor Todd showed some space artifacts he has in his classroom. Objects included a NASA mission-themed PIN and a photo autographed by astronaut Michael Hopkins. At the end of the live, Jonna asked who would like to become an astronaut, to which half of the students raised their hands in the air shouting “Me!”.

To learn more about the foundation and its activities, visit: http://www.michaelisfoundation.org/
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-Luma Kelly
MFGE International Correspondent

An event that seeks to inspire the next generation of space explorers. A company that proposes a disruptive way to meet the demand for small satellite launchers. Separately, the Michaelis Foundation and Vaya Space were already working towards the passion for the scientific world, but now together, they are even stronger.

The beginning of a new era. This is how the leader of the advances in Vaya's activities in Latin America, Darcton Damião, described the partnership with Science Days. He pointed out that "the aerospace industry is no longer the exclusive domain of robust government space programs, born in the Cold War period, to become something within the reach of all those who meet a much simpler requirement than obtaining a restricted access badge".

In an unprecedented educational partnership, the proposal for collaboration between the institutions will provide internship opportunities for young people in the near future along with continuous opportunities for engagement in the aerospace sector. Darcton explained that by contributing to a project focused on stimulating the growing desire for continuous learning, "Vaya Space is, in effect, sowing the seeds that guarantee the future of the industry in which it operates and intends to lead one day".

A great learning process. Through his “unique” experience – as he characterized the opportunity to be part of the team working in the first orbital launch to be carried out in Brazil – Darcton seeks to inspire Science Days participants, alongside other professionals in the field. “As an educator, I intend to encourage them with concrete examples of how the aerospace sector constitutes what is currently the most attractive frontier of scientific knowledge”, he explained.

“We had been waiting for a moment like this since the beginning of the expansion of Science Days in Brazil. Now, we get to witness the realization of this long awaited dream:  in addition to having the participation in all Science Days of brilliant minds of scientists, researchers, engineers and professionals from various space agencies, we will also be pioneers bringing to Brazil training opportunities and potential space careers in this incredible area we call the “New Space”. – Jefferson Michaelis

During Science Days, students will be able to interact with Darcton and other mentors in the space area through lectures and other activities. For more information about Science Days, please visit: http://www.ScienceDays.org

Special thanks to Vaya Space (https://www.vayaspace.com ) for its special dedication  to our project.
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Luma Keily – International Correspondent