Another edition of STEM LABS: Engineering and Technology Laboratories took place on 22 May at the Viana do Castelo Cultural Centre, with the support of the Viana do Castelo City Council. This year, 2C2T – the Centre for Textile Science and Technology, the Department of Textile Engineering and the Textile Engineering Student Group of the UMinho School of Engineering took part.

EEUM was present with an “escape room” challenge that challenged participants to carry out activities that simulated a “Field Hospital in Space”, divided into different “services” that included activities such as: “Wearable technology” – a test of effort, with a high-competition athlete’s suit that has a circuit of sensors that allow the heartbeat to be measured in real time; “Tactile interfaces” – made up only of textile elements, which acted as input for a computer, simulating the collection of samples of extremely sensitive materials; “Body temperature medication chamber” and “Textile materials” that changed colour as the external temperature increased.

It was an extremely practical and competitive activity that we hope generated extra curiosity for the area of textile engineering, especially unconventional textiles. More than 200 students took part, mainly from the north of the country, namely the districts of Braga, Aveiro, Porto, Viseu and Viana do Castelo.

The activity was organised by Associação Portuguesa para a Diversidade e Inclusão e o Programa Engenheiras Por Um Dia.

The ” Engenheiras Por Um Dia ” programme promotes the choice of engineering and technology among female students in non-tertiary education, deconstructing the idea that these are male domains.