POTLUCK FOR YOUR BRAIN
20 years of Science Olympiad
On June 19, 2004, representatives of the first five Science Olympiads in Switzerland sat down together and founded a shared association. It had been 17 years since the first international participation by a Swiss team. Over time, more members joined the party. Each of the ten Science Olympiads brings its own tastes to the table, turning it into a colourful potluck. In 2024, we celebrate 20 years of shared growth, work, fun, challenges and, last but not least, shared (brain) food.
SAVE THE DATE: 14. 09. 2024
Let's party! In September, volunteers, participants, partners and other friends of the Science Olympiads will get together at Bierhübeli in Bern to celebrate 20 years of Science Olympiad. The anniversary celebration also functions as this year's Science Olympiads Day.
14:15 Optional afternoon program for volunteers and participants (see below)
17:30 Welcome and appetizer
18:15 Award ceremony with Martina Hirayama and Daniel Wegmann
19:00 Buffet dinner under the motto: "Potluck for your brain"
Invitations will be sent via email over the coming months, so keep an eye on your inbox!
Choose your own adventure
Not just the dinner but the afternoon program too will resemble a buffet, with a variety of activites to choose from. There's something for every taste: Informative workshops, thrilling escape rooms and scenic guided tours. See below for detailed descriptions of the activities on offer.
Upon receiving your invitation, you will be able indicate a preference among the following combinations:
Generative AI, Implications for Privacy and Society (1)
Understanding and Mastering Generative AI (2)
Escape Room (3/4/5) + Escape Room (6/7/8)
Escape Room (3/4/5) + Zytglogge (11)
Zytglogge (9) + Escape Room (6/7/8)
It is also possible to choose only one escape room or just the Zytglogge tour and arrive later or spend some free time in Bern.
The limited spots are distributed on a first come, first served basis during a definitive registration closer to the event.
1. Generative AI, Implications for Privacy and Society
This workshop is divided in two parts: Understanding Data and AI in Education and Sociopolitical and technical challenges of AI. In the first part, the goals are to learn main Data Collection Mechanisms for AI, to explore the potential and risk of data for education, civil rights and personal data protection and to discuss student data reuse and implications for teachers and institutions. In the last part, the aim is to discuss the challenges of AI, including biases, ethical considerations and algorithmic fairness through practical exercises.
Time: 14:15-17:15
Place: Unitobler, room F-121, Lerchenweg 36, 3012 Bern
Language: English (the speakers know French)
Speakers: Dr. Jessica Pidoux and two experts, from Personaldata.io.
Requirements: Bring your personal computer and recover a dataset 10 days before the workshop (a tutorial will be sent). If you cannot bring a computer, please let us know in advance, so to provide you one.
Places available: 50
2. Understanding and Mastering Generative AI
This workshop is slightly oriented towards mathematics and relatives. It is divided in two parts: Hands-on understanding how AI works and Post-training AI assistant included in the ARGO platform. The first part aims to learn basic concepts about AI and its underlying issues by creating your own AI agent in a graphical interface on the ARGO platform. In the second part, you will ask questions to the AI assistant after the trainer leaves to check knowledge and continue learning online.
Time: 14:15-17:15
Place: Unitobler, room F-122, Lerchenweg 36, 3012 Bern
Language: English (the speakers know French)
Speakers: Dr. Paul-Olivier Dehaye and two experts, from Personaldata.io.
Requirements: Bring your personal computer and recover a dataset 10 days before the workshop (a tutorial will be sent). If you cannot bring a computer, please let us know in advance, so to provide you one.
Places available: 50
3./6. Escape Room: The Holy Grail
Your colleague Prof. Croft has not given any sign of life for weeks. She was on the quest of the Holy Grail, the legendary vessel that gives eternal life to anyone who drinks from it. Prof. Jones has asked you, the most experienced archeologists and adventurers of your time, to find out what happened to her, to discover with her the Holy Grail and to bring it to the museum. She detains the instructions that will lead you to the vessel. Be careful! The Holy Grail is probably hidden among other receptables, that will provide you the opposite of eternal youth and happiness.
Time: 14:30-16:00 and 16:30-18:00. The game lasts maximum 1 hour, the additional time is for the introduction and a break (if needed).
Place: Adventure Rooms, Maulbeerstrasse 10, 3011 Bern
Language: The introduction is available in German, English and maybe French
Requirements: None. Difficulty medium-hard.
Places available: 12 per timeslot (6 vs 6 Duel)
4./7. Escape Room: Speakeasy
Bern, 1929. Europe is on the brink of great change and the mood is tense. In the underground of a mondaine city hotel, a illustrious clandestine bar is hidden. Only a select circle of the beautiful and powerful have access to this exclusive bar - you and your friends are invited. But beware! The bar and its secrets are in danger: the jolly parties and ilegal activites of the "Speakeasy" society are a thorn in the side of the police. Can you manage to enter the bar and uncover the secret of the Green Fairy before the police arrives?
Time: 14:30-16:00 and 16:30-18:00. The game lasts maximum 1 hour, the additional time is for the introduction and a break (if needed).
Place: NOVOTEL Bern Expo, Guisanplatz 2, 3014 Bern
Language: The introduction is available in German, English and maybe French
Requirements: None. Difficulty medium-hard.
Places available: 12 per timeslot (6 vs 6 Duel)
5./8. Escape Room: Tschernobyl
Unfortunately, some of the operators at our nuclear power plant were unavailable at short notice. Luckily, as recognized experts, you were available to take over at short notice. All you must do now is complete the self-training and the corresponding test. After that, everything should be clear so that you can successfully keep the reactor stable. Otherwise, you know what could happen...
Time: 14:30-16:00 and 16:30-18:00. The game lasts maximum 1 hour, the additional time is for the introduction and a break (if needed).
Place: Adventure Rooms, Maulbeerstrasse 10, 3011 Bern
Language: The introduction is available in German, English and maybe French
Requirements: None. Difficulty medium-hard.
Places available: 12 per timeslot (6 vs 6 Duel)
9./10./11.: Zytglogge Guided Tour
Learn about the history of this Bernese monument. You will examine the gears and the apparatus of the old clock, watch the figurines closely and learn interesting facts about the history. You will also look at the astronomical calendar clock, the Astrolabium, and discover how it works, with its turning discs and skillfully crafted celestial bodies. The tour ends with a wonderful view of Bern and the peaks of the Bernese Oberland.
Time: 14:15, 15:15 and 16:15. The tour lasts one hour.
Place: Bim Zytglogge 3, 3011 Bern
Language: Depends on the majority participants during each timeslot (German, French, Italian, English, etc.).
Requirements: None.
Places available: 19 per timeslot
Show us your souvenirs
At the reception on September 14, there will be a mini exhibition of unique souvenirs gathered by members of the Science Olympiad community over the years. Whether it's a beloved piece of merch from your Olympiad, an item acquired during an unforgettable journey, an association mascot with a funny backstory, a lovely gift from other participants or volunteers or a particulary helpful script or collection of notes... If you would like to lend us your olympic object for the exhibition, please register here.
News
Forschen wie vor 20 Jahren
Vor 20 Jahren wurde der Verband Wissenschafts-Olympiade gegründet – aber das ist natürlich nicht das Einzige, was sich in der Welt der Wissenschaft damals getan hat. Woran wurde 2003/2004 in den zehn Olympiaden-Fächern geforscht, was wurde entdeckt und welche Themen wurden in der Öffentlichkeit heiss diskutiert?
Comment connaître l'âge des roches?
La faîtière des Olympiades des sciences fête ses 20 ans cette année. Nous savon cela per exemple parce que nous disposons du protocol de la réunion de fondation. Mais comment les géologues connaissent-ils l'âge des roches ? De l’âge relatif à l’âge numérique: retraçons le fil des découvertes dans ce domaine passionnant de la géologie.
Happy Birthday, Brain!
Der Dachverband der Schweizer Wissenschafts-Olympiaden feiert sein 20-jähriges Jubiläum. Nichts liegt also näher, als an diesem 20. Geburtstag der Olympiaden einmal die Entwicklung des menschlichen Gehirns unter die Lupe zu nehmen. Wie bildet es sich? Wie sieht es aus, wenn wir 20 Jahre alt sind?
Potluck for your brain
Die Wissenschafts-Olympiade gleicht einem Potluck, einer Mitbringparty: Jeder Verein trägt etwas zu einem bunten Buffet fürs Gehirn bei, dessen diverse Delikatessen von wissenshungrigen Jugendlichen aus der ganzen Schweiz degustiert werden können. Dieses Jahr ist es 20 Jahre her, dass sich die ersten fünf Vereine an einen Tisch gesetzt haben, um den Dachverband zu gründen.
#THROWBACKTHURSDAY
Let's timetravel through the last 20 years of Swiss Science Olympiads - and beyond! From January to September 2024, we'll be posting a picture from the archives on Instagram every Thursday. You'll see old memories, retro fashion, ancient technology, your leaders when they were your age, long forgotten inside jokes. Do you have a favourite photo from a Science Olympiad you would like to see in this series? Send it via Instagram direct message, email or post it yourself under the hashtag #myolypic!
Contact
EVENING PROGRAM
Debora Hirschi
Olympiad administrator
EXHIBITION, NEWS, INSTAGRAM
Lara Gafner
Marketing and communication