{"id":3363,"date":"2025-06-04T11:20:50","date_gmt":"2025-06-04T08:20:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.myscience.fi\/en\/?p=3363"},"modified":"2025-06-04T11:20:51","modified_gmt":"2025-06-04T08:20:51","slug":"luma-stars-program-launching-youth-the-stars-of-the-future-in-the-spotlight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myscience.fi\/en\/news\/2025\/06\/04\/luma-stars-program-launching-youth-the-stars-of-the-future-in-the-spotlight\/","title":{"rendered":"LUMA Stars Program Launching: Youth \u2013 the Stars of the Future \u2013 in the Spotlight"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Four students from Helsinki Upper Secondary School of Natural Sciences are the first scholarship recipients in the new interdisciplinary LUMA Stars program, which will pilot in summer 2025. The theme is a sustainable future.<\/strong><\/p>\n

LUMA Stars is a new interdisciplinary program by the University of Helsinki, part of the National STEM Strategy<\/a> and the LUMA Centre Finland network. It places young people at the heart of science, mathematics, and technology \u2013 not just as learners, but as future makers. Their voices, hopes, and questions shape the content and development of the program.<\/p>\n

The pilot will run in summer 2025 at the University of Helsinki, with plans to expand nationally \u2013 and hopefully internationally \u2013 in the future. The program aims to support young people\u2019s science, math, and technology learning and their future well-being in line with Finland\u2019s national STEM strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scholarship recipients Morteza Ahmadi, Peik Pirhonen, Einar Lindholm, and Dominick Salminen from Helsinki Upper Secondary School of Natural Sciences, located on the University of Helsinki\u2019s Kumpula campus. The school has long collaborated with LUMAlab Gadolin in science education development and research. The students received the scholarship for their strong skills and interest in chemistry.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The program is led by Professor Maija Aksela<\/strong>, LUMA Science Ambassador<\/a> and the \u201cmother\u201d of the idea, and coordinated by Maikki Roiha<\/strong> from LUMAlab Gadolin<\/a>. A steering group of researchers, teachers, and students supports the program. From the University of Helsinki\u2019s Department of Chemistry<\/a>, Markus Mets\u00e4l\u00e4<\/strong>, Vice Head of Education, is also involved.<\/p>\n

\u2013 It\u2019s wonderful that our students passionate about chemistry get to explore university-level research while still in high school. They\u2019ll gain valuable experiences and clarity for their future studies. Thank you for this opportunity \u2013 hopefully, there\u2019s more to come!<\/em> \u2013 Chemistry teacher Anssi Nivala<\/strong>, Helsinki Upper Secondary School of Natural Sciences<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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SCIENCE-TET \u2013 More Than Just a Work Experience<\/h2>\n

At the heart of the summer 2025 pilot is the SCIENCE-TET scholarship, which gives high school students the chance to spend a week at the University of Helsinki\u2019s Department of Chemistry. The scholarship recipients will:<\/p>\n