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STEMerica ide dalje
Project

The STEMerica (2021-2023)

The project "STEMerica" ​​is implemented within the tender "Strengthening the capacity of civil society organizations to promote STEM" and is funded by the European Social Fund (85%) and the State Budget of the Republic of Croatia (15%) to a total project value of 2,825,482 , 33 kn.

The project consortium leader is FabLab. The project partners are the NGO Bioteka, NGO Connect-IT, the Višnjan Observatory, the Faculty of Architecture, University of Zagreb and the Nikola Tesla Technical Museum.

The project aims to improve the capacity of civil society organizations in the implementation of interactive, innovative workshops and events at the national level in the field of popularization of STEM activities (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) among children, youth and the general population. CSO capacities will be strengthened through the participation of members and employees in trainings (18), study visits (5) and public events (16 national and 8 foreign) to encourage cooperation, exchange knowledge and information on good national and European practices. Also, workshops and public events in the field of popularization of STEM in several local communities throughout the Republic of Croatia will be organized and conducted.

It will enable the promotion and rapprochement of STEM topics, demystification of science and dissemination of scientific facts to children, youth and the general population through 44 public events (such as: mobile center "PopUpLab" - traveling van in which innovative and interactive activities and “STEM day”), especially for children and young people through 20 multi-day, innovative and interactive workshops.

Project duration:12.5.2021.-12.5.2023.

The STEMerica Project Partners

The holder of the association's project is FabLab. The project partners are the association Bioteka, Connect-IT, the Višnjan Observatory, the Faculty of Architecture, University of Zagreb and the Nikola Tesla Technical Museum.

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FabLab
Association for the Promotion of Digital Fabrication
FabLab, an association for the promotion of digital fabrication, has been active since 2013, the first such association in this part of Europe and part of the international association FabLab, an organization based on the idea of ​​MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). FabLab is a laboratory of digital fabrication - a place to play, create, learn, teach, mentor, think and create innovations. In its space, FabLab provides access to skills, materials and equipment, or advanced technology that allows people to do (almost) anything they want. The association is part of the global FabLab network, and since 2021, it is the only location in Croatia that runs global Fab Academy programs. FabLab promotes digital fabrication through education, scientific and artistic research and entrepreneurial development. In addition to digital fabrication, the association has been actively working since its founding to popularize the STEM area - but with the addition of the letter A, which refers to Art, ie art - thus making the extended abbreviation STEAM.

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Višnjan Observatory
Astronomical Society Višnjan and Observatory Višnjan are non-profit organizations with a 40-year tradition. They are located in Višnjan, on the edge of the western Istrian plateau. Although many small bodies of the solar system have been discovered from the Višnjan Observatory, the scope of the Observatory's activities is not limited to astronomy. In addition to sister organizations, it implements a number of educational projects throughout the STEAM area, with an emphasis on working with highly motivated and gifted students. The mission of the society is to motivate, educate and support children, teachers, parents to express their talent, and to grow into experts, educators and leaders capable of creating and managing the world to come.
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Bioteka
Association for the Promotion of Biology and Related Sciences
The Bioteka Association specializes in bringing scientific language, methods and facts closer to the general public. Work on merging science and society includes educational, popular science, field, volunteer and research activities, as well as public awareness initiatives on topics in the fields of natural sciences, nature and environmental protection, climate change and sustainable development. Since its founding in 2010, the Association has implemented more than 70 projects that raise the quality of STEM education, bring research, project and problem-based teaching in accordance with modern teaching methods, involve children, youth and the public in environmental and nature projects, advocate analytical, critical and an argumentative approach to problem solving, encourage cross-sectoral cooperation, transfer knowledge about effective methods of education, contribute to sustainable development and empower local communities to initiate positive social change. At the national level, the association is recognized by its Internet portals www.biologija.com.hr (for adults) and www.bioteka.hr (for children and youth), then the Education Program which includes the implementation of STEM workshops throughout the school year (stem.bioteka .hr), and summer and winter STEAM camps and the traveling concept "Bioteka in motion" which brings scientific workshops to primary school children across the country.

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Faculty of Architecture, University of Zagreb
The Faculty of Architecture as a project partner will actively participate in several levels of project activities. The main role of the faculty is to ensure the high quality of prepared STEM activities and their verification before their implementation. In addition to this basic role, the faculty will be in charge of controlling and evaluating the implemented activities, with the aim of improving certain activities during the project implementation. The faculty with its experience will also be in charge of designing and supervising the production of interactive scientific exhibits.
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Connect
Association for the Development of Information and Communication Technologiesu003cbru003e
Connect IT, the association for the development of information and communication technologies is a technical association for the promotion, development and improvement of information and related activities, founded in 2015. The association was established to promote and develop information technology and other related activities, connecting companies and individuals involved in information and communication technologies, education and entrepreneurship development.

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Nikola Tesla Technical Museum
The Nikola Tesla Technical Museum is a museum of the general type, ie a complex museum of science and technology and the main museum for all other museums of science and technology in the Republic of Croatia. The museum has extensive experience in implementing educational, participatory programs aimed at strengthening knowledge and popularizing science for children and youth. He is one of the organizers of the "Science Festival", the largest science popularization event in Croatia, a regular participant in the science popularization event "Science Picnic", then in partnership with FabLab co-organizer of the event "STEAM Week" held in the Museum, and in 2019 in cooperation with the association FabLab, which is the main organizer and has an American license to conduct the event, Maker Faire Zagreb was held in the Museum.

STEMerica activities

1. Capacity Building Activities of Civil Society Organizations for the Development and Implementation of STEM Popularization Programs

Element's activities include lectures by national and foreign educators aimed at strengthening "soft" skills and teaching skills, study visits and active participation in national and foreign fairs and conferences.

Through these activities, representatives of the project consortium aim to strengthen "soft" skills (presentation skills, new teaching methods, introduction of innovative and creative teaching tools and mechanisms) thus improving the capacity to develop and implement STEM popularization programs.

Study visits and active participation in national and foreign fairs will enable the acquisition of new skills and knowledge and insight into examples of good practice and ways in which STEM can be popularized in relation to different groups of end users.

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Lectures
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Study Visits
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National Fairs and Conferences
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International Fairs and Conferences

2. Scientific Installations

The activity consists of the preparation of innovative and interactive content for the purpose of popularizing STEM among children, youth and the general population, as well as setting up of installations as permanent exhibits of hosting spaces.

During the implementation of the project, 4 robust installations will be made that will become a permanent exhibition of the yard of the Technical Museum Nikola Tesla, 1 installation that will become a permanent exhibit at the Astronomical Society Višnjan and 5 installations that will become a part of the permanent exhibition at FabLab Zagreb.

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Installations at Technical Museum Nikola Tesla
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Installation at Višnjan Astronomical Society 
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Installations at FabLab Zagreb

3. Multi-day workshops

Multi-day workshops will be organized by applicants and partners of civil society organizations and at the Nikola Tesla Technical Museum.

Workshops will be aimed primarily at children and young people, to encourage their curiosity, creativity, critical thinking and active participation. We will be focusing on innovation that will be encouraged in children and young people.

A description of Fablab's multi-day workshops will be presented here.
A description of Bioteka's multi-day workshops will be presented here.
A description of Connect-IT's multi-day workshops will be presented here.
A description of Višnjan Astronomical Society's multi-day workshops will be presented here.
A description of Technical Museum Nikola Tesla's multi-day workshops will be presented here.

4. One-day Mobile PopUpLab Workshops

The project element includes the procurement and customization of a van and a trailer in a mobile FabLab.

Mobile FabLab is an interactive and creative laboratory of interesting presentations, workshops, experiments and exercises intended for children, youth and the general population. Mobile FabLab travels around Croatia, where it especially likes to visit smaller places with reduced opportunities in terms of content availability. It gives everyone the opportunity to get to know and try their hand at working with new technologies and information about the availability of similar content in the local community. 

When the mobile FabLab parks and opens its doors, the participants get acquainted with the use of modern technologies and their application.

In the van and its' trailer there is a 3D printer, a laser cutter, CNC, and the intention is to use the device to show their capabilities, use for the purpose of creative expression and making individualized items. The intention is to motivate participants to try themselves, to have the opportunity to think and express themselves creatively and the possibility of trial and error.

As part of the project, the mobile FabLab travels around Croatia, where the applicant and partners hold 44 one-day STEM promotion events.


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One-day PopUpLab Workshops Throughout Croatia
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