At the “Costa Smeralda”, crowded with students, we take off on the wings of science.

In Olbia, over 4,200 people attended the first two days of "Science in the Square" alone. With exhibits, conferences, workshops, and artistic performances, the event transformed Olbia Airport into a vast knowledge hub, focusing on scientific dissemination and scholastic skills, which many young people were able to showcase.

The event, organized by the Friends of the Simpliciana Civic Library of Olbia, the Olbia branch of Mathesis, and the Municipality of Olbia, in collaboration with Geasar SpA, Uniss, the Sassari branch of Aif, and with the patronage of the President of the Sardinia Regional Council and UniOlbia, is the result of months of hard work.

Backstage, the teachers (around 90 of them from STEM subjects) are always ready to enthusiastically highlight the commitment of the young students.

At the Ipsar “Costa Smeralda” stand, located in Budoni, they use a 3D printer to create edible chocolate decorations and a microscope to show visitors the differences between flours and starches.

"Everything in the kitchen is science," says Maria Giovanna Arcadu, lab teacher. "The students are taught the physical and chemical principles for the correct use of everything they use in the kitchen. Even a simple gesture, like whipping mayonnaise like they're doing now, if you think about it, involves a chemical reaction."

Like IPSAR, several schools from Northern Sardinia flocked to the city. On the first day, the conference on the Einstein Telescope captivated many students.

"This is our third year participating," says Tiziana Scordo, a physics and mathematics teacher at the Marconi Institute in Sassari. "It's a very educational experience for the students, who first learn the theory and then engage in the demonstration. The greatest rewards come from the elementary school children, who are amazed to hear them explain the experiments."

A little further on, there's a queue to try out the 3D viewers at the Dettori High School in Tempio: the kids "meet" Dante, who explains his Divine Comedy.

"We program augmented and virtual reality," explains teacher Pierpaolo Cecchini, PTCO coordinator, "which gives us the ability to imagine and create lessons in every subject. And we can also let our imagination run wild. For example, visiting the Leaning Tower of Pisa and admiring the view of Tempio Pausania from there."

All of Olbia's high schools were present at "Scienza in Piazza." Students from the "Deffenu" technical college, which teaches nearly all majors, also showcased their own video games, designed at school. Interest in STEM subjects is growing, teachers report, and the nautical and computer science majors are gaining popularity.

Among the protagonists is also the ITS Tac Academy, which is participating with a series of workshops dedicated to the first rudiments of Python, the AI language, and, more generally, digital skills aimed at secondary schools.

"I'm thrilled," said Sabrina Serra, Councilor for Education and Culture for the Municipality of Olbia, at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, "because we've finally reached the start of this complex event. A huge round of applause goes to Professor Antonietta Carbone for all the work she's done over these five years with the teachers. There's a whole year of work between one edition and the next. And thanks also to the retired professors, both men and women, who continue to contribute to the school, and this is a great added value."

Antonietta Carbone, president of the Olbia chapter of Mathesis and curator and creator of the event, emphasized the dual purpose of the event: "The goal is not only to bring the world of science closer to the public," she stated, "but also to create opportunities that can help students in their personal growth. This was made possible by the great work of the teachers and the presence of internationally renowned experts."

Today, the final day, will take place with the same hours: on the ground floor of the airport, from 9.30 to 13.30 and from 15.00 to 17.30 there will be space for students, while on the second floor, starting at 9.00, there will be conferences and workshops.

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