’I never knew there were people like me at university’

Surveys of participants in the -Native Schools- project show that knowledge communication may be a key to overcoming social injustice, inequality and exclusion. In particular, direct interactions between researchers and disadvantaged groups have the potential to increase knowledge about and enthusiasm for research in all parts of society. The Native Scientist organization designs workshops with researchers for children and young people from migrant communities. The workshops match up researchers and children with the same cultural background and who can communicate in the respective native language. The effectiveness of the program is currently being tested in a randomized controlled evaluation study at the Hector Research Institute of Education Science at the University of Tübingen. "The goal is not only to increase students' motivation to engage with scientific phenomena, but also to strengthen their sense of belonging and self-confidence," explains Joana Moscoso, co-founder and director of Native Scientist. Surveys of more than 1,000 participants showed that both the children, teenagers, and the scientists seem to benefit from the workshops.