The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) is set to conduct its first-ever science camp on space education via hybrid format this month.
In a statement, PhilSA that this is part of its mandate to develop space education programs. With the theme: “LIFT OFF: PhilSA Space Science Camp’”, the event will be held from July 19 to 21.
This will be in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Science and Technology - Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI), Moon Village Association (MVA), and the University of the Philippines National Institute for Science and Mathematics Education Development (UP NISMED).
PhilSA said that they, together with the agencies, have prepared lectures on space science and technology applications (SSTA), workshops on space mission planning and space science communication, a space science contest, and moon viewing lecture and activity for the participants. Incoming senior high school learners, campus journalists, and educators from science high schools from the 16 division schools of Metro Manila were invited to the three-day camp.
PhilSA and its partners will virtually welcome the participants on Day 1 with a camp overview, a talk on SSTA career opportunities, activities to highlight the relevance of space to everyday life, and an introduction to space missions and satellite payloads.
“The camp is one of PhilSA’s initiatives that aim to introduce the exciting world of space science and technology to the Filipino youth. We strongly believe that there’s a good future for Philippine SSTA if we start introducing these concepts early,” LIFT OFF Project Lead and PhilSA Earth Sciences Mission Studies Division Supervising Science Research Specialist Dr. James Cesar Refran said.
A face-to-face session on Day 2 at the University Hotel, UP Diliman, Quezon City, will feature the first part of the Space Data Dashboard workshop for campus science writers that will highlight the importance of communicating space science to the public.
Also happening on Day 2 is a learning session for STEM teachers, which aims to strengthen competencies in teaching SSTA using web-based resources and space science and technology equipment, such as telescopes, to more effectively engage students in SSTA topics.
To ensure the safety of the conduct of the in-person activities, PhilSA has complied with the latest requirements set by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) Guidelines. Health measures will be observed on site, and all participants, resource persons, and guests will be provided with sanitation kits.
Using what they learned from Day 1 and Day 2, participants will present their proposals for space science stories and future space mission plans on the virtual session on Day 3. A panel of resource persons from PhilSA and partner agencies will help the participants refine and develop their ideas.
“We are all excited to meet our Space Science Camp participants. This year’s theme, ‘Lift Off’ symbolizes our efforts to venture and explore places we’ve never been to–all driven by our curiosity to understand what’s out there. We hope to instill that curiosity,” Refran said.
In the coming years, PhilSA aims to bring the space science camp to other regions of the country.