The last clue is hidden in Técnico’s landmark letters.
In the Great Hall at the Alameda campus of Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, a telescope is pointed at the building’s façade across the way. Participants take turns using the telescope, swapping eyepieces, and discussing magnifications. “Try that one”, they suggested to each other. Inspired by the science fiction movie Interstellar, the challenge involved uncovering a “hidden message” in the landmark letters that identify the campus, using a combination of different eyepieces and the relationship between magnification and focal length.
“We’ve found the word!” announces one of the groups. The answer – “gravity” – brings the challenge to a close, but not their curiosity. As the explanations draw to a close, new questions arise and experiments multiply.
The activity “A Física da Ficção” (“The Physics of Fiction”), organised by the Physics Group at Instituto Superior Técnico (NFIST), was part of Verão na ULisboa, promoted simultaneously at several schools of Universidade de Lisboa. Between 29 June and 3 July, around two hundred secondary school students visited the Alameda and Oeiras campuses of Instituto Superior Técnico, where they participated in laboratory activities, engineering challenges and guided tours organised by various students’ organisations.
“For many students, this is the first time they have set foot in a university, get to know what it’s like to be on a campus, talk to older students and explore different fields”, says Diana Santos, a Biological Engineering undergraduate student at Técnico and mentor to one of the groups. “It’s really interesting to see them arrive feeling a bit shy and, after just a few hours, they are already discussing ideas, asking questions and imagining themselves here”.
When engineering begins with cards, syringes and silicone
On the other side of the campus, in the Electrical Engineering Building, fiction gives way to mechanical engineering. Cardboard sheets, silicone tubes, clamps, skewers and syringes are piled high on the tables. In just over an hour, these scattered materials will have to be turned into a “hydraulic gripper capable of opening, closing and moving up and down”.
“The challenge demonstrates how principles of mechanics and hydraulics can be applied to build a functional system”, explains Bernardo Matos, mentor of the activity organised by Fórum Mecânica (NEMIST). “Rather than finishing first, we want them to understand the process, test solutions, learn from their mistakes and work as a team”.
As the clock ticks down, the atmosphere changes. The first structures begin to take shape, some syringes refuse to cooperate, and inevitably the first calls for help emerge. A solution that seemed definitive ends up being dismantled just a few minutes later to make way for a better idea. Amidst last-minute adjustments, each challenge is worth points towards the final ranking and nobody wants to fall behind.
For Leonor, a 12th-grade student, “this practical element was one of the most distinctive aspects” of the week. “We were able to experiment, handle the materials and understand how things work”, she says. Studying Biomedical Engineering at Técnico is among her options; she highlights the opportunity to explore areas she had never considered before. “I thought I had a grasp of engineering, but these activities showed me that there are many different ways to solve problems”.
On their way out, the groups meet up, compare scores, exchange views on the previous activities and move on to the next room. From Physics to Civil Engineering, from Architecture to Aerospace Engineering, via Chemistry or Biomedical Engineering, each door opens up a new field of knowledge.
Designing a house before building the walls
“The challenge is to build a model designed to meet your clients’ needs”, announces Catarina Bonito, kicking off the activity organised by the Architecture Students’ Organisation (NucleAR). Each team is given the profile of a fictional user and a set of specific requirements that they must “translate into a home’s spaces layout”. The mission begins before construction: thinking.
Armed with graph paper, pencils and card sheets, the participants begin by discussing the lives of those who will live in this imagined house. They consider the functionality of the spaces, the flow of movement, the light, the comfort and the relationship between the house and the outside world. Some teams redraw the floor plan several times; others take the request to create “a stage for intense days” literally and place a real performance stage at the centre of the house.
“I found it interesting to realise that a house doesn’t start with the walls”, shares Filipa, an 11th grade student, while adjusting the layout of the rooms on the model. “First you have to think about the people, the way they live and how all the spaces relate to one another”. “I’d never thought about architecture in that way”, she admits.
Outside, buckets full of water announce a different challenge. This time, competition gives way to socialising. Two teams line up facing each other. The activity involved passing a soaking-wet sponge from participant to participant, with one condition: it could only be carried using the body part indicated on a randomly drawn card. If the sponge fell to the ground, the group had to start again.
Forearms, elbows, shoulders and feet replace the hands. Initial strategies quickly give way to improvisation. The floor gets wet, the cheers grow louder, and every time the sponge reaches the final bucket, participants applaud and laugh. “It was a really fun way to end the day”, says Madalena, a 15-year-old participant, commenting on the activities organised by the Student Support Office (NAPE). “We were all tired by then, but we ended up running, laughing and trying to find the best strategy without dropping the sponge. It was impossible not to get involved”.
The enthusiasm was also evident at Técnico’s Oeiras campus, where hands-on challenges sparked new interests among the participants. Inês, a 14-year-old student, explored a world she had previously “only known by name”. After trying out various activities, from programming a game inspired by Pac-Man to building LED sequences and an electronic circuit, she found the last challenge to be the most surprising. “It seemed much more complicated than it actually was”, she admits proudly.
Tomás, who is 13, attended the event at the Oeiras campus on the recommendation of a friend, whose brother had participated in a previous edition of the programme. While he still dreams of becoming a pilot, the week opened up new perspectives for him. “I’m discovering things I never even imagined how they were made”, he says. Working with circuit boards, lines of code, and other challenges made him realise the importance of keeping a “plan B” open. Now, the Undergraduate Programme in Aerospace Engineering at Técnico has become one of the possibilities he is considering for his future.
For five days, laboratories, classrooms and common areas transformed Técnico into a “space for discovery”, where experiences, challenges and socialising moments helped participants get to know the campus and connect with the students. “It helped me understand the different areas available much better and what I really enjoy”, sums up Miguel, a 10th-grade student. Among so many possibilities, he left with one certainty: “I want to come back to Técnico”.
From 6 July, the Verão na ULisboa at Técnico continues with a new week of activities, this time aimed at students in the third cycle of basic education.
