Four Volvo engines. Six cylinders in each. 28 girls from high school and junior high school, eager to learn about engineering, who get two hours to take apart the engines and disassemble a piston.
Welcome to Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day at Chalmers.
A little but of frustration. A lot of energy. And a good mood. Those are more or less the feelings in the course lab at the Department of Mechanics and Maritime Sciences at Chalmers this Friday morning.
Eight girls from class 9B at Santosskolan at Lindholmen in Gothenburg are gathered around a six-cylinder Volvo engine and feverishly discuss how to take it apart.
"I'm pissed off, my fingers are too small for this."
"Hey, let's take it easy now, we're here to have fun, and we only have a few bolts left now."
"Why didn't we just do it this way from the beginning, imagine how easy it would have been then?"
It's IGE Day, Introduce a Girl to Engineering, a national initiative aimed at raising awareness of engineering for girls and non-binary people. Chalmers is one of many employers around the country that participates and receives participants during the day, and the morning session is held at the Department of Mechanics and Maritime Sciences, M2.
Introduces what it is like to study at Chalmers
"We want to introduce them to what it can be like to study at Chalmers," says Jonas Sjöblom, head of a unit at the Division of Energy Conversion and Propulsion Systems at M2, and the one organizing the session. "We started off with some coffee, and after that they get to try to do something practical. In this case, to take an engine and take out a piston. It's complicated, it's a bit exciting, and they get to see how an engine is built."
Supporting the interest in mathematics and engineering for girls in junior high and high schools serves several purposes, says Jonas Sjöblom.
"In the long run, as researchers we are of course interested in recruiting PhD students, and to be able to do that we have to train engineers, and that in turn has to start with people finding mathematics fun," he says.
At Santosskolan's engine, discussions continue about how to take the engine apart. Linnea Austrin stands at a nearby table, sorting through the bolts that have been loosened from the engine.
"Last year we were at Volvo on IGE Day," she says. "This year we wanted to try something new. Chalmers is somewhat famous, and we have parents and friends who have studied here. I think it will be a fun day, to get an insight into what it's like to study here and to hear about future research and such, it's interesting."
"Are we turning in the right direction?"
The work to disassemble the engine continues. Three of the girls jointly grab a socket wrench and pull to loosen a bolt.
"It fits really tight! Are we really turning it in the right direction?"
Doctoral student Victor, who helps out organizing the day, comes by to see how things are going with taking apart the engine.
"You have come all the way down to the camshaft now," he says.
One of the students, Samantha Levin, compares today's experience with the one they had last year at Volvo.
"Then it was more focused on which cars they create, and we mostly got to watch," she says. "At Chalmers there is more focus on engines, and more talk and discussions about the environment. It's fun to learn something new, about the ongoing new technology here. I may not really be that interested in technology, but the feeling is that I can definitely imagine studying at Chalmers after this day," she says.
Her classmates Emilia Hjelle and Alicia Amri Lander agree, but get interrupted by their classmates:
"HELLO! WE NEED EVERYONE'S HELP!"
All eight gather around the engine to lift off the top.
"It's really heavy."
Even Viktor comes to help lift.
"Was that all bolts?"
"Yes!"
Together they reach in to lift off the upper part. Slowly it starts to come off. Then: A distinct sound of something that breaks apart.
"Oh..."
Silence around the table, before someone finds where the top of the engine is still attached to the bottom. Another try, and this time it comes off. Then the next problem arises - to get the piston off, the engine needs to be turned 180 degrees and upside down, but something seems to be wrong. Viktor notes that the engine cannot be turned.
None of the students seem particularly disheartened by it.
"We have succeeded now! We tell our technology teacher that we must get the highest grades - let's take a hot chocolate break!"
- Project Leader, Communications division, Chalmers Operations Support