From 8 to 23 February, Dubna hosted the first Teachers of the Future school and seminar, organized by the University Centre of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research for physics and mathematics students planning to be school teachers.

The opening ceremony included speeches by Institute’s Vice-Director Latchesar Kostov and the school’s organizers, along with a video greeting by the Far Eastern JINR Information Centre. The aim of the school and seminar was to supplement the curriculum of the educational programmes of the natural science faculties with relevant knowledge in modern physics and to provide future teachers with basic information about the research and engineering activities that implement advanced methodologies.

The rich two-week programme of the school included excursions to the JINR laboratories and lectures by the Institute’s leading scientists, theoretical classes and round tables on physics and mathematics education, and master classes on preparation for the JINR Days in Uzbekistan festival. An important part of the programme was the presentation of an advanced physics textbook for grades 7, 8, and 9, “Engineers of the Future”, edited by Professor Yuri Panebrattsev (UC JINR). The publication is included in the federal list of textbooks of the Russian Federation.

Physics workshops as well as physics and mathematics projects took up most of the school’s programme. “The physics workshops and experiments by Ivan A. Lomachenkov, together with the project activities led by Petr D. Shirkov, completely changed the way I view both physics and teaching,” Veronika Samsonova (Northern (Arctic) Federal University), a participant in the school and seminar, noted in her review.

Following the educational programme, the participants expressed a desire to maintain contacts with JINR and each other in order to further their professional development and exchange experiences. Almost all participants already have experience teaching in schools, and more than half of them noted they will certainly choose it as their profession. The final meeting at the UC focused on discussing ways to guide schoolchildren towards pursuing a scientific career at their local universities. In addition, Acting Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Oksana Kreider told the participants of the school and seminar about the natural science majors and specialised departments of Dubna State University and the opportunity of choosing career paths that lead to JINR.

The main organizer, a UC leading methodologist Petr Shirkov noted the programme of the first Teachers of the Future school and seminar proved to be an important and relevant tool for attracting students to teaching and engaging schoolchildren in science. Thus, the event is an important step in the development of the JINR educational environment and the training of a new generation of teachers and researchers. The organizers and participants of the school and seminar intend to continue working on joint projects, and UC JINR is planning the next Teachers of the Future programme.

Among the participants were students from Russian universities selected with the participation of the JINR Information Centres: Lomonosov Northern (Arctic) Federal University, Far Eastern Federal University, Khetagurov North Ossetian State University, Vitus Bering Kamchatka State University, and Tomsk Polytechnic and Pedagogical Universities.