Science event for young scientists held

ISLAMABAD, OCT 30 2010: At least 30 children participated in a ‘science event’ to perform science experiment, held in Alliance Francoise in Islamabad.

The Pak-France Alumni Network (PFAN) and the Alliance Francoise of Islamabad hosted the event together on Oct 27.

The event was an interactive session in which children performed science experiments under the guidance of two French scientests, Michel Ouliac and Patrick Marcel.

Both scientists were visiting Pakistan under the programme “La Main a la Pate (LAMAP)” in cooperation with Pakistan Science Foundation and the Embassy of France in Pakistan.

After a brief introduction regarding LAMAP by Dr. K. Yaldram, the children were split into groups of 4 to 5 around a table. On the table each group was provided with a couple of objects. Using these objects the children were required to seek solution to a scientific question posed by the instructor.

The children could discuss and argue amongst themselves before trying out the solution they had all agreed on. Problems were related to both biology and physics. At the end of the session a volunteer from amongst the students presented before the participants the solution everyone had agreed to.

The atmosphere in the two rooms used by the children was really pleasant. The parents of the children were also present in the event. It was a real treat to see the children so full of enthusiasm trying to convince their colleagues that they had the right solution. Needless to say that the solutions to the problems were not always evident and the parents also learnt through the experience of their children.

It was a memorable evening of having fun while doing science. The lesson for us scientists was that one could device simple science experiments from everyday household items and the children could be led into the wonderful world of science by letting them seek solutions to problems through a process of thinking, observation, discussion, argument, questioning and experimenting.