• 65 teams will present their scientific projects at the fair

• The event will take place in the Plaza Nueva in Bilbao, from 12:00 to 20:00

Bilbao, 21 April 2015

This morning the Science Fair 2015 was presented, organized by the Department of Education, Linguistic Policy and Culture of the Basque Government, the City of Bilbao and Elhuyar, the main agents of the Basque Network of Science and Technology and the Provincial Council of Bizkaia.The Fair will be held on April 25 at the Plaza Nueva in Bilbao and the Bilbao Hall.

In the image, starting from the left and in the first row: Maria Gil Rodriguez, head of the scientific unit Elhuyar; Begoña Garamendi Ibarra; Jone Unzueta Crespo; Leire Cancio Orueta; Beñat Insunza Lauzirika and Inés Jacob, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Deusto; Row 2: Gorka Estebez Mendizabal, Director General of Business Promotion and Innovation of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia; José Luis Lekanda, IK4; Eva Armesto, Head of the Business Promotion Service of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia; Antonio Bardasco, Tecnalia; Miren

Zientzia Azoka is an exhibition of scientific projects carried out by young people and organized by Elhuyar. The aim of this initiative is to promote the taste for science among young people, foster scientific culture and disseminate science. The technological projects and research presented at the fair are carried out throughout the course (between 12 and 18 years) for subsequent public presentation.

The authors of the projects have had the collaboration of professional researchers from the most representative organizations of the Basque Network of Science and Technology such as the UPV/EHU, the Public University of Navarra, Deustotech and Mondragon Unibertsitatea, the technological corporations TECNALIA and IK4 and the BTEK center.

Organized by the Science Unit of Elhuyar, Zientzia Azoka is funded by: Bilbao City Council, Department of Education, Linguistic Policy and Culture of the Basque Government, Provincial Council of Bizkaia and FECYT (Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology).

In this appearance, the Director of Educational Innovation of the Basque Government, Begoña Garamendi, highlighted the effort, interest and participation of young people working in the dissemination of these scientific education projects, as well as the collaboration of researchers and teachers. In the words of Garamendi, “the Department of Education will continue to collaborate with Elhuyar in the promotion of scientific and technological capacity and entrepreneurship of students, promoting specific calls and collaboration agreements of the Direction of Educational Innovation. An example of this is the call published on 14 April this year, in which schools can carry out different projects of innovation and training in the field of scientific education, technology and entrepreneurship.

In the photo: Begoña Garamendi Ibarra, Beñat Insunza Lauzirika, Jone Unzueta Crespo and Leire Cancio Orueta

Representing the City of Bilbao, Jone Unzueta Crespo, Councillor for Participation and Districts of the City of Bilbao and Councillor for Education, invited the Science Fair and highlighted the importance that the City of Bilbao gives to science and research. Europe is committed to science and technology and the City of Bilbao will follow this path. In addition, he thanked entities and companies that are working for the scientific vocations of young people and stressed the importance of initiatives such as Zientzia Azoka.

The CEO of Elhuyar, Leire Cancio, stressed the need for communication channels between young people and researchers and thanked the universities and technology centers that have supported this project.

The young researcher from Bilbao Beñat Insunza said: “I highly recommend participating in projects such as Zientzia Azoka. You learn a lot by making a project you like. Also, when you do a project the tutor is not like a teacher, you create a different relationship with him. More than a teacher, it becomes a friend.At the same time, presentation skills are improved and shame is eliminated. On the other hand, in my case for example because of the cross ligament I had the opportunity to meet the doctor of Athletic and other experts in this subject”. Insunza was present at the last edition of the Zientzia Azoka and was chosen to represent the Basque Country at the XVI Fair Exporecerca Jove de Catalunya. The XVI Exporecerca Jove Fair, a benchmark showcase of youth scientific research in Spain, has recently been awarded three prizes.

Zientzia Azoka 2015 programme and spaces

The Plaza Nueva in Bilbao will host the Zientzia Azoka 2015 in four areas: The porticoes of the Plaza Nueva, in which the works of the 65 groups will be exhibited; the Corner of Experiments (space for child and adult experimentation); the Area of Practice (space for the realization of free experiments) and the scenario where diplomas and awards will be given.

Download program Zientzia Azoka 2015