Except for the research community and key stakeholders in aviation, another audience that interests us is the small scientists of the future, the school children. The RefMap project engaged small students with science and engineering, fostering understanding and interest. On February 26, 2024, a scientific outreach event was held at CEIP Calderón de la Barca in Leganés, Spain. Led by María Cerezo from our partner, the Aircraft Operations Lab at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Cecilia Hernández from the Spanish Space Agency (AEE), and aerospace engineer Lucía Lacambra, the event targeted children aged 8-10. It provided an opportunity to introduce ongoing research projects like RefMap, allowing students to grasp the link between aviation and climate change. The workshop had a special focus on promoting the figure of the female scientist as an objective for International Women's Day on the 8th of March.
The workshop titled "Space: Build Your First Satellite" also acquainted the younger audience with space exploration. This activity is part of "Researchers at Schools," a scientific outreach initiative organised by MADRIDNIGHT, a project supported by the Madri+d Foundation and funded by the European Union under Horizon Europe Research and Innovation. Moreover, it is affiliated with "Una ingeniera en cada cole," an initiative by the Women for Technological Innovation Network of the Association of Women Researchers and Technologists (AMIT-MIT), and conducted within the framework of the RefMap Project.