DNA for schoolchildren. Scientific Collaboration Houses are opening in the country's universities
On the basis of universities in the country, centers “House of Scientific Collaboration” (DNA) are being opened, which enable schoolchildren to gain experience in working on scientific problems together with real scientists and to make their own contribution to ongoing research. They are being created within the framework of the Education national project.
Modern Russian science is developing rapidly. In the past few months alone, scientists, as part of the Year of Science and Technology, launched the world's most powerful neutron reactor, conducted dozens of sea expeditions and developed several vaccines against coronavirus, the effectiveness of which is recognized throughout the world. In order for science to develop even faster, it is important to provide an opportunity to try yourself in the role of a scientist at school. The Houses of Scientific Collaboration help in this. Now all over Russia there are 30 such centers in which schoolchildren are already developing their own projects.
So, the first in Russia experiment on 3D-bioprinting was carried out by scientists of the Rostov region in DNA, discovered on the basis of DSTU. Thanks to the developments of the scientific leaders of DNA Sergei Chapek and Sergei Golovin, who formed the basis of the bioengineering program, the students were able to take part in scientific research and development of the mechanisms of “Green bioprinting”. “Green bioprinting” is a technology that is similar both to the usual printing on paper and to the popular 3D printers now, the only difference is that they print with living cells. Bioprinting begins to develop and, in the future, can be used in biotechnological processes, fundamental research in cell biology and regenerative medicine. The range of application of the created cells is wide: this is the provision of oxygen in space, cell biology, the reconstruction of organs, as a mechanism for improving raw materials for pharmacology and cosmetology. In addition to solving fundamental and applied problems, 3D bioprinting with plant cells can be used in curricula in practical education.
And at the DNA center named after academician I.P. Bardin of the Vologda Region, which is located on the basis of the Cherepovets State University, the first-year students are already creating their own projects and conducting research in several areas at once: artificial intelligence and machine learning, physical processes, additive technologies, nanosystems and nanoengineering and biotechnology. A student of the center, Roman Feofanov, studies in the direction of “Wireless communication technologies” and, together with his mentor, develops a geolocation system that is able to determine the position of an object in a room with an area of 100 square meters. m with an accuracy of 10 cm. The complexity of the development lies in the fact that to ensure accurate geolocation, it is necessary to carry out many measurements with their subsequent mathematical processing, since this type of wave transmission is subject to the influence of various obstacles. Guys from the direction of “Geoinformation technologies” participate in the project “Digital Generation”, within the framework of which they create a digital photo album “Attractive Cherepovets”. The main task of the photo album is to show the beauty and specificity of the city of Cherepovets through the eyes of schoolchildren.
In Vologda, at the DNA Center named after V.I. S.V. Ilyushin VoSU continues the implementation of the university-wide project “Team”. Schoolchildren in Vologda, under the guidance of teacher Evgeny Olegovich Bilovol and mentor students of the Institute of Mathematics, Natural and Computer Sciences, are developing projects such as turning on an LED on cotton, an electronic ruler (which changes in different lengths), an electronic measuring cup, a color measurement sensor and an LED system that brightens at nightfall. The Team project has two goals. The first, career guidance, is to help young scientists in choosing a training profile and a field of their future profession. The second, methodological and substantive, is the acquisition of skills in project activities and preparation for independent case management. The result of the teams' work will be a project session, where the guys will be able to present and defend their projects, as well as get an expert opinion. At the end of the session, the best projects will be sent to competitions and Olympiads of various levels.
