Starting this school year, secondary schools in the canton of Zurich will be provided with over 1000 “SimplyNano 2” experiment kits free of charge. The cases are a new learning medium compatible with Curriculum 21, with 32 exciting experiments, a learning workshop and all the necessary documentation, chemicals and materials. The “SimplyNano 2” project, is funded by the Lottery Fund of the Canton of Zurich and a broad sponsorship of companies, associations and foundations. The canton of Zurich is already the fifth canton in which the suitcases are used in all upper school classes.<\/p>\n\n
Nano experiments with “wow” effect<\/strong><\/p>\n\n Nanotechnology is the science of the very small. Nanomaterials are not only found in science, but also in many everyday products such as cosmetics and textiles or in technology applications, e.g. in medicine. With the harmless and amazing experiments, the students discover, among other things, how baby diapers with “super absorbers” absorb extremely large amounts of liquid, how the “memory effect” works with metals, e.g. in braces, or how geckos with nano-structures on their feet can climb up walls.<\/p>\n\n Nano courses for teachers offer insights into technology companies<\/strong><\/p>\n\n For teachers, accompanying half-day introductory courses are offered. Recently, such a course took place with 12 Zurich secondary school teachers at the company Vetropack AG in B\u00fclach. The participants were able to experiment and at the same time gain an insight into an industrial company. Vetropack is one of the leading manufacturers of glass packaging in Europe and employs around 4000 people at 11 locations worldwide. As a manufacturing company in the consumer goods sector, Vetropack relies on well-trained specialists and apprentices, as Marc Kuster, Manager Glass Recycling and practical trainer, emphasized. “We are interested in raising awareness of technology among young people at an early age, because well-trained employees are a key resource for the company,” Kuster said. In B\u00fclach, for example, apprentices are trained in the recycling of glass in the Vetrorecyling department. Because glass is 100% recyclable, the starting material used in the production of glass packaging at the Vetropack Group currently consists of approximately 53% waste glass, and the trend is rising. Recycling thus makes a key contribution to saving energy andCO2.<\/sub><\/p>\n\n Promoting enthusiasm for technology throughout Switzerland<\/strong><\/p>\n\n The “SimplyNano 2” experimental kit was developed by Innovationsgesellschaft, a St.Gallen start-up company, and is published by the SimplyScience Foundation. The non-profit foundation aims to get children and young people interested in scientific and technical topics. The suitcase is already being used nationwide in five cantons and will gradually be made available in all secondary schools throughout Switzerland over the next few years. For more information, visit: www.simplynano.ch<\/a><\/p>\n\n Broad sponsorship of the Zurich Nano Project<\/strong><\/p>\n\n The “SimplyNano 2” project in the canton of Zurich is supported by the following partners:<\/p>\n\n Contact:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n Dr. Christoph Meili, The Innovation Society, Lerchenfeldstr. 3, CH – 9014 St. Gallen Tel: +41 (0)71 278 02 06<\/p>\n\n christoph.meili@innovationsgesellschaft.ch<\/a><\/p>\n\n Publication: Innovation Society<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n