Projects

The geosciences provide central answers to some of the most pressing questions of our time: How do we secure energy and raw materials? How do we counter natural hazards and the consequences of climate change? How do we shape a future worth living despite the scarcity of resources? Despite this enormous societal importance, geoscientific topics have so far met with little interest among the general public, and particularly among young people—with predictable consequences for the urgently needed next generation of skilled professionals. This is where the project "Geoscientific Experiment and Game Kit" adresses. It transforms geography lessons at upper secondary schools (Gymnasium) into an interactive experience: instead of abstract theory, the focus is on independent experimentation, playful discovery, and practical applications. Using innovative materials, vivid experiments, and specially developed educational games, complex processes are made tangible and linked to the students' everyday lives. In this way, topics such as the energy transition, CO₂ storage, or the sustainable use of raw materials become understandable, exciting, and directly experienceable. The experiment and game kit will also be made available to the wider public in natural history museums. With this kit, a vibrant "learning ecosystem" is created in the spirit of "edutainment," producing an impact that reaches far beyond the classroom. It creates far more than just new teaching materials: it sparks curiosity, strengthens the understanding of fundamental scientific research, promotes independent (scientific) thinking, illustrates the methodology of gaining knowledge, and opens up academic and career perspectives for young people. In the long term, the kit also helps to make the natural sciences in general, and the geosciences in particular, visible for what they truly are: the key to adequately meeting the challenges of our future. Ultimately, this will nurture a generation capable of making informed, well-founded decisions regarding our planet's resources and challenges.

Although fundamental research forms the basis of many technological and societal developments, its significance is not easy for many people outside of universities to understand, as it lacks a direct practical application and the original research often dates back decades. By combining real-life examples, methodical reflection, and multimedia content, the project "Fundamental Research in Perspective" strengthens the understanding of scientific mindsets and makes the societal importance of fundamental research concretely tangible. Young people, in particular, are increasingly confronted with societal developments that require a basic understanding of scientific processes. The goal is to make it tangible for young people outside of academia—who cannot build this understanding through university studies—how scientific insights arise, evolve, and shape technological and societal changes. Through the multimedia format, we take their media consumption habits into account and can thus reach them more effectively. Conceived as a multimedia article series featuring an introductory framework article and nine in-depth individual pieces, we use concrete examples from fundamental research to trace the path from scientific discoveries to today's applications of societal relevance. In doing so, we systematically highlight the scientific methods, mindsets, and processes underlying these discoveries, and show how they achieve an impact through technological application or societal use. The content will be prepared as scientifically sound articles specifically tailored to young people (16- to 25-year-olds). As a low-threshold entry point and a complementary educational tool, a short explainer video will be created for each article to convey the content in a condensed format. The series will be published in German, French, and English.

Radio Cosmos is an existing four-episode pilot podcast series in French, taking listeners on a journey to the far reaches of our Universe. It explores some of the most fundamental scientific questions of our time, aiming to foster greater public understanding of fundamental STEM science, the scientific method and more broadly technologies that are in daily use in today’s world, through fun and conversational content that focuses on the history of radio astronomy. This is a branch of astrophysics growing rapidly in Switzerland and worldwide, thanks to a new generation of instruments and radio telescopes that will enable a wide range of scientific discoveries. In a rapidly evolving communication landscape, driven by AI, this project aims to take Radio Cosmos to the next level. We will use today’s cutting-edge AI tools to voice clone and translate the content of the existing pilot series into German, Italian, and English. This will allow the efficient, and far wider dissemination of accessible and fun STEM science content to multiple language audiences – something impossible until now due to project time and cost constraints. This communications research project aims to establish that artificial intelligence can be used as a new tool to increase the reach of popular science content at a time when researchers and science communication professionals are faced with limited, and often, decreasing budgets for science communication. 

The Berzelius Project is part of the Institute for Mathematical, Science and Technical Education at the University of Teacher Education St. Gallen (PHSG) and was created as a joint initiative with the Metrohm Foundation. It provides high-tech instruments that high schools (Maturitätsschulen) and vocational schools can borrow free of charge. The offering is supplemented by multimedia Berzelius Lab Journals (BLJ), Matura theses, and educational extensions in the fields of scientainment and gamification that promote epistemic learning in the natural sciences. The project's namesake, Jöns Jacob Berzelius, serves as an inspiration: with his introduction of modern chemical symbols and the experimental determination of relative atomic masses, he left a lasting mark on 19th-century chemistry and inspired a generation of prominent chemists. Since 2021, the Berzelius Project has reached more than 1,000 students through workshops and supported around 100 Matura theses. In the process, students experience firsthand how scientific knowledge is generated: from the hypothesis and the experiment to the critical interpretation of data. We are also shaping tomorrow's generation of teachers: we use our products—which are scalable in content, methodology, and level of difficulty—in teaching at the University of Teacher Education St. Gallen. Furthermore, we have trained well over 100 teachers in department meetings, centralized chemistry courses, as well as seminars and further education programs. In this project, "Berzelius" is being expanded to include a focus on molecular biology. The plan includes developing and running workshops centered around DNA. Students will experience the journey from an unknown sample to a DNA sequence—from DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and Sanger sequencing, to an introduction to bioinformatics. In parallel, two new BLJs as well as further education opportunities for teachers will be created.

The project aims to establish a long-term STEM student laboratory for primary schools in the Canton of Fribourg and French-speaking Switzerland (Romandie), located in the Pavillon Vert at the University of Fribourg. This project initially focuses on setting up a STEM laboratory for students in the 1st Cycle, as options in this area are scarce across Switzerland and completely absent within the canton. The student laboratory is to be established for an initial period of two and a half years and will be offered in both German and French. This will supplement the cantonal offerings in the field of STEM promotion for the 1st Cycle. Over these two and a half years, a total of six modules spanning mathematics, natural sciences, and technology will be developed and can be booked modularly by primary school teachers via the "Culture et école" portal. In doing so, it will provide all students in the canton with high-quality STEM education, regardless of their family background.

Here is the English translation, maintaining the professional and descriptive tone of the project proposal: Translation Since 2021, "Kinder-UZH on Tour" from the Children's University of Zurich has been bringing free science workshops directly into classrooms—regardless of the social or academic background of the families—with 105 and 115 school visits conducted annually, respectively (see Project 24-110-P). At the same time, new formats are being developed to enrich the program's content and methodology. Today, the program covers over 25 topics with a STEM focus and reaches around 2,200 children in the 3rd to 6th grades of primary school each year. For the subsequent period, the goal is to conduct 100 to 120 workshops per school year, expand the range of topics with at least three to four new workshops, and introduce a new format called "Research & Innovation," which will introduce children to scientific problem-solving. In parallel, Kinder-UZH is preparing for a future expansion of its services to all-day schools (Tagesschulen) in the city of Zurich.

Fake news, populism, and polarization are straining relations between science, politics, business, and society worldwide—including in Switzerland. The aim of the “Science at the Heart” project is to initiate joint activities, test innovative forms of cooperation, establish long-term partnerships in the region, and thereby strengthen relations between these areas in the long term. 

The project comprises three phases; the present project refers to the eight-month project development phase from October 2025 to May 2026. During this period, the mission, mission statement, organizational form, and communication strategy will be developed, a five-year project and financial plan will be drawn up, and the first courses, events, and workshop formats will be tested. 

On the initiative of the Winterthur Natural Science Society (NGW) and in cooperation with the NGW, a one-day Biodiversity Congress (BDK) is to be held annually in Winterthur at the beginning of September starting in 2026—immediately after the Swiss Green Economy Symposium (SGES) and coordinated with it (September 1–4, 2026, with the Biodiversity Congress on September 4, 2026). 

 The aim of the Biodiversity Congress is to present knowledge and challenges relating to biodiversity to a broad audience, to identify practical solutions, and to promote smart, effective action in the spirit of dialogue-based problem-solving. The congress will be structured based on the Swiss Green Economy Symposium's tried-and-tested methodology, which has been in use since 2013: (A) systematic dialogue-based involvement (audience and speakers) of the four key stakeholder groups: business, politics, science, and civil society; (B) joint program development with key stakeholders (co-creation); (C) fact-based, high-quality presentations and discussions of different perspectives (multiperspectivity); (D) high level of interaction between all congress participants; (E) strong connection between theory and practice with the aim of triggering joint concrete action and research. 

The Biodiversity Congress consists of a 3.5-hour main program (morning, four thematic blocks, 300 participants), four in-depth, topic-specific afternoon specialist events – known as innovation forums (each with 75 participants, 300 in total) – and an accompanying innovation exhibition. One workstream of the congress focuses on the topic of “Scientific thinking, collaboration, and biodiversity.” This workstream provides participants with comprehensive information on methods for recording and managing biodiversity, the challenges involved, and how practical solutions can be developed using quantitative, scientific thinking and collaborative dialogue. Each year, the workstream includes a thematic block in the main program (approx. 50 minutes) as well as the integration/discussion of scientific ways of thinking in all innovation forums. 

The project promotes an essential way of thinking and working in the natural sciences: systemic thinking with concept mapping. Secondary school students are introduced to a social-environmental system in which flora, fauna, and fungi are interconnected through a low-threshold digital learning game. Using a digital tool, they transfer what they have learned into concept maps to visualize connections and dependencies. In this way, they learn to think in terms of contexts and systems and to critically classify information—a key competence for responsible action in a globally networked world and education for sustainable development.

The Basel Interfinity Festival combines science and art, bringing basic research to life for a wide audience through culture. In 2026, the festival will focus on exoplanets and the cosmos. The highlight will be a concert with the Basel Symphony Orchestra in the Basel Exhibition Hall, which will convey key findings from exoplanet research in a playful way – through intermezzos and audience participation. 

The public exhibition ZELLWELT brings to life the fact that all life on Earth consists of cells that originate from a common primordial cell and function according to the same biological principles. In immersive installations, visitors experience how cells act, are interconnected, and enable biological life. Currently in the concept phase.

Pint of Science is a global science outreach festival that brings researchers and the public together in informal venues such as cafés, making science accessible, engaging, and inspiring. 

The Swiss edition has grown into a nationwide effort: for the 2025 edition, 118 volunteers organized events across 12 cities, hosting 159 speakers and welcoming over 2,800 attendees. The festival benefits society on multiple levels. It empowers the public to better understand science, trains researchers, especially early-career scientists, in communication skills, and provides volunteers with valuable experience in leadership, event organization, and outreach. In this way, Pint of Science both strengthens public trust in research and prepares the next generation of socially engaged scientists. 

Technorama Laboratories: Experience science, shape the future 

With its seven specialized laboratories, the Swiss Science Center Technorama runs Switzerland's largest extracurricular laboratory program. Every year, over 30,000 children, young people, and adults take part in workshops on biology, chemistry, physics, and tinkering. In addition, the OpenLabs, which are open daily, enable around 50,000 visitors to experiment freely under expert guidance. 

During the project period from 2026 to 2028, physical and digital elements will be more closely linked in order to make science even more tangible. Children and young people are familiarized with the creative process of experimentation and investigation and experience how scientific thinking is applied in practice. They are encouraged to work together to develop solutions to real-world problems, thereby strengthening key future skills such as critical thinking, communication, creativity, and collaboration. 

The content and methods of the programs are aligned with the official curriculum and complement classroom instruction in a targeted manner. Teachers receive free exploratory visits and didactic advice to ensure optimal preparation. 

With this project, Technorama is making a lasting contribution to promoting young talent in STEM subjects and strengthening scientific skills in an increasingly complex world. 

The “Skills Kiosk” is a leisure program run by the Science et Cité Foundation that helps children and young people to develop important skills for the future through pop-up science and tinkering activities. The focus is on STEM topics in particular. The aim of the project is to spark an interest in research, science and engineering while promoting skills such as creative thinking, problem solving and collaboration. The Skills Kiosk takes place during free time, for example at meeting points for open child and youth work, in school playgrounds or at extracurricular activities. Participation is voluntary, and the children decide for themselves which activities they take part in and for how long. The Skills Kiosk takes place in various regions of Switzerland, with Science et Cité working with local partner organizations to reach children, young people and their families. A central aspect of the Skills Kiosk is the focus on children and young people who normally have little access to such extracurricular activities. Parents are also involved in the program, as the offer is local and free of charge and gives them suggestions on how they can further encourage their children's interest at home. Another key aspect of the project is to encourage day schools and youth work organizations to incorporate such offers into their leisure programs on a long-term basis. The supervising professionals are supported with workshops and coaching sessions to enable them to continue the activities independently. This enables a sustainable transfer of knowledge that gives children access to STEM-related activities even after the Skills Kiosk.

Every year, 8,800 curious young people in Switzerland take part in the Science Olympiads in 11 subjects: astronomy, biology, chemistry, geography, computer science, linguistics, mathematics, philosophy, physics, robotics and economics. Students under the age of 20 are offered an extracurricular competition with lessons, peer-to-peer support and exchange with like-minded people. During the Olympiad year, participants acquire new knowledge and skills and deepen their scientific interest in courses and camps, most of which are led by young students. This is important because curious and talented young people who are interested in science are often underchallenged and sometimes isolated at school. Through our media work and communication in social media, we convey a positive image of science to a wider public. This relieves parents, schools and teachers, who often lack the time and resources to support talented young people or network them with like-minded people. The cogito foundation supports the organization of the Olympiads in physics, chemistry and biology.

Technological advancements in robotics and AI are becoming increasingly evident in our daily lives. From sophisticated household robots, such as vacuum cleaners and children's toys, to AI-powered virtual assistants capable of humanlike conversations, we are witnessing a significant transformation. This rapid evolution is not only reshaping our habits and ways of thinking but also redefining key fields such as economics, law, and education. To navigate this transformation successfully, it is necessary to train citizens from an early age in critical thinking, to help them become familiar with formulating questions and seeking answers, and to resist the easy temptation to excessively simplify the complexity of phenomena and situations. The project aims to promote the critical approach typical of scientific thinking in an engaging, experiential and playful way. L’ideatorio will develop specific didactics and mediation instruments for school children aged 6 to 16 to tackle the main challenges of this relentlessly advancing technology. Interactive activities will be developed to allow children to experiment with robots and AI and critically reflect on the implications of their use in our everyday life.

Research topics are complex and sometimes abstract. They often require a lot of background knowledge in order to be understood. The aim of the exhibition is to reduce inhibitions, arouse curiosity about science and promote confidence in science. Visitors can experience the exhibition in two different ways, depending on their preference: on the one hand by actively participating in the research challenge, and on the other by freely exploring the six themed islands (curiosity, research, teamwork, perseverance, model, precision). The main element of the exhibition is a Science Mystery Storage Machine, which challenges visitors with exciting puzzles at random. The research challenges cover a wide range of subjects and are designed for various target groups at different levels. The focus is on communicating the process of gaining scientific knowledge, which consists of various steps (e.g. observation, experiment), requires various skills (e.g. creativity, precision) and triggers a variety of emotions (e.g. joy, frustration). At the end of the exhibition, visitors have the opportunity to reflect on their experiences in a reflection area and create a connection to everyday life. 

The Matematicando Festival is a free four-day event open to the general public that has been held every two years since 2014 at various locations in the center of Locarno. The event, which is of regional importance for the canton of Ticino, aims to bring young and old closer to mathematics. The program will combine workshops and events shows to give children and young people aged four to eighteen, teachers, but also parents, grandparents and friends the opportunity to experience mathematics in connection with literature, geography, juggling, art, robotics and much more. For the 2026 edition, 3,500 pupils and teachers from all school levels from all over the canton and around 4,000 people are expected during the days set aside for the general public.

The LernFilm Festival is an educational initiative that inspires children and young people to produce their own LernFilms on a topic of their choice in class. The pupils learn not only by watching, but above all by creating the educational films. They explore exciting questions and consider how content can best be communicated. In addition to collecting and structuring scientific facts, they also look at how complex issues can be simplified and explained effectively. This requires not only cinematic know-how, but also the ability to tell a good story. This combination of different skills promotes sustainable learning success across all subjects and at all school levels. STEM subjects in particular offer enormous potential: they make it possible to tap into pupils' natural curiosity and actively promote scientific thinking. At the LernFilm Festival 2025, which was supported by the cogito foundation and others, over 1,200 LernFilms were submitted for the first time - a new record. We would like to make targeted use of this wide reach in the coming years by focusing the LernFilm Festival more strongly on STEM topics and promoting them through targeted support services.

The 39th International Young Physicists' Tournament (IYPT) will be held in Zurich in 2026. The IYPT is one of the largest competitions for secondary school students with participants from all continents. Being held in Switzerland offers a unique opportunity to promote modern, project-oriented forms of teaching in STEM lessons. This is particularly topical thanks to the further development of the gymnasiale Matura, which will lead to a greater emphasis on such forms of teaching in many cantons. The IYPT will therefore make an important contribution to strengthening science education and public awareness with accompanying events.