Promoting enthusiasm for STEM subjects
The SimplyNano 2 project aims to foster enthusiasm among high school youth for STEM subjects. The SimplyNano 2 cases contain materials and documentation that allow students to conduct exciting experiments on nanotechnology and experience it as an interdisciplinary everyday technology. The project also aims to build a bridge between school and professional practice. For this reason, the introductory courses for teachers are always held at interesting company locations. The Baumer Group in Frauenfeld provided an extremely exciting setting for holding the advanced training course on 07 June 2023.
Where talent and passion meet
Gerold Eger, site manager of Baumer Electric AG in Frauenfeld, provided information about the business areas of the internationally active company. “As a company, we rely on good skilled workers with a sound basic technical education and are happy to support training in general and STEM directions in particular.” The Baumer Group is one of the world’s leading specialists for high-performance sensors and sensor systems in industrial automation. A uniquely broad product portfolio, precise measured values and smart sensor functions enable intelligent solutions for digitized production. The promotion of young talent enjoys great importance at Baumer. Around 14 apprentices are trained each year in 6 different apprenticeships. “We want to strengthen the training landscape in the Frauenfeld region,” emphasized Patrick Hug, head of basic vocational training. The exchange between the secondary school teachers and the company managers met with broad interest.
How does a smoke detector work?
In a post run, the teachers were able to carry out the experiments of the SimplyNano 2 experiment kit independently. The air-cushion-forming plant Salvinia molesta was enthusiastically examined, or the adhesion of a cell phone to the gecko pad was tested. How does a smoke detector work? What makes baby diapers so absorbent? The participants were able to get to the bottom of these and other questions. The experiments with a high relevance to everyday life were found to be extremely exciting. Required materials and documentation are included “ready to use” in the experiment kit. “Cool experiments” with “lots of practical relevance” were the feedback from the course participants. Teachers are looking forward to using the SimplyNano experiments in STEM lessons. Students can get excited about science topics and inquiry-based learning in an engaging way. Immediately after the course, the teachers were able to take away the SimplyNano experimentation kits for their schools. https://simplynano.ch/projekt/
Box: The “Simply Nano 2” project in the canton of Thurgau
As part of the “Project Thurgau”, all secondary schools in the canton of TG are being equipped with class sets of a total of 400 SimplyNano 2 experiment cases. The project is financed by the cantonal lottery fund TG, as well as a broad sponsorship of a total of 22 partners (companies, foundations and associations). The Baumer Group supports the project as a bronze partner.
These partners support “SimplyNano 2” in Thurgau
Baumer Electric AG, Bernina AG, Dimitris N. Chorafas Foundation, Halag AG, Thurgau Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK), Industrie- und Handelsverein Region Frauenfeld (IHF), LAPPTEC AG, Lions Club Weinfelden-Mittelthurgau, Lottery Fund of the Canton of Thurgau, Model AG, Ria & Arthur Dietschweiler Foundation, Rotary Club Frauenfeld, Rotary Club Frauenfeld-Untersee, Rotary Club Kreuzlingen, Rotary Club Oberer Bodensee, Rotary-Stiftung Jakob Zindel, Schweizer Zucker AG, swissmechanic Thurgau, Syngenta AG, Thurgauer Kantonalbank, Utilis AG, Wälli Ingenieure AG
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Source: Innovation Society
Image source: Innovation Society
Contact:
Christoph Meili
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CH-9014 St.Gallen
christoph.meili@innovationsgesellschaft.ch
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