During the Girl's Day event at our institute, a series of exciting and informative experiments were carried out in the mechanics laboratory. The day began with activities aimed at introducing the participants to the world of engineering and mechanics.
The morning began with a warm welcome and introduction, followed by ice-breaking games. These activities not only helped the girls to get to know each other but also formed the basis for the practical experiments that followed.
The main experiment of the day revolved around understanding motion and forces through various experimental setups. The participants looked at the mechanics of a tensile test and explored different approaches to measuring and analyzing forces acting on materials.
For the morning, the girls were also introduced to biomechanics, statics and other basic aerospace engineering concepts. Paolo, Padhy and Karsten led exciting experiments with dynamic systems, such as a spinning chair, demonstrations of static equilibrium and hands-on activities exploring the properties of rotating objects.
The experiments were interspersed with breaks where participants could relax and chat with the presenters.
In the second part, smaller experiments offered the opportunity to explore certain topics in greater depth, e.g. speed measurements, rolling dynamics and the behaviour of double pendulums. In these experiments, which were led by Padhy, Franzi and Berta respectively, the girls were able to apply their newly acquired knowledge and skills in practical scenarios.
The day ended with a reflection session led by Berta, in which the participants shared their feedback and experiences. Berta also led a session on materials science, where the girls were able to gain hands-on experience testing and comparing different materials.
Overall, Girl's Day was a resounding success, giving the participants an insight into the exciting world of mechanics while encouraging curiosity, collaboration and confidence in STEM subjects.
