On March 6th, our class 6B had the exciting opportunity to visit IIASA (International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis) in Laxenburg. We were invited to learn about climate change in an interactive way – through digital games.
At the beginning of our visit, Jan Steinhauer, a researcher from IIASA gave us a short introduction, explaining the institute´s work, everything about systems and how digital games can be used to raise awareness about climate change. After this introduction, we had the chance to develop our own prototype for a game related to climate change. This activity allowed us to think creatively about how to present environmental challenges and possible solutions in an engaging way.
After working on our game prototypes, we were given a short tour of the castle. We learned that this historic site was often visited by the Habsburgs, that two of Sisi’s children were born there and we even had the chance to see one of their former study rooms. It was fascinating to imagine how members of the royal family once worked in the same space. Our tour continued to the terrace, where we were able to enjoy a beautiful view and gain further insights into the history of the castle and its surroundings.
The visit to IIASA was an educational and inspiring experience. It showed us how science and technology can work together to communicate important global issues. We left with new knowledge and a deeper understanding of how digital media can be used to address climate change.
We are grateful for this amazing opportunity and would like to thank IIASA for inviting us!
Stefania Kos and Elif Bozkurt, 6B
