The event, organised by BSM and the Polytechnic University of Catalonia-BarcelonaTech (UPC), is part of BSM’s STEAM educational programme to encourage young people to pursue careers in science and technology
This year, Fisidabo was awarded the National Research Prize in the Scientific Communication category for its contribution to making physics and other scientific disciplines more accessible to students by combining learning and entertainment
The 8th edition of Fisidabo, an event organised by BSM and the Polytechnic University of Catalonia-BarcelonaTech (UPC) to make physics and other scientific disciplines more accessible to baccalaureate and 4th-year compulsory secondary education students, was held today at Parc d’Atraccions Tibidabo. A total of 2,700 students from 83 schools in Barcelona and other parts of Catalonia explored the principles of physics by conducting experiments in the park’s fun and dynamic setting.
From early in the morning, students, grouped by class, applied the physics knowledge acquired in the classroom by experimenting with attractions such as the Roller Coaster, Merlí, Tibidabo Express, and the Piratta ship, among others. The experiments involved different levels of difficulty and allowed students to measure physical quantities such as acceleration, speed, force, and energy. This year, four new experiments allowed participants to not only experience the free fall of the new Merlí drop tower but also measure its exact movement.
To support the secondary school students, a group of more than 30 volunteer undergraduate students from the Engineering Physics degree programme at the UPC’s Barcelona School of Telecommunications Engineering (ETSETB) were present throughout the event. Participants also had access to an open classroom located in the Piratta area, where they could ask any questions. After completing the experimental and educational activities, the students were free to enjoy the rides.
Fisidabo, organised by the UPC, is part of BSM’s STEAM educational programme, which focuses on encouraging young people, particularly girls, to pursue careers in science.
Winner of the National Research Prize for Scientific Communication
This year, Fisidabo was awarded the 2024 National Research Prize in the Scientific Communication category for making physics and other scientific disciplines more accessible to students by combining learning and entertainment in a fun environment: Parc d’Atraccions Tibidabo.
This recognition, granted by the Catalan government and the Catalan Foundation for Research and Innovation (FCRI), highlights both research activity and initiatives in scientific communication and outreach, scientific patronage, and public-private partnerships in R&D projects in Catalonia. The award ceremony will take place on Tuesday, 17 June, at the National Theatre of Catalonia.
Fisidabo, initially called Fisidabo Hipatia, was launched in 2012 as a collaboration between BSM and the Engineering Physics degree programme at the UPC’s Barcelona School of Telecommunications Engineering (ETSETB). At first, the programme was an opportunity for small groups of International Baccalaureate students with scholarships from the CiMs+CELLEX Programme, along with Engineering Physics undergraduate students from the UPC, to spend a day conducting physics experiments at Tibidabo.
Since then, the project has continued to grow and now involves more than 10,000 participants.