Imagine a place where school children can discover the science behind the Einstein Telescope. Where they can learn, through a film, an interactive demonstration lecture and workshops, how secondary school physics will be applied in this groundbreaking initiative. This is possible at the Einstein Telescope Education Centre (ETEC) in Kerkrade. The centre was officially opened on 25 June in the presence of many representatives of the project, and will welcome school classes from September.
About the Einstein Telescope Education Centre (ETEC)
The ETEC is located on the grounds of the Discovery Museum in Kerkrade. After the summer holidays, school groups can visit for a full day teaching programme entirely devoted to the science behind the Einstein Telescope. The content of the programme was developed in collaboration with Maastricht University and Nikhef. Gideon Koekoek of Maastricht University and Nikhef played a major role in this.
Topics include dealing with vibrations with sensitive measuring equipment, lasers and geophysics. At the end of the programme, students will process the results in a creative presentation form, e.g. a vlog or podcast, and present it to each other.
The current programme is for upper secondary school classes with an N&T or N&G profile. In the future, programmes will also be developed for classes of PO and private visitors. From school year ’24-’25, around 1,000 pupils a year will be able to visit ETEC.
The opening
The opening act consisted of a simplified act based on the technology of the Einstein Telescope: a laser-interferometer. A number of representatives bounced a beam of light using mirrors, officially opening ETEC. Before the opening ceremony, there were speeches by the chairman of Maastricht University’s Executive Board Rianne Letschert, deputy for education of the Province of Limburg Elianne Demollin-Schneider, and president of Ecsite Bruno Maquart. After the official part, attendees could take a guided tour and watch the film “Spacetime” which is part of the programme.
Collaboration
The Einstein Telescope Education Centre is an initiative of the Discovery Museum. Nikhef, Maastricht University, the EMR project office of the Einstein Telescope, and the Dutch Black Hole consortium are involved in the development of its content. It has been made possible by contributions from the Province of Limburg, Maastricht University, Nikhef, MPlooi Foundation, Municipality of Kerkrade and Physica Foundation.
More information
More information on how to visit can be found at discoverymuseum.nl.
