Project Description

Science Centre AHHAA is an educational and recreational centre that offer something for the whole family. Our three big halls and four floors let our visitors play around and experiment with interactive exhibits that are designed to surprise and trigger curiosity. Visitors can also participate in hands-on workshops, view science theatre shows and take a trip to space in our spherical planetarium. As a renowned science popularizer AHHAA also develops and conducts learning programs for school groups and hosts a plethora of events ranging from firefighter demo-trainings to robotic competitions, with the aid of our many partners.

Read more at www.ahhaa.ee/en

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We have to talk about food waste

The FIT4FOOD2030 lab coordinators experimented with a new method to tell the stories of impact of the project. Helin, the City Lab Tartu coordinator, takes readers behind the scenes during the preparation of their ‘Future of Food’ conference.

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Defining the lab vision and trajectory The aim of City Lab Tartu was to gather a local community who share the desire to improve the situation of food and nutrition. Together with AHHAA Science Centre, the coordinating organisation, the City Lab first discussed where the local and international food system could evolve and then prototyped hands-on educational activities in order to spark desired change and curiosity in the young generation. Understanding the local food system: Visions, showcases and breakthroughs A series of workshops brought local stakeholders together Pathways to impact identified were the dissemination of good practices for healthy and (environmentally) sustainable diets among the public – via good quality, co-produced hands-on workshops realised – and actions for closer cooperation between local producers, local cafeteria and restaurants, waste managers and soil and product researching academia. Read more Different locations in Tartu; June - November 2018 Trying out existing food-related educational materials City Lab members joined a food-focused family day to experience the food-related workshops and educational activities that AHHAA offered visitors (hands-on food-related workshops, tasks with science centre exhibits and food science theatre show) as a basis for future discussions on educational module development. Science Centre AHHAA, 20 October 2018 Co-developing ideas for educational modules A workshop was held to identify competences and gather educational modules ideas, which were later discussed in consulations with different stakeholders, such as university researchers, nutrition specialists and representatives of the Tartu city government. Hektor Design Hostel, Tartu; 29 November 2018 Bringing everything together Three new educational modules produced at AHHAA The modules 'Taste Alternative Protein’, ‘Beeswax Food Wrap’ and ‘Food and Vacuum focus on short and engaging hands-on experiences, with double aim: to start discussion for systemic reflection using dialogical tools but also to produce something participants can take back home to continue their engagement after the workshops. Spring 2019 Putting things in practice Following internal testing (with employees of the science centre), and stakeholder consultations, the three workshops were tried out by entire classrooms in collaboration with a partnering local school. AHHAA Science Centre, Tartu; May 2019 Further resources committed Due to the popularity of the modules, the City Lab invested further in creating Teacher's Guides and student Activity Cards that can be easily used in classrooms. All the while, the modules continued to be used with the public by AHHAA staff. Summer 2019 A busy period of exchanges and sharing A time to take stock of all experiences, share them with new labs joining the project as well as with teachers during teacher trainings. September 2019 - January 2020 What does the future of food look like? An intense collaboration - building on the City Lab's interest in disseminating local and international best practices - led to the very successful conference 'Future of Food' attended by 100 in person and 250 online participants. 25 September 2020 We have to talk about food waste The FIT4FOOD2030 lab coordinators experimented with a new method to tell stories of the impact of the project. Helin, the City Lab coordinator, takes readers behind the scenes during the preparation of the 'Future of Food' conference. Photo credit: Sven Začek. October 2020 The future outlook of the lab For the City Lab, the module creation has been a success and these resources continue to be used in-house regularly. Connections with and among stakeholders have potential for new food system-related projects. AHHAA Science Centre is also committee to continue to organise successful public events on key topics for the food system. 2021