Building bridges, creating video games and breaking down the flavour of orange into several simpler substances – these are just a few of the many activities that secondary school students were able to attend at Técnico, during the first week of ‘Verão na ULisboa’, an initiative that brought them into contact with what is being done at several of ULisboa schools. From 1 to 5 July, various students’ organisations organised experiments, project presentations, games, and other activities for around two hundred secondary school participants (the week of 8-12 July will be dedicated to 3rd cycle students).
The various student groups visit Alameda and Oeiras campi laboratories, participate in physics experiments and many other things. At the Oeiras campus, Rita, a 10th-year student, shares that this is her third time at Verão na ULisboa. “It’s a fun week and different from what we imagined”, she says, explaining that “it’s a good way to get to know the different universities”.
At the Alameda campus, on Wednesday morning, the participants had the opportunity to visit some of the facilities of the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (more commonly known as CERN) in Switzerland, courtesy of Portuguese researcher Ana Peixoto. From the ATLAS control room, with a photograph of this detector in the background, the scientist explained the variety of particles that make up the Universe and the mysteries of particle physics studied at these facilities.
Between activities, students often take a break in the shade of the pine trees in the North Garden, exchanging a few words or a few passes with a football someone decided to bring. Here they find some time to share their experience of participating in Verão na ULisboa.
Luísa, a 12th-year student, became interested in attending a summer school after some Técnico students visited her school in Castelo Branco. She is interested in biomedical engineering and health, and shares “Técnico has a welcoming atmosphere”. According to the student, participating in Verão na ULisboa “is a very different experience, which involves many things that will be useful in the future”. Highlighting activities such as operating a hydraulic claw and building a model of a bridge as her favourites, Luísa recommends other classmates take part in the future.
Manuel praises his experience at the Oeiras campus, which consisted of programming sensors in a robot car and developing a video game. “These are very creative and practical activities that entertain me a lot”, he says, explaining that “robotics, video games and programming are very interesting”.
Guilherme is about to start his 11th year and he is pleased to have attended this initiative, so much so that he’s already considering taking a mechanical engineering course at Técnico. “I know that this is a prestigious school and that it will get me a better job”, he shares.
Photo gallery
