OSHub-GR | SciCo Maker Lab was established in the island of Limnos. Limnos is a Greek island, with approximately 17,000 inhabitants, located in the Northeastern side of the Aegean sea, very close to Turkey. Due to its geographical location and proximity to Turkey, it is considered as a remote island and has a severe army presence (multiple army camps, air force hubs and soldiers on the island). Schools, students and communities in such geographically isolated locations, usually have fewer opportunities to engage with innovative participatory programmes and lack staff and resources in education. On the other hand, the island of Limnos has a notable environmental and cultural wealth, as well as rich biodiversity. In addition, it experiences an increasing influx of visitors and tourists over the past years, leading to continuous development. It is also home to the Department of Food Science and Nutrition of the Aegean University.

More specifically, OSHub-GR established a school-based OSHub model, which has a physical space that works as a maker lab, where the educational community develops science and technology projects to tackle local relevant challenges and/or opportunities. It is led, namely, by teachers and students, which then, depending on the specificity of the projects, form networks and liaisons with the local community and local stakeholders (university, municipality, parents, local organisations, other schools) who can serve as collaborators, consultants or end users.

Some examples of projects that emerged from this approach include: students developed a smart stick with smart goggles for visually impaired or a smart feeder for the stray animals on the island, by using coding and programming, tinkering with sensors and microcontrollers and recyclable materials; or developed applications for locals and visitors to use in case of emergency, or to showcase the island’s biodiversity and the nutritional elements of local products, based on the programming environment MIT App Inventor.