They swapped a school chemistry classroom for a modern laboratory at Łukasiewicz – PORT. Our Institute supports eighth-grade students from the Active Small School in Wrocław who are participating in the Universiada competition. Members of the five-person PolySens Team are carrying out their scientific project under the supervision of Dr. Róża Szweda.
The leading theme of the first edition of the science competition for children and youth is chemistry. The main goal of the Universiada is to encourage students in the upper grades of primary school to develop creative thinking, acquire knowledge across multiple fields, learn how to plan and conduct research, and then analyze the results. By working on a joint project, participants also practice teamwork, organization, and time management skills. The competition is organized by the Omniveda Foundation.
The PolySens Team is looking for a solution to the problem of long-term data storage. The students have an idea to develop new materials that would increase the density of information encoded in molecules. Soon, they will conduct experiments to verify their research hypothesis. Their work is supervised by Dr. Eng. Róża Szweda, Head of the Functional Macromolecules and Porous Materials Research Group.
– I am impressed by the creativity of this group of young researchers, who independently came up with ways to improve technologies developed by the world’s leading research centers. It is a very interesting and enjoyable experience for me to work with the younger generation. Children see no limits in their imagination, which is truly inspiring – says Dr. Eng. Szweda.
Currently, the students from the PolySens Team are working on a project presentation that will compete for qualification to the final round and the opportunity to present the results of their work at the Final Gala. The Universiada winners will be selected in June by professors from the University of Wrocław. Attractive prizes await the winners. Fingers crossed!
