Students participating in the Go4Research together with Mr Gaetano Bugeja (Director, DLAP), Ms Desiree Scicluna Bugeja (Assistant Director, DLAP) Prof. Charles V. Sammut (Dean, Faculty of Science), Prof. Alfred Vella (Rector), Ms. G. Kathleen Hill (U.S. Ambassador for Malta) and the Hon. Evarist Bartolo (Minister for Education and Employment)
The Minister for Education and Employment, the Hon. Evarist Bartolo, Her Excellency the Ambassador for the USA, Ms G. Kathleen Hill, and University of Malta Rector, Professor Alfred Vella, were present.
A group of 22 interns from 7 secondary schools who participated in the Malta Junior Science Olympiad were given the opportunity to work with researchers in 7 distinct STEM fields, namely: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Astrophysics and Astronomy, Geosciences, Mathematics and Statistics.
In his introductory speech, Prof. Charles V. Sammut, Dean of the Faculty of Science, stressed that research is not only fundamentally important, but also exciting and enjoyable. By rewarding some of the best students with an internship within research groups of the Faculty of Science, this initiative aims to instil in students, at an early age, a love for research and to encourage them to pursue careers in science. Science graduates are in high demand in various industries and several opportunities exist in research. Mr Gaetano Bugeja, Director of DLAP, highlighted the importance of nurturing gifted learners and thanked their educators for their encouragement to take part in these initiatives.
The Go4research launch video, prepared by Ms Desiree Scicluna Bugeja, Assistant Director of the DLAP, together with her team at the Science Centre, highlighted last year’s experience and the process that students will be involved in during the summer months. Researchers, who will supervise the internships during summer, gave presentations about some of the work that students will be able to experience.
The concluding addresses were made by Prof. Alfred Vella and the Hon. Evarist Bartolo. Rector spoke of the need for greater awareness of science amongst an even younger generation, while the Minister remarked that excellent opportunities are created as a result of close collaboration between the Faculty of Science and Directorate Learning and Assessment Programmes to foster students’ sense of discovery and curiosity in science.