The project titled "On the Trail of Evolution with Nosia – Discover the History of Life Recorded in DNA and Fossils," funded by the Ministry of National Education, is aimed at school-age children and young people, focusing on the development of STEM competencies (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) through active engagement with science. The main objective of the project is to foster scientific thinking, analytical skills, reasoning abilities, and an understanding of natural processes based on empirical data. The project is inspired by scientific research conducted at the Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, Polish Academy of Sciences, as well as by a unique museum specimen: the woolly rhinoceros from Starunia, affectionately known as Nosia.
The project includes outreach workshops delivered in primary and secondary schools across the Małopolskie, Podkarpackie, Śląskie, and Świętokrzyskie regions, with a particular focus on smaller towns and communities. The workshops are tailored to the participants' age groups: younger students learn through inquiry-based play and exploration, while older students undertake more advanced tasks, including the design of simple scientific experiments. Additional activities are designed to foster independence, a sense of agency, and self-confidence.
Complementing the outreach workshops is the "Days of Evolution" event, which will take place at the Natural History Museum of the Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, Polish Academy of Sciences, in Kraków, on 9–10 October 2026.
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