Another year has passed in which research continues to bring school students closer to lab activities and beyond. That’s why the Researchers’ Night event is so beloved — because it brings lab experiments into the streets, where students of all ages can access and enjoy a unique experience and a live demo of what it means to be a researcher.
Of course, MSP didn’t hesitate to contribute to school students’ education this year either, and we hope to reconnect with pupils in as many similar educational activities as possible.
Researchers’ Night in Măgurele and Bucharest
The first day of the event took place in Măgurele, which is home to the country’s research hub and to the now-famous laser. This is the most powerful laser in the world, reaching a power of 10 petawatts (PW), which equals 10^15 watts. This amount is equivalent to one-tenth of the total power emitted by the Sun, concentrated into an extremely thin beam.
It is an ideal climate for scientific activities, and researchers supported students in exploring the mysteries of the Universe, chemistry, or physics.
On the second day of this initiative, the booths moved to Bucharest, specifically to Children’s World Park, a perfect location for science-related activities aimed at children. The sunny weather drew students toward discovering the booths and the mysteries behind them. They had the chance to enjoy the experience by taking part in all the activities, and once again, MSP offered curious minds, just like on the first day, sessions on 3D modeling and printing.
MSP and the 3D Modeling & Printing Workshop
The MSP team, as always, dedicated itself to providing students with a pleasant, informative, and hands-on experience of what using 3D technology involves.
In addition to the introductory course in Tinkercad, students received valuable information about the components of a 3D printer, the different types available, and how 3D printers are optimally used in large industries.
The surprises didn’t stop there. For middle school students accompanied by teachers, the MSP team promoted the 3D modeling and printing competition, and two teams have already signed up, eagerly awaiting the upcoming stages of the contest.
At the end of the Tinkercad training session, students sent their designs to be printed, and with the help of Laurențiu, the objects were successfully produced by the 3D printer in just 30 minutes — exactly as the students had designed them in the program.
Why Is 3D Technology important and why we should familiarize students with it
3D technology (modeling, 3D printing) has become an essential element for major industries due to its significant impact on design, production, and efficiency. The main reasons are:
- It enables rapid prototyping (reduces the time from concept to final product);
- It facilitates mass customization (allows for the production of personalized items without major additional costs; for example, sports equipment can be adapted to the user’s exact measurements);
- It helps reduce costs and waste (instead of cutting or shaping expensive materials, 3D printing uses only the exact amount of material needed, minimizing waste);
- It allows geometric complexity without extra production costs (examples include turbines for airplanes or medical components);
- It improves supply chain efficiency and enables innovation and research (by accelerating the testing of new products).
At MSP, we understand these benefits of 3D technology and, for this reason, we organize 3D workshops not only during events such as Researchers’ Night, but also through frequent classroom visits where we offer live demonstrations on what 3D technology entails.
We Look at the future with optimism
Although it may sound like science fiction, today’s technology would have seemed unreal to civilizations 200 years ago — and so, our current technology will probably seem just as incredible to people 200 years from now. We should expect spectacular innovations and developments across multiple fields.
We must remember that, through our actions, we are building the future for tomorrow’s students, and that any significant technological update deserves to be explored — both by the adults in white lab coats and the young ones, curious to explore new horizons.
