XI Final of the Days of Gliwice Young Scientists
For the eleventh time, the Silesian University of Technology hosted the finale of the Days of Gliwice Young Scientists. The event aims to popularize exact and natural sciences, help in choosing an educational and professional path and develop cooperation between Gliwice schools and the Silesian University of Technology.
The project is aimed at primary school and preschool pupils who took part in competitions, workshops, and slightly older students also in lectures. Over 400 pupils took part in this year's final, which took place at the Education and Congress Centre of the Silesian University of Technology. During the event, the project implementation was summarized and the winners received congratulations and prizes.
- Through events such as the Days of Gliwice Young Scientists, we want to create awareness among the young generation, arouse passions and interests, so that young people want to acquire knowledge in the field of exact sciences. We hope that in the future they will be students of the Silesian University of Technology and then they will want to stay in the region, in the city, live and work here – said the Rector of the Silesian University of Technology, Prof. Marek Pawełczyk.
Present at the event was the Vice-Rector for Student Affairs and Education, Prof. Anna Chrobok, who emphasized that cooperation with schools is very important for the University. – We want to interest young people, especially girls, in STEM subjects, i.e. science, technology, engineering, mathematics, already at the primary school level, so that in the future they would want to be engineers and choose technical universities – said Prof. Chrobok.
The Days of Gliwice Young Scientists enjoy great interest among pupils and are also an example of good cooperation between the city and educational institutions with the Silesian University of Technology.
- Together with the University we are preparing many initiatives. Each one makes me happy; each one is important for the city and, I hope, also for the Silesian University of Technology. Today we have the finale of the project addressed to young people who are not students yet but perhaps will be in the future - emphasized the mayor of Gliwice, Katarzyna Kuczyńska-Budka. - Through initiatives such as the Days of Gliwice Young Scientists, we encourage young people to expand their horizons and unleash their imagination. I hope that some of the young people who took part in this project will choose the Silesian University of Technology in the future, added the mayor.
The Days of Gliwice Young Scientists are coordinated by 5 schools in Gliwice: Primary School No. 1, Primary School No. 6, Primary School No. 13, and Secondary Comprehensive Schools No. 4 and 5.
- For preschoolers, we have prepared workshop classes during which they can learn about human anatomy, the structure of the cosmos, and learn how to weigh, count, and sell. For primary school pupils, there were various competitions and lectures that took place at the Silesian University of Technology. One in the field of cybersecurity, the other one concerned the connection between science subjects and criminology – said Agata Cira, principal of Primary School No. 6 in Gliwice, co-organizer of the event.
The aim of this project is not only to promote natural and exact sciences.
- We also want to promote the Silesian University of Technology, because as it turns out, not all primary school pupils know that there is a university in their city, and during an event such as the Days of Gliwice Young Scientists, they can not only visit the walls of the Silesian University of Technology, but also learn about the educational offer - adds principal Cira.
As Ms. Aneta Paździor, the principal of the Secondary Comprehensive School nb 4 emphasized, young people are often afraid of mathematics, physics, and chemistry. - However, by implementing such projects, during which they participate in professional workshops, their curiosity about the world and interest in these very subjects increases - emphasized principal Paździor.
One of the winners of competitions organized by schools was Mikołaj Wrodarczyk from Primary School No. 9 in Gliwice.
- By taking part in the project I wanted to test my knowledge and skills. Some of the tasks were difficult and I had to prepare and supplement my knowledge, but it was worth it.
- I, on the other hand, liked the form of the competitions, e.g. the one in physics and chemistry, took place in the form of a game show "One of Ten", it was something different and interesting - said another winner, Karol Simon.
During the finale, the winners received awards, and the event ended with a presentation of chemical experiments entitled "In the Clouds of Chemistry", prepared by the Student Science Club of Chemistry.
