Editorial Issue 51 Editorial article

Dear Readers

As hinted at in recent newsletters, 2020 was a year of change at Science in School.  The journal switched to an online-only model after Issue 49, and at the end of the year, a new editorial team took over.

My scientific background is in chemistry and biomedical research, and I have a strong interest in science communication and education; woe betide any stallholder who tries to tell me their products are chemical-free! STEM education is so important, not just for inspiring tomorrow’s scientists but for informing tomorrow’s citizens and policy-makers, and I’m really excited to have the opportunity to support STEM teachers in this crucial work.

From Naples, Italy, Rosaria moved to the UK for a PhD in physical chemistry, where she studied nucleobases and pharmaceutical molecules in the gas phase. She also discovered her passion for science communication and outreach, writing for Chembites and Bar Scienza and becoming a STEM ambassador. She firmly believes in the importance of STEM education for Europe’s future and shares my excitement about our mission:

To support teachers in the delivery of their STEM curricula, by connecting them to inspiring, cutting-edge science and technology, in order to foster positive attitudes towards the science that shapes their lives, and attract students to careers in these fields.

For our first issue, we have decided to highlight the eight members of EIROforum, which fund and support Science in School, thereby enabling us to make all of our content freely accessible. These European intergovernmental research organisations (EIROs) cover a broad range of cutting-edge research and also offer their own education and outreach programmes and materials.

We additionally have exciting plans for the coming year. We will be updating and redeveloping the journal to reflect the new online-only model, including a redesign of the website and the introduction of new features, which we aim to introduce for the academic year 2021/2022. In the transition period, we will continue to publish new content, with issues planned for March and June of this year.

This period of change brings with it unique opportunities for improving what we offer, and we welcome your input. If you have any ideas, proposals, suggestions, requests, or other feedback, don’t hesitate to drop us an email (editor@scienceinschool.org) or get in touch via our Twitter or Facebook accounts. You can also sign up for our Newsletter to receive alerts whenever a new online issue is published. Science in School owes much of its success to our community; our authors, reviewers, translators, and, of course, readers. This is your journal; help us to deliver the content you need to inform, engage, and inspire.