ESR Blog post #5 "My experience of participating in Science is Wonderful!" by Styliani Galatidou, ESR10

Science is Wonderful! is a very innovative event, open and free to everybody who wants to learn more about the ongoing research in Europe. It brings the world of science and research to students from primary and secondary schools across Europe. The 2021 event took place online from 10th to 26th of November and more than 2,600 schools and 500 researchers participated. The presentations were made in the native language of the students, to help encourage their participation in the discussion, ask questions and express their opinions.

As a Marie Skłodowska- Curie ITN Early Stage Researcher, I was honored to participate and to talk to students from the high school in Makri Gialos, in Crete, Greece. One of the reasons I chose this specific school to present my project is that Makri Gialos is a small village on a Greek island and the chances of the students to join in these kind of events are limited, compared to students from metropolitan cities.

Our meeting took place on 23rd November, and I was really impressed by the motivation of the students and their interest in oocyte biology and reproduction. It was a great experience to discuss the EUROVA project and its important role in current era. The presentation was followed by many questions mostly related to fertility options for advanced aged women. We also discussed the Marie Curie actions in general, including European funded projects and career opportunities which exist outside Greece. 

Overall, I consider Science is Wonderful! as a unique opportunity to connect the scientific and non-scientific communities and I would highly recommend the experience to other PhD students!