Last week Ēriks Dipāns, a young researcher in the SWEB project team at the Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia (ISSP UL), visited Babītes vidusskola, a regional secondary school in Mārupe Municipality, and gave a lesson to its 12th-grade students who study physics.
The students learned about modern window technologies: photochromic, thermochromic and electrochromic coatings that let glass change its tint in response to sunlight, heat or a small electric voltage. Such windows help reduce the energy buildings spend on heating, cooling and lighting. Ēriks also introduced the SWEB project, which develops non-toxic, affordable and durable materials for smart windows, and told the students about the research carried out at ISSP UL.
By bringing current research into school classrooms, the project helps young people connect what they learn in physics lessons with real scientific work and encourages them to consider studies and careers in science.
