Following the success of the eighth Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) Science Show on photonics in Brussels, Belgium, a group of PhD researchers from VUB's B-Phot (Brussels Photonics Team) have been invited by UNESCO to perform at the kick-off of the first International Day of Light on 16 May 2018 in Paris, France.
The eighth show welcomed 1,500 students from 38 secondary schools to Brussels to provide them with an insight into the potential of science and engineering.
In three half-day sessions, the PhD researchers introduced students to the world of light technology through a series of demonstrations on topics such as the origin of light and photons, lasers, or the manipulation of light to optical fibres for data communication and medical imaging applications. During the show students participated in experiments on stage, with a challenging quiz taking place at the end of each demonstration to test their knowledge.
Students took part in hands-on workshops on solar energy featuring a solar boat race, laser-based spy systems, light painting and hologram production. The students could also test their knowledge in a science game on the VUB Campus and got a refreshing view on physics during a visit to the ‘Experimentarium’ at ULB (Université Libre de Bruxelles).
Having been performed to a total of 7,000 students over the last seven shows, the Science Show aims to inspire future engineers to study photonics science and technology and go on to invent new technologies such as ultra-high-definition LED screens, 3D laser projection systems, augmented and virtual reality headsets, self-driving cars, sustainable energy, humanoid robotics, bio-engineering and medical devices.
A video teaser of the Science Show on photonics can be found here.
