In the afternoon of 27th September 2024 Groups 1 and 2 of Szeged gathered together in the Community House so that they could start their evening program. Participating in the Researchers’ Night Program at the University of Szeged has been a tradition for the Szeged Groups of the Foundation for years. We grouped the children into small teams of 3-4 in a way that each group had both juniors and seniors.
In the center of the first session we visited was drones, and their use in contemporary agricultural and industrial production. The children gained an insight into how multispectral drones’ camera work, and what the vision of a special 360 degree camera drone is like.
Meanwhile in the neighboring stand the children could learn some interesting things about herbs and spices that have been present in Hungarian cuisine and medicine for centuries. Participants had a chance to closely examine the plants, smell their scent, and learn some basic dishes which contained these herbs and spices.
In the meantime, some of the teams looked around in the mineral exhibition, while those interested in the animal kingdom watched an exciting pet show. This show, however, focused on extraordinary pets, reptiles and large unique insects. The kids learned some interesting facts about these animals and their habits, and gained some insights into how to keep them as pets at home.
Moving on to the main building, we joined an interactive presentation called ‘Noisy Physics’. The lecture gave an overview on the physical attributes of sound waves and their formation. It then showed a few, both visually and audibly enjoyable, examples for different sound waves, and how to alter the length of these.
After this, those interested in History visited another lecture, yet this one focused on broadening participants’ historical knowledge, and teaching them how to analyze written sources. Teams who watched the full presentation and successfully solved the subsequent quiz were awarded with an unofficial certificate.
Soon before the end of the evening program, some of the teams had the chance to play an Airbus Simulator. The children tested their skills and practical knowledge of flying an airplane in the lifelike replica of a real airbus.
At the end of the day, the two Groups finished the fantastic program with dinner together. They had a chance to get to know each other better while discussing the new experiences gained at the exciting event.
Anna Benczúr
Szeged 2 group