Feature What is Science on Stage?   Discussing an experiment in the fair     The Science on Stage programme offers European teachers the chance to exchange successful and innovative teaching methods and materials. It is directed towards science teachers and students in Europe's secondary schools. The project addresses the content and format of science teaching in European schools, seeking to improve the quality of teaching and to find new ways to stimulate pupils to take an interest in science.     Innovative and inspirational science teaching is seen as a key component to attract young people to deal with scientific issues, whether or not they finally choose a career in science. Hence, Science on Stage aims to stimulate the interest of young people through the school teachers, who can play a key role in reversing the trend of falling interest in science and current scientific research.     Science on Stage forms part of the European Science Teachers Initiative (ESTI), funded by the European Commission as part of the Nucleus set of activities and carried out by EIROforum together with the ‘Science in School’ journal. Within this context, two cycles of national activities, each followed by international festivals, will take place. The national activities for Science on Stage 1 began in January 2005, leading to a festival at CERN in November 2005. Science on Stage 2 began with a meeting of national representatives in February 2006, and will culminate in a festival in Grenoble from 2-6 April 2007.         Making ice cream with liquid nitrogen   Science on Stage aims to facilitate the exchange of good practice and innovative ideas among Europe's science teachers and to provide a forum for a broad debate among educators, administrators and policy-makers about the key problems in science education today. The goal is to strengthen the awareness and interest of young people in science and technology by increasing the attractiveness of science lessons through the promotion of exciting ideas.     It also makes available the considerable, combined expertise of the EIROforum research organisations to the European scientific teaching community, in order to promote the introduction of ‘fresh’ science into the curricula and thus to convey a more realistic image of modern science to the pupils.     Science on Stage is concerned with basic science and also with the cross-over between different science disciplines - an interdisciplinary trend becoming more and more important in today's science, which is not normally reflected in school curricula. A key element of the programme is to give teachers an up-to-date ‘insider’s’ view of what is happening in science. It also offers an opportunity to inform teachers about diverse and interesting career opportunities for their pupils.       Last update: 17 July 2007 National activities