In July 2022, two PhDs of our Thin Films and Interfaces (TFI) Group offered a practical teaching module to pupils at the Kantonsschule Stadelhofen as part of the Swiss TecDays. These are one-day events at Swiss grammar schools, organized by the Schweizerische Akademie der Technischen Wissenschaften (SATW), to support and strengthen technology education at schools. By bringing together pupils and experts from industry, universities, or research institutions, TecDays aims to raise an early awareness for technology and science.
We are happy that a full class of students joined our module „water splitting: we create hydrogen with sun light“ during the TecDay at the Kantonsschule Stadelhofen. After a short introduction to thin film fabrication and our work at PSI, the pupils were able to get hands-on experience with electrochemical and photoelectrochemical experiments, including the splitting of water into molecular hydrogen and oxygen using thin films and light.
We are looking back to a fun day with lots of interested students at Kanti Standelhofen and hope that we provided a joyful insight into research done in the TFI Group. It would be great if we conveyed boys AND girls that science is fun and fascination at the same time.
We cordially thank Michael Weltli from Kantonsschule Stadelhofen for excellent on-site support, Peter Haslebacher for the photos, and the SATW team, especially Belinda Weidmann, for a great organization.
Here is more information about the TecDays organized by the SATW.