UM’s science summer camp opens
澳大科普夏令營提升中學生科學素養

The University of Macau (UM) Faculty of Science and Technology (FST) recently held an opening ceremony for its Summer Camp 2017. The event attracted over 100 people, including prominent members of the community, local secondary school teachers, as well as students and their parents. Philip Chen, dean of the FST, pointed out that this year’s camp covers six different topics in science and technology, adding that through interactive games and experiments, the camp aims to help participants discover their interests and potential in science and technology and to improve their organisational skills and teamwork.

Guests who attended the opening ceremony included Kuok Sio Lai, deputy director of the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau; Ma Chi Ngai, chairman of the Executive Committee of the Macao Science and Technology Development Fund; Cheang Kun Wai, member of the Executive Committee of the Macao Science and Technology Development Fund; Wei Zhao, rector of UM; Rui Martins, vice rector (research) of UM; Philip Chen, dean of the FST; Wong Pak Kin, associate dean of the FST; Yang Zhixin, assistant dean of the FST; Kwok Chi Tak, head of FST’s Department of Electromechanical Engineering; Prof Dai Ningyi; Assistant Professor Chen Long, and programme instructors. This summer camp is sponsored by the Macao Science and Technology Development Fund.

In his speech, Prof Philip Chen said that the FST has been organising the summer camp series for ten consecutive years, adding that this year’s camp attracted 140 students from 26 secondary schools. Prof Chen expressed hope that participants in the camp would experience the fun of scientific research and discover their potential in science through the well-designed workshops, lectures, and games in the summer camp. He also encouraged young people to keep dreaming and learning about science and to use their scientific knowledge to increase people’s quality of life and promote the development of Macao.

This year’s six summer camps cover various topics, namely Civil Engineering Summer Camp, 3D Reconstruction with Quadcopters Summer Camp, Computer Vision and Human-Machine Interaction Summer Camp, Wireless Technology Study Summer Camp, Robot and Artificial Intelligence Summer Camp, and Green Vehicle Summer Camp. Booths were set up at the opening ceremony to provide information about the camp and to showcase the works by participants from last year.

澳門大學科技學院主辦的科普夏令營舉行開營儀式，吸引逾百名社會賢達、本澳中學師生和家長參與。該院院長陳俊龍表示，是次夏令營涉及六個不同的科普範疇，冀透過互動遊戲和科學實驗，培養及啟發中學生對科技的興趣與潛能，增強其組織及團隊協作能力。

教育暨青年局副局長郭小麗，澳門科學技術發展基金行政委員會主席馬志毅、委員鄭冠偉，澳大校長趙偉、副校長（研究）馬許願，以及澳大科技學院院長陳俊龍、副院長王百鍵、助理院長楊志新、機電工程系系主任郭志達、教授戴寧怡、助理教授陳龍、一眾導師等出席。是次科普夏令營獲澳門科學技術發展基金資助。

陳俊龍致辭表示，今屆是科技學院連續十年為本澳中學生舉辦科普夏令營，吸引共140名來自本澳26間中學學生參與，希望學生透過一系列精心設計的實踐工作坊、講座及遊戲，體驗科研工作的樂趣，發掘自身科學方面的潛能，並鼓勵年輕人要擁有自己的科學夢，通過學習科技提高生活水準，進而促進社會發展和進步。

今屆六個科普夏令營圍繞不同主題，分別有“土木工程夏令營＂、“四軸飛行器三維重構夏令營＂、“計算機視覺與人機交互夏令營＂、“無線科技研習夏令營＂、“機器人與人工智慧夏令營＂及“環保交通工具夏令營＂。開營儀式上，更設有不同夏令營的簡介攤位，以展示往屆學生的成果，吸引一眾在場學生及家長駐足觀看，瞭解學習內容。