Mostra Nacional de Ciência (Portuguese National Science Fair)

The Portuguese National Science Fair promotes the cooperation and exchange among young scientists and stimulates new young talents in the areas of science, technology, research, and innovation.
During the fair young science talents present their ideas/projects to the judges, a group of scientists, and to a wider audience. The best projects will receive cash prizes and are selected to represent Portugal in different international competitions in Europe, EUA and China.

To promote the ideals of cooperation and exchange among young scientists and to stimulate new young talents in the areas of science, technology, research and innovation.

In 2011, the National Science Fair was considered and distinguished by INTEL Education Europe, a good practice and model to be replicated by other European countries, having received representatives of Poland, the Czech Republic and Egypt during the following years, etc.

Projects of young science talents are recognized into a scientific area and recognizing their creativity in the areas of Science and Technology.
This project promotes a close collaboration between scientific and academic institutions, with many economic, social and cultural stakeholders, that help to create an innovation model, open and collaborative.
The Fair will focus on 13 scientific categories.
100 projects will be selected to participate in the Fair.
The Fair will take place for 3 days, in Porto city (during10 years was in Lisbon).
During the Science Fair, the participants will present their ideas/projects to the judges, a group of scientists, and to a wider audience: visitors, other participants, teachers, family members, sponsors.
At the end of each presentation (20 minutes), the judges will ask questions that they consider relevant for the decision making.
The best projects will receive main prize (cash prizes) and are selected to represent Portugal in different international competitions in Europe, EUA and China.

The National Science Fair was based on the model of the European Union Contest for Young Scientists organized by the European Commission.

Science, technology and innovation has always been a strategic bet of the Youth Foundation, which sees science and technology as the best way to contribute to the transition of young people from the education system to active and professional life.

The National Science fair is based on the pillar of education for young scientists as it contributes to the appreciation of young people, teachers and schools dedicated to innovation and creativity issues, and the development of an scientific and entrepreneurial spirit.

The National Science Fair identifying itself with its purposes, as a vehicle for promoting scientific carriers among the young students.
We have a large group of young scientists Alumni that are the ambassadors of the event in Portugal, and during the fair participate like volunteers.

The “Portuguese National Science Fair” discovers and promotes young Portuguese talents and offers them a great
opportunity to collaborate as a team, develop a scientific idea/project supported by their teachers and introduce the
idea/project to a range of leading juries in the area of science and technology.
Projects of young Portuguese talents are recognized into a scientific area and also recognizing their creativity in the areas of Science and Technology.

This project promotes a close collaboration between scientific and academic institutions, with many economical, social and cultural stakeholders, that help to create an innovation model, open and collaborative.

It offers a great opportunity for students to collaborate as a team of 3 members, develop a scientific idea/project supported by their teachers; introduce the idea/project to a range of leading juries in the area of science and technology; thus enhancing the development their skills.

It distinguishes itself from other competitions, due to its scope in terms of target audience, placing in the same competition students attending secondary, vocational and education, from private and public schools.

Participants must develop posters, presentations and, where possible, prototypes to display their projects. For this purpose, many of them use hand skills, recyclable materials. Most of them did also a laboratory work.

We hope that all participants, students and teachers, have found an incentive to participate and to strengthen their citizenship, and, in the particular domain of this initiative, that it might contribute to environmental, bioeconomy and sustainable development, in areas such as the Green Economy and the development of creative and articulated solutions to different problems.

With the National Science Fair, the Youth Foundation intends to contribute to an ever earlier awakening of the taste for science and technology, as well as for the appreciation of young people, teachers and schools dedicated to issues of innovation, creativity and the development of a scientific spirit. All students can participate, even if they are at a disadvantage.

Project partners participate at various levels. In addition to co-financing, most partners identify a representative to participate as a jury member, which allows constant monitoring of the selection and election process of the winners. The exhibition of the projects has been visited by political decision makers who claim on knowing all the represented projects.

The external partners are:
- sponsors
- scientific institutions that give support in the evaluation process
- support prizes and materials for the event
- media partner.

It becomes crucial to stimulate and reward the teamwork established between school agents: students, teachers and schools, organizing a competition that wants to place itself at national level as a determining factor for the sharing of ideas, creativity, overcoming challenges, and scientific innovation.

100 projects will be selected to participate in the Fair. To select the projects the jury accesses the contest platform to be able to evaluate the submitted projects, in the 1st phase.

During the Science Fair, the participants will present their ideas/projects to the judges, a group of distinguee scientists, and to a wider audience: visitors, other participants, teachers, family members, sponsors.
At the end of each presentation, the judges will ask questions that they consider relevant for the decision making.