ALICE STEM
Innovative Approaches and Labs for STEM Educating Communities
Territory
Palermo, Bagheria (PA), Lercara Friddi (PA), Ravanusa (AG), Palma di Montechiaro (AG)
Implementation period
January 2025 - July 2026
Donor
Fondo per la Repubblica Digitale - Impresa Sociale
Project objective
ALICE STEM aims to inspire and guide 500 high school students from Palermo and its province and from the province of Agrigento towards STEM careers, with particular focus on electronic engineering.
The project aims to overcome gender and territorial barriers through innovative methods, interconnected technology labs and an inclusive, skilled educational network. Thanks to a strategic alliance between schools, universities and guidance and innovation centres, ALICE offers personalised counselling, transdisciplinary learning experiences and advanced tools to support young people in building their professional future.
Target audience
Dedicated to third, fourth and fifth year high school students in Palermo and Agrigento. The project also involves their families and teachers from participating schools, to create a shared educational path that enhances young people's potential and supports them in their study and career choices.
Activities
The ALICE STEM project will implement the following activities.
Individual counselling and school guidance: creation of guidance desks (Choice Funnel Desk) in all partner schools to offer personalised counselling to students. Activities include: identification of individual inclinations and aspirations; awareness-raising on gender stereotypes and promotion of female role models in STEM; development of action plans for university and professional paths; involvement of families through psychoeducational meetings.
Integrated Laboratory System for Orientation (SI-LabOr): implementation of a widespread experimental laboratory with: a main hub at the University of Palermo Department of Engineering; satellite labs in each partner school, with advanced equipment and access to technological platforms for synchronised practical exercises.
Training and experiential paths (PCTO): formative orientation modules on mathematics, physics and electronic engineering, integrated with practical experiences in the labs; extracurricular PCTO focused on design, teamwork and real-world problem solving; one-week season school at the University of Palermo to offer direct experience of university life and foster community building.
STEAM - a transdisciplinary journey: STEAM Graphic Novel PCTO with the creation of comic stories that intertwine narrative and scientific concepts, with focus on character design and storytelling; STEM Atelier PCTO, practical paths that combine art and science, exploring the chemical-physical properties of materials and artistic technologies.
Promotion of digital transitions: Digital Heritage PCTO with design of interventions to enhance environmental and cultural assets through digital tools (e.g. 3D printing and web design); AgriTech Lab PCTO on introduction to automation and digitalisation in the agri-food chain, concluding in a hackathon; IoT Coding Web Design PCTO on electronics, programming and IoT applications with Arduino.
Empowerment of female students: quality dual training paths with company internships specific to girls; sociolinguistics workshops to deconstruct gender stereotypes; outreach events with successful female testimonial in STEM ICT.
Creation of a widespread educating community: thematic workshops to train and raise awareness among teachers, students and families; implementation of an Itinerant Festival in partner schools, with guidance and outreach events.
Impact
500 students involved from upper secondary schools in Palermo and Agrigento.
250 female students supported in pursuing STEM ICT careers.
6 partner schools with technologically advanced labs and enhanced educational programmes.
Creation of an inclusive and interconnected educating community, comprising families, schools, universities and businesses.
Contacts
For more information on the project or to participate you can contact Alisa Marghella.
ContactsPartners
Send ETS (Lead), Fondazione Comunitaria di Agrigento e Trapani, Cesie, Università degli Studi di Palermo - Dipartimento di Ingegneria, Liceo Scientifico Giuseppe D'Alessandro di Bagheria, Istituto Magistrale Regina Margherita di Palermo, Istituto Superiore Ragusa Kiyohara Parlatore di Palermo, Istituto di Istruzione Secondaria Superiore di Lercara Friddi, Istituto di Istruzione Secondaria Superiore Odierna di Palma di Montechiaro, Istituto di Istruzione Secondaria Superiore Giudici Saetta e Livatino di Ravanusa.
Programme
Call "Polaris" of the Fondo per la Repubblica Digitale - Impresa Sociale.
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