Educational pathways for Science and Renewable Energies based on experimentation with open technologies.

• Grant number: 25/06492-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: June 01, 2025
• End date: May 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Electrical Engineering - Industrial Electronics, Electronic Systems and Controls
• Principal Investigator: Hugo Enrique Hernández Figueroa
• Grantee: Bernardo Salvador Grael
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Elétrica e de Computação (FEEC). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/11380-5 - CPTEn - São Paulo Center for the Study of Energy Transition, AP.CCD

Abstract

Contemporary society faces complex challenges, such as the transition of energy paradigms, the pursuit of sustainability, social inclusion, and the digitalization of labor relations. These challenges are particularly relevant for developing countries like Brazil, which face significant technical, social, and economic gaps. The dissemination of renewable energy encounters technological, economic, sociocultural, and institutional barriers. Among these are technologies that do not fully meet users' needs or are not economically viable. Furthermore, sociocultural and institutional barriers must be overcome on a large scale for the energy transition to take place effectively.In this context, the authors argue that education in renewable energy must be broad and accessible, empowering populations to adopt these technologies. It is essential to develop innovative educational strategies, especially within elementary and secondary education, to promote knowledge and use of renewable sources.Based on this premise-and inspired by the success of Prof. Fabiano Fruett (co-advisor of this master's thesis) and his research group in the development of BitDogLab, an open-source, low-cost, and easy-to-use hardware board designed for interactive and engaging teaching of STEAM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics)-it is proposed to expand the functionalities of this tool. The goal is to use it as an instrument for disseminating concepts related to the energy transition, encompassing technological, scientific, and civic awareness aspects among primary and secondary school students in Brazil.This approach not only facilitates practical understanding of renewable energies but also fosters the formation of a generation that is more aware and better prepared for future energy challenges. By integrating technology, education, and sustainability, the project aims to overcome sociocultural and institutional barriers, contributing to more inclusive and sustainable development. (AU)