Bari, November 3, 2021 – Boeing has inaugurated today, at the Polytechnic of Bari, the “Pop-Up Newton Room”, an experiential classroom dedicated to STEM disciplines whose implementation is promoted by Boeing in Italy, in collaboration with ScuolAttiva Onlus and the Norwegian non-profit organization FIRST Scandinavia.

The opening ceremony was attended by Francesco Cupertino, dean of the Bari Polytechnic; Angela Natale, President of Boeing Italia; Per-Arild Konradsen, Founder of FIRST Scandinavia; Simona Frassone, President of ScuolAttiva Onlus; as well as by local authorities and a delegation of the teachers and students belonging to the schools involved in the project.

The portable “Pop-up Newton Room” will be installed at the Polytechnic of Bari for three weeks (Nov. 4-19) and will represent the first step of this program’s implementation in Italy. The classroom will be open to secondary school students of the Puglia region.

“After having successfully experienced the Newton format in several European countries, we are truly delighted about the opening of the first Newton Room in Italy,” said Angela Natale, President of Boeing Italia and Managing Director for Southern Europe. “Thanks to what is a fruitful partnership with the Bari Polytechnic, FIRST Scandinavia and ScuolAttiva, we have been able to furtherly enhance the value of our educational offering to the Italian schools. We firmly believe that projects like Newton represent Boeing’s commitment to inspiring young generations and promoting talent.”

“Attracting students and, in particular, female students towards STEM degree courses is one of the priorities of the Polytechnic of Bari for the next few years, which will be decisive for the great changes that this university is undergoing - said the Dean of the Bari Polytechnic, Francesco Cupertino. “Today - he continues - we have about 31% of female students and we cannot be satisfied with this percentage, so we are reorganizing our services to make them more effective, especially towards the female audience. Thanks also to targeted collaborations with industrial partners that have our same sensitivity on the subject, such as Boeing, we try to make orientation increasingly experiential, as well as informative. Furthermore, we want to anticipate it as much as possible, addressing the middle and elementary schools.” “The public-private alliance - he concluded - must converge, through an ever closer collaboration, towards the common goal of making young talents fruitful, directing them towards the best training courses.”

“In addition to Boeing, Scuolattiva and Politechnic of Bari are great partners to work with for the introduction of the Newton concept in Italy. We are fortunate to work with institutions that share our values and passion to prepare young students with quality STEM education. We truly hope that the experience the Pop-Up Newton Room will create an interest for establishment of permanent Newton Room in Bari," founder of FIRST Scandinavia, Per-Arild Konradsen, said.

The Polytechnic of Bari expertise, in collaboration with Boeing Italia and ScuolAttiva Onlus, will introduce students, teachers and schools’ institutions to the Newton Concept of FIRST Scandinavia, with the purpose of arising young people’s interest in the STEM subjects through experiential learning.

 

Contacts

Boeing
Armida Balla
Communications Manager
Boeing Italia
armida.balla@boeing.com
+39-342-5291540

FIRST Scandinavia
Alysia Tofflemire
Executive Director NewtonRoom
gGmbH
alysia@newtonroom.com
+49 (0) 176 640 294 35

Bari Polytechnic
Leonardo Legrottaglie
Press Office
ufficiostampa@poliba.it
+39-320-1710528