05/08/2024

IMPA's Olympic Girls visit Planetarium

The IMPA Olympic Girls (MOI) took a guided tour of PlanetáRio (Planetarium Foundation of the City of Rio de Janeiro) last Friday (2), accompanied by IMPA's general director, Marcelo Viana. "We had an incredible afternoon at the Planetarium. For the Olympic Girls it was an incredible opportunity to learn about astronomy and to learn about the life trajectory of astronomer Patrícia Spinelli," assured the director.

Approximately 125 female students, teachers, undergraduates, and graduates participating in the MOI (Movement of International Innovation) were on the trip. The program included interactive experiences, roundtables on the history of space and the solar system, as well as a lecture by Brazilian astronomer Patrícia Figueiró Spinelli. She shared her journey in science and the challenges she faced with the girls.

One of the most anticipated moments of the day was the immersive experience of observing the sky, constellations, and galaxies in the Carl Sagan dome, the largest in Latin America.

For Letícia Rangel, coordinator of MOI, the visit to PlanetáRio was an incentive for science and research in the students' lives: “It's a way to awaken the girls' interest and curiosity. We know how important it is to attract them to the field of exact sciences and make them feel confident. Certainly, an enriching experience. I think they realized that girls can and should achieve whatever they want. Not even the sky is the limit for these girls.”

Created by IMPA in 2018 , MOI aims to encourage female participation in fields such as mathematics, engineering, and computer science. The visit to PlanetáRio marked Firjan's entry as a partner in the project.

The institution joins the project with the participation of two more schools, Sesi Firjan Jacarepaguá and Sesi Firjan Duque de Caxias. With this, this year the MOI reaches the milestone of approximately 100 female students from 12 schools in Rio de Janeiro.

“Besides the project taking place for the first time in our schools, we are also able to participate in the events and support the logistics for all participants. I can say that the girls are delighted to participate in this project because it is a very different opportunity to support the female team, and it has been enchanting for them. This representation is also very significant for us,” stated Isabela Alcântara, Mathematics Education Content Analyst for Basic Education at Firjan.

Those who agree are the students from Sesi Firjan Jacarepaguá, Ana Maria, Yasmin Cordeiro, Gabriele Vicente, and Aline Marques. The visit to PlanetáRio was the first event the students participated in through MOI, in addition to the welcome ceremony held at IMPA earlier this year. “It was a completely different experience when we went to IMPA. It was great to see the lectures, understand what the project was, and the importance of participating in it,” said Ana Maria.

For them, being part of the project "is important to learn from women in mathematics and to understand not only that, but also the culture beyond mathematics." "It's been a unique opportunity that we're experiencing," assured Yasmin Cordeiro.

Furthermore, the girls emphasize that the MOI is also an opportunity for academic exchange and learning. "The good thing is that we learn a lot from the older girls and even make progress in regular school content. We help each other a lot."