抄録
Young students with an interest in science are potential future scientists, but they have difficulty in finding suitable mentors in Japan. There are few teachers who understand biological research in elementary and middle school. We, therefore, developed and executed "BS League (Biological Science League): Be a future biologist!" as a novel educational program, aimed at fostering the potential of elementary school children (fifth- and sixth-grade) and middle-school students to be future biologists. This was a 3-year project undertaken as part of the "Fostering Next-Generation Scientist" program supported by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). Faculty members and graduate students of the College of Biological Sciences, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba supported individual young scientists, known as BS Leaguers. Each BS Leaguer could develop his/her research under careful and intensive guidance by one suitable researcher as mentor, and one graduate student as tutor. Results clearly showed individual support by working scientists was effective in improving young students' potential as scientists.
