Scientists in education: A biomedical research institute's perspective

Abstract

The Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) is a world-class research center devoted to understanding fundamental questions about human health and disease. In addition to conducting multidisciplinary research of excellence, IRB Barcelona is committed to maintaining an open dialogue with the public about its work, fostering scientific vocations and promoting scientific culture in society. In this regard, the institute has several public engagement and science education initiatives to reach these goals. In this article, we highlight two projects directed toward primary school and secondary school students, respectively: the Tandem Project and the Crazy About Biomedicine Programme. Although each of these activities has slightly different objectives and target audiences, they share the commitment of the institute to contribute to the science education of young students. We believe that it is the responsibility of research institutes to promote these kinds of initiatives, which have the potential to spark passion for science and thus foster scientific vocations. The new generation of scientists is in our hands.