By Pioneer Science | Published on April 28, 2026 | Last updated on May 15, 2026
During the school break, the Science Summer Courses expand access for public school students to the academic and scientific universe in Rio de Janeiro. The project aimed at high school students offers an immersion in the scientific method through experimental activities in university laboratories.
Developed by the Leopoldo de Meis National Network of Education and Science (RNEC), the initiative impacted over 400 students in 2025, distributed among the five groups supported by Pioneer Science: Young Talents Program of the Institute of Medical Biochemistry, Deaf Project, Formulating Scientific Literacy, Sciences under Tents, and Be a Scientist Project.
The laboratory experience, combined with encouragement for investigation and critical thinking, is decisive in building new trajectories, as emphasized by Bruna Muniz, 19, a project student recently approved in Biological Sciences at UniRio, “the course represents much more than a laboratory experience. It is a way to show that public school students can occupy scientific spaces that often seem distant.” Now, she continues studying to enter Medicine.
Another highlight is the development of socio-emotional skills, such as autonomy and confidence. The experience was transformative for Pâmella Agra, 18, who will start the Pharmacy course at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. “I learned to trust my decisions more and not always depend on someone telling me what to do. It was an opportunity for personal and professional growth,” she reports.
Approval in higher education marks a new stage for students and reinforces the impact of scientific education as a tool for social transformation. Julia Rezende, also a graduate of the project, celebrates the achievement after passing the entrance exam for a degree in Chemistry at the Federal Institute of Rio de Janeiro. “It was a very special moment, especially knowing that all the effort was worth it. When I saw the result, I called my mother and we celebrated together,” she reports. “I always studied in public school and did not have specific preparation, so I was afraid I wouldn’t make it, also because I am an only child and have lived only with my mother since I was 2 years old.”
By providing access to science through a methodology that makes the student the protagonist of learning, the project expands opportunities that contribute to both citizen formation and the future of Brazilian science.
