Dr. Asel Sartbaeva conducted master classes on chemistry for 300 schoolgirls from Bishkek

BISHKEK, January 28, 2021 – Dr. Asel Sartbaeva recently conducted master classes for 300 schoolgirls in Bishkek. The master classes were aimed at showing the girls that STEM subjects, including Chemistry, offer great professional opportunities for the next generation. Dr. Sartbaeva designed the master class to showcase the fundamental principle of Chemistry, that all matter is made of atoms. However, she did this in an accessible way, through making models of molecules and polymers with everyday products, such as grapes and cheese. 

This 5-days event held at the beginning of January was held jointly with the project partners: the AUCA Innovation Technical College represented by Dr Madina Samakbayeva and Dr Bakhtiyar Asanov, and the Child Protection Center, which supported with girls’ participation. The master classes were set via the Zoom platform, with the support of facilitators in the class.

During the master class, girls built several molecules, including glucose molecules. They eventually combined the molecules into a long chain, forming a starch polymer. under the guidance of trainers and Dr. Sartbaeva. At the end of each day, participants had a question-answer session, where the girls could ask questions ranging from education and studying in the UK to gender stereotypes and science.

Dr. Asel Sartbaeva, a Chemistry Profess at the University of Bath said: “I was very happy to meet so many girls who are interested in the program. STEM subjects give an incredible foundation for their future professions, including critical thinking, problem-solving, thinking outside the box, and higher self-esteem. The girls have actively participated in the activities and have asked many interesting questions. I hope they have gained an understanding that Chemistry is all around us, and it’s a great choice as a profession.  We asked the girls to reproduce the molecule at home, and I was excited to see pictures of the molecules that were made at home after the masterclass”.

The girls were also appreciative after the session:  “It’s better to see or do once than to hear a hundred times”; “I really liked it. I’m grateful for this training. It was very interesting. This is my first time at such events, I feel incredibly comfortable. Thank you”; “I learned a lot, and I want to become a chemist”.

In 2020, UNICEF launched the “Girls in Science” project to empower 500  girls, aged 14-18, from new settlements and rural areas to excel in their knowledge and skills in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). This will open doors for more career opportunities for the girls. The girls, participating in the programme, named Dr. Asel Sartbaeva as their role model in pursuing a science career path, so UNICEF appointed Dr. Asel Sartbaeva as the Ambassador of the “Girls in Science” programme. Dr. Asel Sartbaeva is leading ground-breaking research to make childhood vaccines safe at all temperatures.