LAAAMP and Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste are jointly organizing an international virtual professional development workshop for high-school teachers from 15–19 June 2026.

The workshop is designed for teachers of Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, and General Science, and will be conducted entirely in English. Its aim is to strengthen the connection between school science curricula and inquiry-based learning by introducing educators to synchrotron research and large-scale scientific infrastructures.

Using Elettra as a real-world example, the program will demonstrate how advanced research facilities operate and how fundamental scientific principles taught in classrooms are applied in cutting-edge experiments.

Participants will be introduced to:

• the fundamentals of synchrotron science and large-scale research infrastructures;
• key machine components and how they enable advanced experiments;
• real research applications in materials science, health, and technology;
• inquiry-based teaching approaches connected to modern STEM research;
• indigenous and global perspectives in science education;a virtual tour of the Elettra facility;
• demonstrations of data collection and how research data can be translated into classroom activities.

By connecting teachers directly with scientists and research environments, the workshop aims to provide practical tools, fresh perspectives, and inspiring examples that help students understand how classroom science links to real-world discovery and innovation.

Lecturers

Cecilia Blasetti, Elettra – Sincrotrone Trieste, Italy
Tracy Walker, Canadian Light Source, Canada
Giuliana Aquilanti, International Atomic Energy Agency, Austria
Benedetta Marmiroli, Graz University of Technology, Austria
Iulia Cojocariu, Elettra – Sincrotrone Trieste, Italy
Georgios Kourousias, Elettra – Sincrotrone Trieste, Italy
Giovanni Birarda, Elettra – Sincrotrone Trieste, Italy
Mirwat Shamshad, School of Astronomy and Physics, Islamabad, Pakistan
Giorgio Paolucci, Elettra – Sincrotrone Trieste, Italy

Organisers

Özgül Öztürk Kurtuluş, Department Physik, Naturwissenschaftlich-Technische Fakultat, Universitat Siegen
Tevfik Onur Menteş, Elettra – Sincrotrone Trieste

Participation is free of charge. Applications can be submitted at https://indico.elettra.eu/event/61/

Disclaimer: Courtesy of LAAAMP