9th edition, 7th to 18th July, 2025

Project status: Limited availability!

Building Tomorrow’s Space Pioneers: Designing a PocketQube Satellite
Ready to build your own satellite? Join us in designing, developing, and testing a real PocketQube satellite! You’ll tackle challenges in space engineering, from power systems to communication protocols, while working with cutting-edge technology in our state-of-the-art facilities. Learn how these tiny 5cm cube satellites are revolutionizing space education and exploration.

What?
Students will engage in the complete development cycle of a PocketQube satellite, the world’s smallest operational satellite format. This hands-on project covers all aspects of satellite development, from initial concept to final testing phases.

Why?
PocketQubes represent the most accessible pathway to space, enabling students to gain real-world experience in satellite development at a fraction of traditional costs. This project addresses the growing need for skilled space engineers while democratizing access to space technology education.

How?
Using our state-of-the-art laboratory facilities, students will:
- Industry-grade testing equipment
- Design satellite components using professional CAD software
- Program onboard systems using industry-standard tools
- Assemble and integrate satellite components in clean room conditions
- Conduct environmental testing using professional equipment
- Develop ground station communications protocols
The project employs a mix of theoretical learning and practical implementation, featuring:
- Daily hands-on laboratory sessions
- Industry expert presentations
- Team design reviews
- Final project presentation
Students will face real-world challenges in:
- Power management for space applications
- Thermal control in space environment
- Communications system design
- Attitude determination and control
- Space mission planning
Knowledge gained includes:
- Spacecraft systems engineering
- Space environment considerations
- Project management skills
- Technical documentation
- Team collaboration in space projects
Learning objectives
- Master fundamental principles of satellite design and space systems engineering through hands-on PocketQube development
- Develop practical skills in space technology, including CAD design, programming, and systems integration
- Gain experience in project management and team collaboration within the space industry context
Matching profiles

The project is ideal for students interested in:
- Aerospace Engineering
- Electronic Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Computer Science
- Physics
- Robotics
- Systems Engineering
- Space Technology
- Telecommunications
- Project Management
Required materials
- Laptop with minimum 8GB RAM
- Scientific calculator
- Notebook and writing materials
- USB drive (minimum 32GB)
- Safety glasses (will be provided if needed)
- Lab coat (will be provided)
12/12/2024
Broadening medical expertise: from the clinic to the lab bench and back
Medicine is a pillar of wellness and health, and research is critical to meeting health challenges and improving health care. In this project, participants with an interest in science, medicine and healthcare will be involved in an active learning environment in a realistic, dynamic medical experience within the Hospital and with opportunities to participate in simulations.

For two weeks they will have the opportunity to discover the work in a University Hospital and learn about the challenges faced and the research developed in the different specialized Institutes/Centers of the Hospital Clínic. In small groups, students will have the opportunity to delve into some of these areas of medical specialization of their interest and, together with expert physicians and researchers, understand how a given clinical problem triggers specific research.

Students will attend lectures, learn and practice clinical and research skills, and explore healthcare careers with various medical professionals from different Institutes/Centers at Hospital Clinic.

We expect students to learn about the basics about diagnostics and treatment, working alongside physicians, nurses, and medical students in specialized small groups. Clinical activities will be complemented with training in a translational research environment in IDIBAPS and with an experience at the medical simulation laboratory at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Barcelona.

Finally, students will be able to investigate future career opportunities by being introduced to the network of Campus Clinic-affiliated healthcare professionals, and participate in engaging careers conversations to learn about their specialties and career paths as they relate some of their most memorable patient cases.

Last but not least, the experience intends the students to learn and practice critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork skills that will help them prepare for college, work, and life!

Learning objectives

Participants will have the opportunity to work and learn with the goal to:
- Be exposed to the complexity of clinical practice of excellence
- Understand how to address clinical unknowns through research.
- Be acquainted with the methods currently used in basic biomedical research.
- See how a clinical simulation laboratory can help in medical education.
Matching profiles

This project is addressed to students interested in Health sciences, Biomedicine or Biology.

Required materials

Laptop
12/11/2024
Innovation in Photochemistry and Drug Synthesis: Shaping a Sustainable Future
Understanding nature and its mechanisms at a fundamental level provides us with knowledge and tools that can be used to face global issues. In this regard, chemistry plays a crucial role, together with other fields of science and technology, in the design and preparation of new appealing materials with relevant applications in the field of sustainable energy, industry and medicine. Our research project intends to show how research in chemistry is performed and how it impacts society. You will have the opportunity to delve into three of the most relevant topics in chemical research:
- Medicinal Chemistry: Have you ever wondered how a drug is created? How is the active principle synthesized? Which tests should a medicine pass before being commercialized? These topics and more will be discussed in this section. Furthermore, the concept of synthetic chemistry will be introduced and the students will be able to synthesize, purify and characterize their own medicaments in the laboratory.
- Renewable Energies: One of our priorities as a species is to transition towards a more sustainable system to obtain the energy that we consume. Renewable energies stand as a promising alternative to the current fossil fuel-based system, but they present drawbacks such as intermittency, capacity or difficulty to storage. One of the approaches to overcome these limitations is the use of green hydrogen as an energetic vector. In this section, you will enter the fields of photo and electrochemistry in the context of hydrogen production. You will build your own electrolyzers by preparing the electrodes based on Nickel foam adorned with metallic oxides (NiOx, NiFeOx, CoOx or MnOx). A visit to a medium size electrolyzer is also planned. Finally, you will be able to understand the physical and chemical principles behind the solar cells and prepare Grätzel cells which will be used to produce green hydrogen using the electrolyzer previously created.
- Quantum Dots: To celebrate the recent laureation of quantum dots with the Nobel Prize in chemistry (2023), we dedicate a section of the program to this topic. In this part, you will learn about the quantum physics behind these nanomaterials and will synthesize different samples to observe their optical properties. With this project, we aim to boost your enthusiasm for science and research in a multidisciplinary environment. We want to consolidate and expand your knowledge in chemistry through direct contact with experimentation, as well as to introduce novel technologies and methods within the field.
Learning objectives
- To discover photo and electro and synthetic chemistry.
- To explore material science and quantum physics.
- To learn about automation, research methodologies in experimental chemistry.
- To familiarize with how to work in a laboratory.
- To introduce to green and sustainable chemistry.
Matching profiles

This project is addressed to students interested in Chemistry, Physics, Engineering, Medicine, Nanomaterials

Required materials

Laptop, Lab coat
12/11/2024
The neurobiology of trauma: effects on behavior and brain function
From the whole population, almost 70% of adults will suffer a highly stressful experience at least once in their lives. Stress and trauma are everywhere around us affecting our body, our brain, and our emotions. Despite being considered something negative, stress is an important reaction of our body that allows us to face real-life challenges and threats in order to keep us alive. Researchers and doctors are very interested in studying the mechanisms that regulate the stress response because their dysfunction results in damaging consequences for our health may trigger the appearance of mental disorders. One example is Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a very common mental disorder that may appear in some vulnerable individuals after experiencing a highly stressful event. People living with this disorder have disabling symptoms related to a deficient detection and management of threats in the environment, they also have strong and recurrent memories about their traumatic experience and some of them present considerable changes in their behavior that keep them hyper-alert and ready to avoid any cue related to their trauma. Importantly, these disorders are much more common in women compared to men and scientists still don’t understand why this is happening. Our research group is interested in knowing which neurobiological factors are making women and females more vulnerable to the effects of trauma and this time we are inviting you to join us in this journey.

In this project, students will work hand in hand with neuroscientists that use animal models to understand how stress affects behavior and brain function. They will acquire competencies to observe and analyze different kinds of behavioral tests that evaluate the levels of anxiety, exploration, memory, and social interaction, among others. They will explore how sex hormones interact with stress and try to rescue these negative alterations of behavior by using different pharmacological approaches shortly after trauma. Additionally, they will be able to evaluate the expression of crucial biomarkers of stress using biomolecular techniques. Using immunodetection assays, brain structures will be explored at a neuronal level, trying to identify which areas are the ones affected by stress.

During this project, students will learn about the impact of stress on the brain and gain the ability to make their own future hypotheses. They will use state-of-the-art techniques widely used in Neuroscience and collaborate with scientists in their day-to-day. Also, they will acquire data processing and analysis skills which are crucial for any modern scientist. We expect students to be highly motivated to learn about brain function and how it processes stressors. With their work, they will contribute to the understanding of brain function and stress processing, specifically in females.

Learning objectives
- To study brain’s responses to an acute stressor
- To learn about several laboratory techniques, such as molecular biology and histology
- To analyze behavioral data
- To interpret the results
Matching profiles
- Motivated by science and research
- Highly enthusiastic and collaborative
- Basic background in biology is recommended
Required materials
- Lab coat
- Personal laptop
12/11/2024