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MINT on the move
Impressions from the first two days "SNI on the move" in the Treno Gottardo in April.
The Swiss Nanoscience Institute (SNI) at the University of Basel is once again a guest of the Schweizerische Südostbahn AG (SOB) on July 12 and 13. On both days, children and adults can experiment during a train ride and have fun using their journey on the Treno Gottardo to experience how exciting natural sciences can be.
In the nano-world – the world of individual atoms and molecules – the lines become blurred between the traditional disciplines of physics, chemistry and biology. Demand is high for research teams who have a broad understanding of the natural sciences. Day after day, they investigate structures and phenomena on the nanometer scale, laying the foundations for innovative new developments in our everyday lives. These may include innovative drug delivery systems or new materials with special electrical and magnetic properties that may one day be used in our computers or smartphones.
The SNI team at the University of Basel is committed to making scientific findings and research results accessible to a broad public audience. The team also wants to pass on their fascination for the natural sciences to children and young people, encouraging them to get active, ask questions, watch closely and do their own experiments. And where better than on a train?
Dr. Kerstin Beyer-Hans of the SNI, herself a mother of two young children, came up with the idea during a long train ride with her family. "We all know what it's like. The children want to be kept busy and at some point, despite being prepared, you run out of ideas," she explains. "The SNI team wants to support parents by offering children's experiments and crafts on the train. Not only are they fun, they also relate to the natural sciences."
The SNI team has teamed up with Südostbahn for this pilot project. We were on the train for two days in April 2023 and are now offering experiments and crafts on the topic of optics in the family compartment of the "Treno Gottardo". Children and young people aged 4 to 18 are welcome, as well as adults with an interest in nanoscience.
Südostbahn is supporting the project to awaken interest in research and technology at an early age. The company attaches great importance to training its own specialists in various professional fields and promoting innovation. "We can only counter the shortage of skilled workers in the long term by breaking new ground," says Marianne Reisner-Schmid, member of the Executive Board and Head of Human Resources & Organization at Südostbahn. "A train ride like this will awaken a love of discovery and has a good chance of creating lasting memories."
More information
The SNI is on the move on Wednesday, 12 and Thursday 13 July 2023 in the Treno Gottardo.
from Basel SBB : 8.03 am
from Luzern: 9.18 am
arriving in Göschenen: 10.50 am
from Göschenen: 11.09 am
from Luzern: 12.54 pm
arriving in Basel: 1.56 pm
from Basel: 2.03 pm
arriving in Olten: 2.30 pm