When The University and City Hall Join Forces: The STEAM BSM_UPC Project

Barcelona's iconic landmarks, including the Olympic Stadium, Gaudi’s Park Güell, the Zoo, and the amusement park Tibidabo, serve as the backdrop for a series of STEAM activities that bring together 6,500 students from across the Barcelona metropolitan area every year. This ambitious project is made possible by the collaboration between the academic expertise of a public university like the Polytechnic University of Catalonia and the public enterprise B:SM, which oversees from Barcelona's parking system to the Zoo or the amusement park. During these events, students aged 10 to 18 engage in a range of experiments and scientific shows tailored to the unique characteristics of each location.<br/><br/>For example, at the Zoo, students explore life and the materials that constitute it, such as DNA and the energy-giving substances essential for life. At the Olympic Stadium, chemistry concepts are taught through an interactive show, and physics is demonstrated through a blend of a contemporary dance quartet and a scientist. In the amusement park, mobile phone sensors are utilized to investigate the movements and forces behind the rides. At the world-renowned Park Güell, we investigate how Gaudi used materials inspired by nature.<br/><br/>However, the project doesn't end with students. Every year, we organize training courses for teachers and public shows designed for a broader audience. These shows feature unique presentations, such as one conducted by a physicist and a violinist or a jazz band exploring the connection between music and mathematics.<br/><br/>Overall, this highly successful project is the result of researchers stepping out of their labs and engaging with a broad audience, and the willingness of the town hall to organize and support such impactful scientific activities.