On January 2012, Banco Popular Foundation and Ciencia Puerto Rico started a pilot project to study the impact of the book ¡Ciencia Boricua!, ensayos y anécdotas del científico puertorro in the classroom.  Using interactive activities and tools to stimulate the interest for sciences and for scientific careers among elmentary and intermediate school students in Puerto Rico, we seek to change the perception of sciences using the book as the main component.

During the Spring, 53 students from the Nueva Escuela Juan Ponce de León at Barrio Juan Domingo in Guaynabo were exposed to several book essays and activities to developed curiosity for science and for scientific careers. Guided by their teachers, the students had the chance to meet and talk to puertorican scientists, visit scientific laboratories, write their own summary of the essays and to record podcasts about some of the topics covered in the book. At the end of the semester a final event was celebrated where the students had the chance to present a poster in front of a general audience and also in front of a group of scientists.  

The Center for Sociomedical Research and Assessment (CIES) at the Medical Science Campus, University of Puerto Rico, were hired to conduct an external evaluation of the project. The final report indicated that the students, specially the female students, showed a change in the perception for sciences and for scientific careers.  You can read the Executive Summary of the evaluation report (in English) here. To read the entire report (in Spanish), please access it here.