The Biggest Ever Scientifica

Never has the Scientifica been as extensive as this year. From 22 to 30 August, around 200 different events are taking place at various locations on university campuses, in Dübendorf and in the city of Zurich. The program includes around 50 short lectures, guided tours and discovery trails in more than 40 labs and facilities, where UZH and ETH Zurich staff will talk about their research fields, tirelessly answer visitor questions, perform experiments and explain to children how science works.

Ensuring this gigantic festival of science can take place requires large-scale and systematic planning – a task which the 20-strong project team has been devoting itself to for months. The person pulling all the strings is project manager Martin Rohr, who has been involved with Scientifica since its inception in 2011. The ETH’s Roland Baumann and UZH staff member Theo von Däniken have an equally extensive track record. They coordinate the participating projects from within the two universities and share responsibility for the overall planning.

Alongside this highly experienced team, hundreds of researchers, students and helpers give up their time for the festival. “Thanks to the great dedication of everyone involved, we are now by far the largest and most innovative science festival in Switzerland,” says Martin Rohr. The aim is to maintain fresh impetus and to spark interest in science among an ever-growing audience.

Roland Baumann is particularly pleased about the varied program of events at the Innovation Park Zurich in Dübendorf, where Scientifica will kick off on Saturday, 22 August.  “For the first time, doors are opening to hangars where groups of students construct airplanes and rockets, and where they’ve even set a speed record with a racing car.”

For Elisabeth Stark, who, as Vice President Research at UZH, is responsible for Scientifica alongside Annette Oxenius, Vice President for Research at ETH Zurich, the opening is also a highlight: “I am very pleased that we can kick off Scientifica at the Innovation Park, the home of our innovation cluster, UZH Space Hub.” Thanks to a partnership with the Innovation Park, spin-off companies working across the site are also presenting their future aerospace projects and the clever robotic systems that support their efficient construction.

Visitors are invited to board a research plane for mapping the earth, learn about ultra-sensitive sensors for determining the biodiversity of entire tracts of land and experience the fastest autonomous aerial drones in action. Groups from the EMPA materials science institute are providing information on climate and environmental topics, and at Startbahn 29 a family-friendly trail offers an opportunity to explore engineering science first-hand.

“This year’s Scientifica is the largest since the festival began,” says Annette Oxenius, Vice President for Research at ETH Zurich, with great delight. She notes that this reflects the researchers’ enthusiasm for showcasing their work to the public.

The festival continues on Sunday on the external campuses of UZH and ETH. At Hönggerberg, the respective laboratories for hydraulic engineering and ion beam physics are among those opening their doors, with the latter offering insight into the dating of old objects. And on the UZH Irchel campus the public can visit the Institute of Animal Behavior’s meerkat enclosure or explore the detector for dark matter.

During the week, numerous events are taking place in Zurich itself. As a partner in Scientifica, the city is highlighting what it takes to keep Zurich functioning day-to-day. Facilities not normally accessible are opening their doors from Monday to Friday. Discover new technologies for water treatment, try out games for science and complete a dementia trail to learn what life with dementia feels like. The Balgrist Clinic is offering insight into their digital operating theater, where future surgeons are trained with the help of augmented reality and AI, and in the Cabaret Voltaire families can try their hand at Dada poetry.

On the final two days, 29 and 30 August, Scientifica will take place in the main buildings of UZH and ETH. Over 70 stalls will feature exhibitions on current research projects, covering topics such as health, climate change and sustainability, AI and robotics, as well as language and art.

Around 20,000 visitors attended Scientifica in previous years. “A large proportion of them are always families, including many with no academic background,” says co-organizer Theo von Däniken. “We’ll be offering lots of events for families, children and young adults again this year, to stir young people’s interest in science as early as possible.” So that the next generation of researchers and specialists can carry this enthusiasm for science into the future.