Throughout February, the GIMM Foundation initiated two science education programs: Ciência di Noz Manera, in partnership with the Champalimaud Foundation, and Mentorias Oeiras, in collaboration with ITQB.

The Ciência di Noz Manera program – meaning “Science Our Way” in Cape Verdean Creole – is a mentorship initiative dedicated to inspiring scientific curiosity and empowering underserved communities in the Greater Lisbon area. We are collaborating with the Champalimaud Foundation, which launched Ciência di Noz Manera four years ago, to bring science to schools identified by the Ministry of Education as priority intervention schools. This month, the first phase of the program took place, during which GIMM Foundation scientists visited schools to share their experiences and career paths in science.

Meanwhile, the Mentorias Oeiras program, developed in collaboration with ITQB, was unfolding in a neighboring school. This initiative connects 12th-grade students with researchers for a hands-on research experience. Under the mentorship of GIMM Foundation scientists, participants will go through a complete research cycle – from experimentation and data analysis to presenting their findings in a final poster session.