Ciência Entrega-se
Project Summary
“Science Delivery” Project - Taking science where it is most needed: the Algarve has one of the highest proportions of students with serious educational challenges in Portugal, such as the high rate of early school leaving, especially in the municipality of Loulé. Bringing science and technological education closer to children and young people from disadvantaged populations is the main pillar of this project.
“Ciência Entrega-se" or “Science Delivery” aims to provide an innovative response to this problem: to bring practical science and technological activities to the schools for free, promoting the motivation for learning, scientific literacy and the continuation of studies in scientific areas, with a special focus on students from disadvantaged contexts.
To this end, the project operates in four TEIP (Educational Territories of Priority Intervention) groupings in the municipality of Loulé, including schools located in territories marked by poverty and social exclusion. This intervention covers both rural communities in the interior of Algarve and urban and fishing areas, such as Salir and Quarteira, where many young people face multiple vulnerabilities. With a duration of 3 years, the intervention will benefit 7th grade students in the first school year of 2025/2026, benefiting from activities and monitoring their progress in school success and motivation until their 9th grade (in the 2027/2028 school year).
Aims:
The “Ciência Entrega-se” project aims to combat academic insucess and early school leaving in disadvantaged socioeconomic contexts, by promoting scientific literacy, the direct contact with scientists and a regular program of hands-on activities, field trips, and career guidance in science and technology, as a driver of social inclusion and the demystification of STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).
Ciência Entrega-se
Project Activities
Distribution of the book "O Micro"
The book "Micro and Marine Pollution" written by Patrícia Pinto and Pedro Duarte, coordinators of the “Ciência Entrega-se" project, with the cartoonist Carlos Rocha, is the result of years of studies and projects developed. This comic book tells the story of a boy that makes a lot of troubles (Micro), but with the help of a retired scientist and a talking dog, he becomes aware and starts to have attitudes to reduce the impacts of microplastics in the ocean. In addition to providing information about Ocean health, this book teaches small actions and changes in habits that we can apply in our daily lives to reduce the release and minimize the negative impacts of microplastics on marine animals and the Ocean.
With the support of the Loulé Municipality, the book was printed and is being distributed in the five schools where the project is being implemented. It is possible to access the digital version for free through the link at UAlg http://hdl.handle.net/10400.1/27133, and some Micro games on this CML page.
In april 2026, the "Ciência Entrega-se" team carried out several sessions of book launching and distribution, starting with 7th grade students from the collaborating schools of the project. These included awareness-raising activities and demonstration of materials and objects that can help change habits, find alternatives to plastic and reduce its use and release by students and their families. You can see a news and photos about these book distribution sessions here.
Participation in the We Are Ocean International Workshop
From 4th to 6th may 2026, the project coordinators Patrícia Pinto and Pedro Duarte presented the preliminary results of the "Ciência Entrega-se" project at the international workshop "We Are Ocean: The Planetary Organism (WeOcean)".
Our team was also part of the organizing and scientific committee of this incredible event, together with the EuroMarine network, through the TransOcean working group, and co-organized by CCMAR, the University of Algarve, the Institut de Ciències del Mar and the SeaWilding Association, with support from Euromarine, Univ.Algarve, SEA-EU and several sponsorships.
WeOcean had the participation of 110 participants from 15 different countries, including scientists, philosophers, artists and students. The main objective of the event was to promote dialogue on environmental and social challenges and on the need to rethink the relationship between human beings and the ocean. Our coordinators Patrícia Pinto and Pedro Duarte presented in session 3 of the event an invited lecture entitled "Engaging schools and young public in citizen science and environmental awareness towards reducing Marine Pollution", about environmental education and citizen science activities carried out in this project and in previous MicroFish and MicroWaste projects. This and other lectures can be reviewed on the YouTube of the Algarve University at the following links:
Session #1 (4 May): https://tinyurl.com/mzu2rs3v
Session #2 (5 May): https://tinyurl.com/42xdwcvc
Session #3 (6 May): https://tinyurl.com/mrcyeuef
Participation in the Science Fair in Seville
Ciência Entrega-se was present at the 24th edition of the Seville Science Fair, in Seville. We had the opportunity to visit the fair together with teachers involved in the project, in preparation for, as early as next year, taking our students to live this experience. We found many young people with a sparkle in their eyes, enthusiasm and energy, presenting diversified scientific experiments and projects full of creativity. We were also welcomed by the organization of the event, which celebrates 24 years of existence and continues to grow from edition to edition.
We came back with many ideas, inspiration and the desire to do even more for science and education!
Participation in the National Congress of Science Communication 2026
“Ciência Entrega-se" was presented at SciComPt 2026 (National Congress of Science Communication) on May 28th, 2026, in the city of Évora. Luísa shared the objectives and impact of the project achieved throughout this 2025/26 school year.
The conference focused on discussing "Science Heritage for the Future", highlighting the importance of science communication in dialoguing with the territory, history and the challenges that are inscribed in it. Participation in the event allowed not only to publicize a little of what we are doing in Loulé, but also to strengthen relationships for possible collaborations.
