Illka Jormanainen SciFest

Breaking through boundaries in (and with)

science educationIlkka JormanainenExecutive Director

Joensuu Science Societyilkka.jormanainen@tiedeseura.fi

SciFest in a nutshell

• International science and technology festival

• Organized in Joensuu since 2007

• Idea ”imported” from South Africa

• Four days, 8600 visitors (2012)

• 80+ workshops, lectures, competitions, theatre, etc…

• SciFest is much about going beyond conventional boundaries

Breaking the attitudes

• Who says that teenage girls are not fascinated about science, or that kids from less developed countries could not master technology?

Breaking the distances

• The longest (?) tug-of-war in the world between Finland and South Africa

Breaking the language barriers

• Their English may not be very fluent, but still Taiwanese students surprise us year after year

Breaking the boundaries of the earth

• Dr. Harrison Schmitt went to moon with Apollo 17 and came to SciFest 2009 to tell us about it

Breaking out from the comfort zone

• Science must be taken out from the labs and chambers, and it must be enjoyable and concrete for kids and adults too!

www.scifest.fi/welcome

See SciFest 2012 video atyoutu.be/ATeepINH5aE