USI takes centre stage at TecDay Lugano 2025 with modules dedicated to science and technology

On Friday, 21 November, USI took part in TecDay, organised by Liceo cantonale di Lugano 3 in collaboration with the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences (SATW). The event featured a series of modules that actively engaged students in exploring science, technology, and research. This initiative aimed to bring science out of textbooks and into practical experiences. It was attended by researchers, academics, and professionals from institutions in Ticino and throughout Switzerland.

TecDay – promoted by SATW since 2007 in German-speaking Switzerland, since 2012 in French-speaking Switzerland and since 2013 in Ticino – is a day when schools, universities, research centres and companies collaborate to show young people the practical, creative and applied side of technical disciplines. Over the years, more than 85,000 students and around 8,500 teachers have participated in a TecDay, thanks to the contributions of over 1,000 speakers from 400+ institutions.

Once again, USI made a significant contribution to this edition, offering modules that allowed students to explore topics such as artificial intelligence, programming, astronomy, statistics applied to music and robotics.

Among the activities offered:

• "Weather forecasting with AI and Python: Data, Code & Clouds", led by Luca Butera (USI), who showed how meteorological data and algorithms can be combined to create forecasting models.
• "A critical look at generative artificial intelligence: potential and risks", led by Monica Landoni, Irene Zanardi, Shana Dedò and Diletta Micol Tobia (USI), which offered food for thought on the conscious use of technology.
• "A brief history of the universe: birth, evolution, future", with Piero Martinoli (USI), who retraced the fundamental stages of modern cosmology.
• "Self-driving cars" proposed by Roberto Minelli and Samuele Pasini (Software Institute - USI), a workshop dedicated to understanding how autonomous driving works and experiencing it first-hand.
• "What starlight reveals to us" with Renzo Ramelli from Istituto Ricerche Solari Aldo e Cele Daccò (IRSOL), who introduced students to scientific methods related to solar and stellar physics.
• "Hack the Music Charts: Create a musical hit with data", curated by Ernst-Camiel Wit and Martina Boschi (USI), dedicated to the role of data in the production and prediction of musical trends.

USI significantly enhanced a diverse and engaging day by providing students with the opportunity to experiment with various tools, interact with researchers, and explore potential career paths in technology and science. TecDay remains an invaluable platform for connecting young people with research and scientific culture, underscoring the importance of collaboration among academia, schools, and organisations like SATW, which has dedicated many years to promoting technical skills in Switzerland.