Science Opportunities Made Possible by the Lottery Fund:

Bridging Gaps Across Regions and Circumstances

Expanding Tailored Programs for Underserved Communities, Multicultural Families, and Local Youth

          The Asia Pacific Center for Theoretical Physics (APCTP), led by President Misao Sasaki, announced on September 2 that, with support from the Korean government’s Science and Technology Promotion Fund and Lottery Fund, it has been expanding access to a wide range of science engagement opportunities for children and young people from underserved communities, multicultural families, and local youth and residents, while advancing the Lottery Fund’s public-interest mission.

APCTP works to ensure that the achievements of basic science research extend beyond the professional research community. The Center operates a variety of science outreach programs designed to make science accessible to everyone, including children, young people, and local residents, while expanding opportunities for hands-on learning and participation.

To ensure that these programs go beyond one-time experiences, APCTP consults in advance with partner organizations, including local schools, science museums, and children’s centers, to develop programs suited to participants’ ages and circumstances. The Center also incorporates feedback gathered on site to continuously improve its science outreach activities and better serve participants.

Key programs include visiting science workshops at local children’s centers, tailored science programs for young people from underserved communities, science engagement and exchange programs for multicultural families, and artificial intelligence (AI) science classes offered in partnership with local science museums. APCTP also creates more opportunities for young people and local residents to engage with science in their everyday lives through Science in City Hall, family science festivals, and talks by authors of the year’s selected science books. This year, the Center also invited a Nobel Laureate in Physics to deliver a special lecture for local high school students, giving them an opportunity to meet and engage directly with a world-renowned scientist.

APCTP continues to expand its online science outreach content through Crossroads, its online magazine. Crossroads presents key topics in basic science, including physics, in clear and engaging ways. It also offers a wide range of content so that young people and members of the public who may find it difficult to attend in-person programs can explore science anytime and anywhere.

• Crossroads website: https://crossroads.apctp.org/

These efforts have consistently received strong recognition in performance evaluations of Lottery Fund programs. Since 2017, APCTP has received a rating of “Excellent” or higher every year, reflecting continued recognition of the program’s achievements.

“Opportunities to experience science and discover one’s potential should not depend on where a person lives or their circumstances,” said Misao Sasaki, President of APCTP. “In keeping with the public-interest mission of the Lottery Fund, APCTP will continue creating diverse opportunities for more children, young people, and local residents to experience science firsthand and connect it to their lives and futures.”

Established in 1996 on the occasion of the APEC meeting, APCTP is Korea’s only international center for theoretical physics. Based at POSTECH in Pohang, the Center works with 20 Member Countries/Regions and 39 Partner Institutes across the Asia-Pacific region. With continued support from the Korean government’s Science and Technology Promotion Fund and Lottery Fund, APCTP has attracted and trained more than 300 outstanding early-career scientists as resident researchers. Through collaborative research and academic exchange in theoretical physics, the Center contributes to strengthening Korea’s capabilities in basic science. APCTP also promotes the public value of basic science through public lectures, participatory science festivals, and science outreach programs for young people.