Science fantasy it's the first School of Science in Valencia and aims to help kids understand complex concepts of science through the direct experimentation using leisure as a basic tool. Science Fantasy is a young and energetic company that has consolidated thanks to the program Shuttle that promotes Juan Roig. The driving force of the project is Raquel Ibáñez who kindly granted us an interview to tell us about the experience of Shuttle and the objectives of Science Fantasy. Raquel was born in Valladolid in 1978, she is a Doctor in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology from the Macquarie University of Sydney (Australia). She has worked at the Australian Center for Astrobiology, a center belonging to the American Space Agency (NASA), as a researcher and professor. In the School of Science they carry out all kinds of activities in Valencia, in Aben al Abbar 1 street (link to Google Maps) and invites us to know it. And it is that in the School of Science we can learn to program our own video games and applications for mobile devices. We can also design and create robots and circuits and perform experiments of chemistry, physics and biology.
What is Science Fantasy?
Science Fantasy is an initiative that emerged a couple of years ago in Valladolid to encourage curiosity about science. The initiative became a reality consolidating itself as a company in June 2013 thanks to the Lanzadera program. And since January 2014 we are in the open sea and working to open the first science school in Spain in Valencia.
How the idea of promoting science among children arises to make it attractive and also promote it with initiative and private capital
The idea emerges like almost all the great ideas: from reeds with friends. Celebrating the end of my doctorate, I realized how important it was for people to understand what scientists do within their laboratories and that for people to approach science it was necessary to do actions that were fun and enjoyable. From that moment I started working in the world of scientific dissemination.
What is the current situation of Science Fantasy and what are the future plans
In January we have opened and launched the School of Science. A center where young people come to have fun and learn things about science. We have three main areas of knowledge: Science, Technology and Information Technology. In which young people can make their own video games to design and program robots and do experiments in physics, chemistry and biology. The vision is to consolidate during 2014 and start planning to open a second headquarters during 2015.
What has been the experience of working in Lanzadera and how are you taking advantage of the acceleration of the platform to gain visibility in Spain
Shuttle is a program to promote entrepreneurs of Juan Roig, president of Mercadona. All entrepreneurs need a lot of financial support as well as training and mentoring and Shuttle covers all the needs of the entrepreneur. For us, the support of Shuttle.
The support of Lanzadera has been fundamental for us
What have been the objectives of Shuttle and how have you achieved them?
The objective of Lanzadera is that entrepreneurs can consolidate their companies and be able to launch into the open sea and continue on their way, making their companies viable and stable. We just launched into the open sea. Now we are in the process of consolidation.
How the activities you are doing are working and what the parents whose children participate in them are telling you
The activities are working very well. Many parents find in the School of Science and support and reinforcement so that their children are motivated by science and find their talent in these areas.
What kind of events do you want to carry out to disseminate science and where do you do it?
We carry out different activities according to the area of knowledge. In the computer area, the boys come to program their own video games, mobile applications and MODs for Minecraft. In the area of technology they learn robotics with Lego, robotics and electronics with Arduino, mechanics and mechatronics. And in the area of science they develop experiments to identify their own DNA, grow bacterial populations, do chemistry experiments, etc.
Critical vision and rational thinking is obtained with the example of parents
We also have two-hour workshops for both children and families, to come and do an experiment with us that can also be taken home later.
The School of Science is located in Aben al Abbar Street 1 in Valencia.
What other people work in the company to spread the science
We are currently a team of seven people Among which are: computer engineers, areospatial and telecommunications, there are also biologists, experts in communication, marketing and in the financial area.
How are you managing the creation of alliances with other companies
We plan to make alliances with other companies and we are currently working on it.
How Science Fantasy experiences can be used at school
We are preparing a series of events and specific activities for schools. All the information will be shortly on our School of Science page
Who is your competition in Spain?
We do not consider that we have competition in a negative sense. I think we have many allies and partners who are also dedicated to scientific dissemination and that together we can perform many actions that really help to improve the vision of science and make it much more attractive.
What role can the teachers of the schools play in the expansion of your project?
As I commented, we are developing a cabbage program and here the science teachers are key, since they are the ones who face the classroom day after day and are the ones who know best what their students need.
We are preparing events and specific activities for schools
How can parents encourage children to have critical vision and rational thinking
Critical vision and rational thinking is obtained first by example and then by practicing it. Children exposed to this different ways of thinking acquire critical insight and empowering rational thinking with activities that stimulate their intellect and natural abilities.
And here the conversation with Raquel Ibáñez from Science Fantasy. In the middle of the interview I have embedded a very explanatory and indicative video of how the project is and the enormous possibilities that Science Fantasy has. We hope that soon we can launch into more cities and that we can practice with our children doing experiments, workshops and learning around Science. I take this opportunity to thank Raquel for her collaboration with Peques and Más and we wish her many successes in the project.
