Scientifica with a face mask requirement

ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich have welcomed over 20,000 visitors to Scientifica in their main buildings in recent years. Scientifica provides them with the opportunity to experience university research at first hand and to exchange ideas directly with scientists.

This year’s programme is bigger than ever: at 60 exhibition booths, in 50 short lectures and in just as many Science Cafés, workshops and laboratory tours, researchers will be presenting projects and work on the theme of “Synthetic naturally”. Many of the events are aimed specifically at children and young people. The range of English-language events is also larger than ever before.

Safe setting for exchange with researchers

In view of the pandemic situation, the project team decided early on to hold this year’s science festival in decentralised venues. Thus, for the first time, the science festival will take place at three locations: the Zentrum, Irchel and Hönggerberg campuses. All three are connected by a free shuttle-bus service.

Visitors require a COVID certificate to visit Scientifica, which must be shown at one of the three locations together with an official ID. They will then receive a wristband granting them access to the buildings at all three locations.

In order to offer visitors the safest possible environment for their encounters with researchers, the responsible bodies at the two universities have decided on a general face mask requirement in view of the current increase in the number of infections. This applies over the weekend to those over the age of 12 inside of all of the buildings in which Scientifica events are taking place.

Events in the week running up to Scientifica

To kick off Scientifica, the universities, together with the City of Zurich, will be inviting visitors to panel discussions, tours and workshops during the week running up to the event. Under the title “Science and the City”, the focus will be on urban development from Monday, 30 August to Thursday, 2 September. Experts from the city administration and the two universities will engage with the audience on current issues such as mobility, noise protection, the environment and climate, but also topics such as growing old in the city and what we eat. These events will take place at exclusive locations, including the “Alte Zentralwäscherei” building in District 5, the VBZ main garage and the “Stadthaus”.

Programme flyer

Scientifica also offers all ETH members and their families and friends the opportunity to get to know the university from a different perspective. They are all cordially invited to visit Scientifica. The Scientifica project team wanted to whet their appetite for a visit by sending out a programme flyer to employees at the end of last week. Unfortunately, something went wrong with the mailing process. “The salutation line shifted in the print shop,” explains Rainer Borer from the Scientifica project team. As a result, most ETH members received the flyer, but found it addressed to the wrong person. “We really apologise for this mistake,” says Borer. “We are confident that ETH members will nevertheless find the programme interesting and take the opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of ETH and the University of Zurich over the Scientifica weekend.”