1st of August 2019 – “Illustrating science” is a collaborative project carried by the Rectorate of the Toulouse Academy since 2015. It is based on the sharing of scientific knowledge.
Each year, about thirty classes from all over the academy participate – between 900 and 1000 students. This class project is aimed at students in cycle 3, cycle 4 and general, technological and vocational high schools. This year, the author of the book “Le Chasseur d’Atomes” (partner of IYPT 2019), Alexandre Marciel, supported by the Union of the Chemistry Industry (UIC) and the Union of Industries and Trades of the Métallurgie (UIMM) of Occitanie, proposed to the Rectorate of Toulouse to dedicate the 2019 edition to the subject: “From the chemical element to the object of the everyday”. This theme fits perfectly in the heart of the IYPT 2019. This class project, interdisciplinary, is able to widely involve the teaching staff, science, arts, letters, history, professional education … Visits to laboratories and businesses are planned. The project materializes in May at a student conference and is materialized by a collaborative exhibition of all the students’ productions. On this occasion, each participating class to “Illustrate Science” will be offered a teaching suitcase, “The Atom Hunter’s Case” which will physically contain all the elements of the periodic table (except toxic and radioactive). This teaching suitcase project is made possible thanks to the UIC-UIMM partnership and the industrial partners, the SOVAMEP (recycling of special and precious metals) and the SOLVAY group (for rare earth samples), partner of the IYPT 2019.