KGS event at D-BAUG

In June 2024, a hundred teenage girls filled the ETH Hönggerberg campus with energy and curiosity. It was the annual Kangaroo Goes Science (KGS) Day, an event organized jointly by D-BAUG and D-MATH with support from external page 500 Women Scientists Zurich, D-HEST, and many volunteers from D-BAUG, D-MATH, D-MAVT, D-PHYS, D-CHAB, and D-MATL.

The teenagers were the top scoring girls from the external page Kangaroo Math Competition that took place in March. They were invited to ETH to celebrate their achievements in math and to learn more about the wonderful world of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). The program has been organized every year since 2018. It aims to give the girls and their parents insights into the teaching and research that goes on at ETH, to introduce them to the many female scientists and engineers who are at ETH, and it gives them an opportunity to hear from female students about how they ended up at ETH.

A STEM exploration day is an inspiring mix of hands-on science and engineering activities, providing an engaging glimpse into various fields. The day normally begins with an introductory presentation from scientists, sharing insights into real-world challenges, such as maintaining clean drinking water or building resilient structures.

Throughout the day, participants rotate through interactive labs and workshops, each highlighting a different STEM area. In one lab, they might work in teams to design and build small structures, like bridges, and test their stability to understand principles of construction and material strength. Another lab might focus on water dynamics, where students create miniature channels or water systems and experiment with flow to simulate environmental challenges. Other activities might involve using microscopes to explore microbes, discovering how these tiny organisms impact ecosystems and health.

While students are immersed in activities, parents or accompanying adults often take a guided campus tour, gaining insights into the research and facilities available. The day typically concludes with a group gathering where students share their experiences, discuss their projects, and celebrate the day’s achievements, often with a friendly competition to test whose designs performed best.

Such a day offers young girls an engaging introduction to the possibilities within STEM, sparking curiosity and perhaps inspiring future studies or careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Further information can be found on the KGS website and in the D-MATH website.