CHATS Program Booklet Design

The CHATS editorial committee has been working very hard to produce a program booklet for the event. In the meantime, I would like to present the cover design of the booklet the everyone:

Initially, the editorial team surf through design websites such as deviantart.com to search for inspiration. However, the designs there are not feasible: either it is not applicable to our theme or we do not have sufficient skills to duplicate the design. Therefore, we decided the come up with our own design.

As shown in the images above, the design team has chose to use orange as the theme colour of the booklet. This is to portray liveliness, as well as the passion of students in the area of scientific research. The team also spent time looking for fonts that are lively, yet does not look childish. We have also chose an interesting picture to explain the theme of the event: Nature and Technology in Harmony. If human beings were to develop technology recklessly, it will severely damage our nature. This is portrayed by the tree which is half dead.

We would like to thank Mr Aylwin Low who provided technical support throughout the design of the cover, as well as Mr Goh Liang Zhou for providing the wonderful Hwa Chong photo at the back cover.

About our logo

The CHATS logo is designed by Zheng Yi, a year 4 student from Hwa Chong Institution.

The logo was conceptualised based on these main ideas:

• The five humanlike figures represent the five schools who pioneered this event. The figures are connected and surround the name of the event to represent the collaboration amongst the schools in scientific research.
  
• The "star" created by the connecting figures represents the strive for excellence in scientific research through the sharing of ideas.
  
• The colour red represents the passion of our students for Science.
  
• The figures raise their hands to show willingness to share as well as the youthfulness and energy of the young minds that our schools nurture.
  
• One figure is taking a leap to represent a person who is sharing and he ie being supported by the rest of the participants.

What is CHATS?

The CHATS (which stands for China, Hong Kong, Australia, Taiwan and Singapore) Forum was inaugurated in 2005 when the Principals of the following five schools agreed to host an annual gathering of science talents on a rotation basis:

• Nankai High School, PRC
  
• St Paul’s Co-educational College, Hong Kong
  
• The Hutchins School, Australia
  
• Stella Matutina Girls High School, Taiwan
  
• Hwa Chong Institution, Singapore

Through this program, we hope to provide a platform for collaborative learning in Science and Technology through the interaction and sharing of research ideas amongst students of diverse cultural backgrounds. The forum will also serve to demonstrate the success of Science education through experimental project work carried out by student participants of the various countries. Students involved in this programme are selected among high achievers in the area of school-based science research.

This year, Hwa Chong Institution will be hosting the CHATS Youth Science Forum from 13 to 17 April in Singapore. The theme of the forum is “Nature and Technology in Harmony”.

CHATS Online Community

As a new initiative for CHATS Youth Science Forum 2009 this year, we are setting up an online community in the form of a blog where all participants from the schools involved can do sharing online. Content includes:

• Progress and update on research
  
• Difficulties faced
  
• Solutions explored and used
  
• What could have been improved and further extensions
  
• Interesting experiences during the process of research and preparation for the research
  
• Sharing on Science research by the students in general
  
• Sharing on the theme on "Nature and Technology in Harmony"
  
• Sharing between different schools
  
• Other interesting news related to the event

The rationale for this is to encourage communication and sharing amongst various schools. We would also like to create greater awareness about this event amongst our partner schools who are not directly participating in this event.