Taguspark Communication, Events and Partnerships Unit (NCEP)

The students’ enthusiasm at the O Leão de Arroios school in Lisbon was hard to control. ‘Can you make me a car with wings?’ asked Salvador, a 3rd grade student, causing laughter throughout the room. This was just one of the many creative questions that marked the session ‘What is the car of the future?’, presented by Técnico Fuel Cell. The hydrogen-powered car demonstration inspired young people to imagine futuristic solutions, from teleporting vehicles to autonomous cars.

The activity was part of the 1st edition of “Engenharia e Ciência vão à Escola”, an initiative included in the Science and Technology Week, held from 18 to 22 November, bringing together Técnico professors, students and researchers, and students from Lisbon, Loures and Oeiras. Throughout the week, more than 60 interactive sessions in almost 30 schools involved about 2700 students from 1st to 9th grade, bringing them closer to the technological and scientific innovations developed at Técnico.

While the cars of the future were being discussed in Arroios, the students from Conde de Oeiras Primary School focused their attention on trains. During the session led by Hugo Magalhães, a researcher at the Mechanical Engineering Institute (idMEC), the 5th grade students immersed themselves in railway structures. ‘Why are trains faster than cars?’ they asked. The activity ended with a collective shout of enthusiasm: ‘This train can’t stop!’

The students of Inês Mateus, a 4th grade teacher at António Rebelo de Andrade School, carried out an activity with students from Técnico Formula Student (FST Lisboa). ‘It was an interesting session with enthusiastic students’, shared Inês Mateus. “[my] students will all want to be engineers“, she joked.

The practical approach of the initiative won over the teachers. According to Célia Nunes, who accompanied her 3rd grade class, ‘it’s fascinating to see the genuine curiosity these activities arouse’. ‘Even the most reserved students end up taking part,’ she commented. Clara Gorjão, an 8th grade teacher, also emphasised the positive impact on her students, saying that it was ‘a privilege to have Técnico involved in these activities. These moments mark the students and stimulate their curiosity’.

Other activities included colourful chemistry experiments, interactive robotics and debates on the impact of technology on everyday life. At Catujal Primary School, in Loures, Joana Madureira, a researcher at the Centre for Nuclear Sciences and Technologies (C2TN), addressed the topic of nuclear science and ionising radiation, demonstrating the effect of radiation on a dye solution. ‘Showing our work to these students and seeing their reactions is a great feeling’, she commented.

A group of kindergarten students from Colégio Piloto Diese welcomed researcher Mónica Amaral Ferreira, from the Civil Engineering Research and Innovation for Sustainability (CEris), who explained them and other 1st cycle students why the earth shakes, as part of the Treme-Treme Educational Project.

Filipa Pires, from Instituto de Telecomunicações (IT), encouraged the students to express what they had learnt through drawings. ‘The children interacted a lot and created incredible works. They even asked us to come back next Monday!’ she said. In addition to answering students’ questions, the Técnico researchers and students also challenged the young students to reflect on the role of science and the future of technology. Between arms in the air, risky questions and open smiles, these 63 sessions showed that the future of science can start with a simple ‘How does it work?’

Engineers, scientists and students from Técnico organised the following talks:

• Do Óleo ao Sabão: Como as Reações Químicas Transformam as Moléculas
  Centro de Química Estrutural (CQE), Alexandra Antunes;
• Paredes verdes para Cidades Sustentáveis
  Civil Engineering Research and Innovation for Sustainability (CEris), Ana Galvão;
• ECOPÁTIOS | DESIGNLAB
  Centre for Innovation in Territory, Urbanism and Architecture (CiTUA), Ana Moreira;
• Uma Forma Diferente de fazer Eletricidade
  Center for Nuclear Sciences and Technologies (C2TN), Beatriz Aguiar Santos;
• Fusão Nuclear na Era das Alterações Climáticas
  Institute for Plasmas and Nuclear Fusion (IPFN), Bruno Soares Gonçalves;
• Inteligência Artificial: Benefícios e Perigos
  Institute for Systems and Robotics (ISR), Carlos Santiago;
• Conheces o Ar que Respiras?
  Center for Nuclear Sciences and Technologies (C2TN), Carolina Reis, Raquel Pimenta, Sara Gonçalves;
• Robo@Home Challenge: A Vida de um Robot Doméstico com o Bob
   Institute for Systems and Robotics (ISR), Catarina Caramalho and António Morais;
• Como Purificar a Água
  Centro de Recursos Naturais e Ambiente (CERENA), Danilo Bertagna Silva;
• Alimentação do Futuro: É Possível Imprimir Filetes de Peixe?
  Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences (iBB), Diana Marques;
• O que é o Hidrogénio Verde?
  Center of Physics and Engineering of Advanced Materials (CeFEMA), Diogo Santos;
• O que é a Ciência?
  Center for Nuclear Sciences and Technologies (C2TN), Dulce Belo;
• Do Mar para a Luz: LEDs Amigos da Natureza
  Instituto de Telecomunicações (IT), Filipa Pires;
• Das Forças de Newton à Ideia mais feliz de Einstein
  Center for Mathematical Analysis, Geometry and Dynamical Systems (CAMGSD), Filipe Costa;
• European Inventor Network: Innovation/Entrepreneurship of Success Stories
  Institute for Systems and Robotics (ISR), Francisco Maria Calisto;
• Luz e Cores
  Institute for Plasmas and Nuclear Fusion (IPFN), Gonçalo Figueira;
• Os Sólidos de Platão
  Center for Mathematical Analysis, Geometry and Dynamical Systems (CAMGSD), Gonçalo Oliveira;
• De 10 em 10: Uma viagem pela Nanoescala
  Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores – Microsistemas e Nanotecnologias (INESC MN), Helena Alves;
• The Magic of Underground Heat – A Magia do Calor Subterrâneo
  Centro de Recursos Naturais e Ambiente (CERENA), Housam Sherif;
• A Ciência por Debaixo dos Comboios!
  Mechanical Engineering Institute (idMEC), Hugo Magalhães;
• Como são Feitos os Robots?
  Institute for Systems and Robotics (ISR), Isabel Ribeiro;
• BRIDGE: consciencialização para os riscos ambientais em diferentes territórios através do uso de ferramentas visuais e de mapeamento
  Centre for Innovation in Territory, Urbanism and Architecture (CiTUA), Joana Dias e Ana Soares;
• Uso das Tecnologias de Radiação Ionizante por um Ambiente Sustentável
  Center for Nuclear Sciences and Technologies (C2TN), Joana Madureira;
• O que está Debaixo dos Nossos Pés?
  Centro de Recursos Naturais e Ambiente (CERENA), João Narciso;
• ISTSat-1: O Técnico em Órbita
  Institute for Systems and Robotics (ISR), João Paulo Monteiro and Duarte Pires;
• O que Acontece quando os Matemáticos tentam Pentear uma Esfera?
  Center for Mathematical Analysis, Geometry and Dynamical Systems (CAMGSD), João Pimentel Nunes;
• O Sussurro do Oceano
  Centro de Recursos Naturais e Ambiente (CERENA), Leonardo Azevedo;
• Como Transformar as Plantas em Baterias, e ainda, Limpar o Ambiente
  Centro de Química Estrutural (CQE), Marta Alves;
• Por que é que a Terra Treme?
  Civil Engineering Research and Innovation for Sustainability (CEris), Mónica Amaral Ferreira;
• O Jogo da Química
  Centro de Química Estrutural (CQE), Pedro Mendes;
• Uma Aventura no Mundo das Proteínas: A Descoberta de Novas Formas através da Ciência
  Center for Nuclear Sciences and Technologies (C2TN), Rita Melo and Bruno Oliveira;
•  A Magia da Química: Explorando o Mundo Invisível ao Nosso Redor!
  Center for Nuclear Sciences and Technologies (C2TN), Sandra Rabaça;
• Futuro da Energia
  Centro de Química Estrutural (CQE), Rui Sampaio, Tiago Paiva, and Marta Alves;
• Uso da Energia nas Sociedade: Passado, Presente e Futuro
  Marine, Environment & Technology Center (MARETEC), Tânia Sousa;
• Mercúrio em Movimento e o Papel de Plantas e Micróbios na sua Transformação
  Centro de Química Estrutural (CQE), Vicente Guerreiro e Inês Rico;
• Environmental Protection: Proteção Ambiental
  Centro de Química Estrutural (CQE), Vusala Aliyeva;
• Mecânica e Inovação: O Desafio de Criar um Carro de Corrida
  Núcleo FST Lisboa – Formula Student, Beatriz Tomé, Vicente Carreira, Afonso António, Matilde Sousa, Carlota Magalhães, Pedro Clemente, Maria Bastos, Guilherme Rodrigues, Ricardo Xavier, Nuno Lynce, Joaquim Monteiro, Tiago Silva, Rita Tavares;
• O Carro Mais Eficiente de Portugal
  PSEM – Projeto de Sustentabilidade Energética Móvel, Joana Chaby, Pedro Silva, Gonçalo Barreto;
• Como Construir um Carro do Futuro
  TFC – Técnico Fuel Cell, Nabil Omargee, Gonçalo Leiria, Nuno Alves;
• Como se Fazem Moléculas? Como é que os Cientistas Sabem o que Sabem?
  Communication, Image and Marketing Area, Joana Lobo Antunes;
• O que Dá a Cor à Nossa Pele​ e a Protege do Sol?​
  Communication, Image and Marketing Area, Maria Serrano.

Photo gallery (under construction)