Services

NIHERST offers services to members of the public in the following areas:

• Awards for Science, Technology and Innovation (STI). These include the Prime Minister's Awards for Innovation & Invention and NIHERST President's Awards for Excellence in STI .

• School and Family Visits to the NIHERST/NGC National Science Centre. Themed-science visits can be arranged on request for school groups.

• Vacation Innovation/Invention Camps. The camps range in duration from one to three weeks for children aged 5-7 years (Funology), 8-12 years (Explorer) and 13-16 years (Robotics and Young Inventors). Campers are introduced to the basics of creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship whilst also learning about concepts in science and their applications in daily living.

• Vacation One-day Science Camps. These camps cater to youngsters aged 8-16 years and cover a host of topics in science so that there is something for everyone.

• Curriculum-based Workshops for Teachers. These workshops aim to improve teachers' knowledge as well as their teaching skills and assessment techniques. Emphasis is currently placed on upskilling primary school teachers for the national science tests.

• Workshops for Students. These range from Post-SEA workshops to introduce students to science learning at the secondary level and in particular to the use of basic equipment in the science laboratory. Workshops are also conducted for CXC students of Biology, Chemistry and Physics. For lower-secondary school students, there are robotics and electronic workshops.

• Science Whizz, an annual competition sponsored by NGC, which challenges students to demonstrate their capabilities to explain science and math concepts in fun ways, to innovate using a given set materials, and to investigate defined problems.

• Community Science Weeks, which brings the excitement of science learning to communities and towns across the country.

• Sci-TechKnoFest, this country's signature national science festival, which promote awareness of importance issues and developments in STI.

• Clubs - Science (12-15 year olds), Astronomy (individuals and families), and Robotics (13 and above).

• Telescope Viewings, mainly during the dry season when the night skies are clear.

• Library Services, reference services on a wide range of topics in science, technology and innovation.

Awards for Innovation & Invention

NIHERST administers the Individual category of the Prime Minister’s Awards for Innovation and Invention. This is an open competition to all residents of Trinidad and Tobago. Entrants submit their ideas for an Invention, either a process or a product, and are asked to develop their ideas into a prototype for judging. There is also the Bright Solution aspect of the competition which looks at innovative solutions to community problems without entrants having to produce a prototype. Only an outline of the solution is required.

Workshops are held throughout the country to give interested persons a better understanding of the awards and to help them in preparing for the competition. Holiday camps in innovation and invention also give children an exposure to creativity and invention.

Related Services:

• Information needed to enter the competition

• Advice on patent issues

• Links to National and International Innovation sites and Intellectual Property offices

E-mail: innovation@niherst.gov.tt  

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School and Family Visits to the NIHERST/NGC National Science Centre

The National Science Centre, the region's first such centre, opens from Tuesdays to Fridays weekly and caters to the needs of individuals, families, schools and communities. The Centre exposes visitors to a world where knowledge has no boundaries: from the exhibition floor with close to 200 interactive science exhibits on a range of themes and topics, to the Science, Computer, Robotics and Creative Design Labs, to the Kiddi Play area with science and math activities for the 7 and under age group, to the planetarium with its intimate experience of the splendour of the night sky and intriguing mythological figures… and this is only the beginning.  

E-mail: nscyapollo@niherst.gov.tt  

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Vacation Innovation/Invention Camps

NIHERST conducts several camps during the July/August vacation that focus on Innovation and Invention. These camps are open to children from 5-16 years old and run from one to three weeks. “ The camps introduce participants to the techniques of creative and lateral thinking as well as the basics of science, innovation and entrepreneurship (i.e. "technopreneurship"). These hands-on camps cover new science concepts/topics and project activities each year. Some topics/concepts are based on the school curriculum but others are included to expose campers to cutting-edge issues and concepts, among them nanotechnology, genetics, water conservation, and renewable energy. The camps are all hands-on, and there is a bonus for the campers in the 13-16 age group who get exposure to the process of taking their ideas through the conceptualisation to the design and prototype stages.

There are four camp offerings: "Funology" for children 5-7 years; "Explorer" for the 8-12 age group; "Robotics" for youngsters 13-16 years and "Young Inventors" for also for teenagers. 

E-mail: innovation@niherst.gov.tt  

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Vacation One-day Science Camps

NIHERST, through its National Science Centre, also hosts a series of unique one-day science and technology camps during the July/August vacation. The camps target 8-16 year olds. Each day, participants explore new areas of science. The camps bear delightful names such as:

• Bubbleology - the science of bubbles

• Brute Force - fun with forces like gravity and inertia

• Dr. Anatomy, M.D. - explores the human anatomy

• TOYSRUS - explores concepts in mechanics and the design of toys

• Green Scene - the science of nature conservation

• Signal Me - investigates methods used in communication

• Nyam - experiments you can eat

• Dective Who - the science behind crime fighting techniques

• Puppet Master - fun with the art and science of puppet making

Each year, new camps are added in order to broaden the range of issues explored and to build local capacity.

E-mail: nscyapollo@niherst.gov.tt 

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Curriculum Based Workshops

The National Science Centre offers curriculum based workshops,  which address troublesome modules in the CXC Chemistry, Biology and Physics syllabi.  Teachers can also call and speak with a Science Educator to structure a computer assisted learning session in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics and Technology Education (includes Lego MINDSTORMS™) at any level (i.e. from pre-school to A-Levels).

E-mail: nscyapollo@niherst.gov.tt 

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Science Whizz Competition

This an annual competition is sponsored by NGC for the last 10 years. The competition challenges students to demonstrate their capabilities to explain science and math concepts in fun ways, to innovate using a given set materials, and to investigate defined problems. Entrants are invited in two age groups: students 12-16 years and students 17 years and over. Home-schooled students are welcome to participate.

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Community Science Weeks

Started in 2003, this programmes makes science and technology learning more accessible to towns and villages across the country. Entitled "Community Science Weeks: Being at Home with Science", the week focuses on topics and issues in science of interest and relevance to local residents. Residents are involved in all aspects of the planning and execution of the programme and a variety of public, civil society and corporate bodies take part to fullfil the objectives set by residents.

E-mail: nscyapollo@niherst.gov.tt  

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Sci-TechKnoFest

A unique science festival from many standpoints both regionally and globally, Sci-TechKnoFest celebrates knowledge of science and technology using entertaining educational methods. The festival aims to promote public awareness and understanding of basic scientific principles and concepts, burning issues of national importance, as well as the impact of science and technology on our lives and well-being. Its goals are to help foster a national culture of science, raise the national level of scientific literacy, and empower citizens to make more informed choices act in a more socially responsible manner, and have the confidence to apply new developments in science and technology both in the work place and in the home. The festival is held every two years.

E-mail: nscyapollo@niherst.gov.tt

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Science, Astronomy and Robotics Clubs

These clubs provide support for students to improve and broaden their knowledge of science concepts. They also provide opportunities for life-long, passion- based science learning for persons interested in Robotics and Astronomy. Individuals as well as families and school groups are welcomed to join.

E-mail: nscyapollo@niherst.gov.tt

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Telescope Viewings

A number of telescope viewings are scheduled during the year. Individuals and groups can book in advance to attend. On the night of the viewing, there is a total astronomy programme, which includes among other things, a planetarium show and of course the opportunity to view the night sky through one of the most powerful telescopes in the region with its state of the art GPS equipment. 

Groups with a particular interest in astronomy can also call in and speak with a Science Educator about formulating special programmes and viewings.

E-mail: nscyapollo@niherst.gov.tt 

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Library Services

The NIHERST Documentation Centre offers a reference service to persons researching:

• NIHERST 

• Science and Technology Policy 

• Science and Technology Planning

• Innovation

• Science Popularisation 

• Science Education

• Science and Technology Statistics

Researchers in these subject areas enjoy reading only access to the Documentation Centre’s collection. A list of NIHERST publications is available on the web site.

E-mail: doc-centre@niherst.gov.tt  

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