Eighth graders test the wind tunnel – "You kind of flew away"
Three Thursdays in a row, the Sports Tech Research Centre will be visited by eighth graders from Parkskolan in Östersund. School pupils get to visit the labs and perform various tests. The wind tunnel is, as always, a favorite.
"It was fun, you kind of flew away," says Julia.
She is supported by Nova, who together with Julia has just come out of the wind tunnel where they have tried jumping while the wind is ten meters per second.
"Yes, it was fun, but it felt strange with the wind," says Nova as she tries to brush her hair with her hand.
The girls are visiting the Sports Tech Research Centre together with their class. They are divided into groups that take turns visiting the materials lab, the wind tunnel and the additive manufacturing lab. They will also receive a short lecture from Saab about the company's operations in Östersund and the professional categories that exist in the business.
Study visit cooperation between different actors
Parkskolan's visit to Mid Sweden University is part of a collaboration between the Children's University, the Chamber of Commerce and Saab. The collaboration also includes Fagervallsskolan and Norra skolan in central Östersund. The purpose of the Children's University is to allow school children in grades two, five and eight to visit the university and arouse an interest in science and higher studies.
"For us, it's about showing that the university exists, arousing curiosity in the students and showing the opportunities that exist. The university is for everyone," says Ellinor Storm, Study Counsellor at Parkskolan.
The idea of the study visits is for the students to gain a greater understanding of, and insight into, the professions that higher studies can lead to. Between visits to Mid Sweden University, the Chamber of Commerce visits the schools and talks about career opportunities.
Tricky questions with good answers
After the wind tunnel, Julia and Nova's group move on to the other labs. Kajsa Nilsson in the Materials Lab learns how textiles are tested for, among other things, waterproofness and abrasion resistance. They get to feel and squeeze and try to cut. In the lab for additive manufacturing, they get to feel some of the stuff that has been made in the large and advanced printers that exist. But when Magnus Ahnesjö wonders if the students have any questions, it is still the wind tunnel that arouses the most curiosity.
"What would happen if you drove the wind tunnel at 100 meters per second?" asks one of the guys.
"Then everything would blow away, at 80 meters per second, houses and cars would blow away. We can't get up to this either, we can drive up to 14 meters per second," Magnus Ahnesjö answers pedagogically.
Read more about the Children's University
Kajsa Nilsson in the materials lab and Magnus Ahnesjö in the lab for additive manufacturing:
