The National Museum of Natural History and Science (MUHNAC) should have been closed by now. However, the evening of 27 September was not like any other late Friday – a new edition of the European Researchers’ Night (ERN) was underway, during which scientists are encouraged to disseminate their work to the public through educational activities. Dozens of activities were organised by the research centres affiliated with Técnico at the three venues of this year’s edition – MUHNAC, Pavilion of Knowledge and Marina de Oeiras.
‘People are very curious,’ explains Ana Mourão, a professor at Técnico, over the noise made by people in that room of the museum. ‘We’re justifying what we’re doing with the money we’re paid so that people realise that science is useful in everyday life and can lead to progress,’ she said, while a young couple analysed an infrared radiation image she took. Filipe Mena, also a professor at Técnico who was supervising an exhibition stand just next door (where a group of visitors intertwined themselves with ropes, operating a ‘group calculator’), shares what he sees: ‘I think people are truly captivated by being able to experiment and see things happening and, with that, understand the theory.’
Several Técnico students participated in NEI’s activities. Bárbara Azevedo, a master’s student in Engineering and Management of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, describes the experience of communicating science to the public as ‘very enriching’. ‘It’s always great to contact people and pass on the message of what we do at Técnico,’ says the student who is attending NEI for the first time.
According to Hélio Barros, a researcher in forensic science at Técnico, this initiative can be ‘very important, especially for students who are undecided about their career’. He also points out that ‘university isn’t just about teaching; it’s also about research’.
Science was everywhere
In contrast to the already dark sky, the façade of the Pavilion of Knowledge was lit up in green, blue, orange, and pink. Looking through a large window that revealed the interior, it was possible to see the groups of visitors (and one of them jumping on a small trampoline). This was yet another place to showcase the research conducted at Técnico, such as the lab-grown sea bass fillets created using 3D bioprinting that were displayed on a plate, before the astonished gaze of several children (one of whom wanted to pop them in his/her mouth immediately).
Rita Pires, a researcher at Técnico who was elsewhere in the Pavilion showcasing several projects, shared her experience of participating in NEI again. ‘We demystify the difficulty of science and try to bring people closer together by getting them interested,’ she says. The researcher tried to make the activities more fun this year. ‘It’s very important to have these games and activities because we’re talking to a “general” public, so we need to find a way to convey science’.
Rita Silva is visiting NEI for the first time and has brought her two children to Marina de Oeiras. She says they are all ‘very impressed with the event’ and highlighted the interactive experiments, which allowed the children to participate actively. Researcher Bárbara Ramalho considers this type of initiative ‘very important for disseminating the science that has been developed’. ‘We have some really cool things in the lab,’ she said, emphasising the importance of having a platform to share them with the public.
At national level, the European Researchers’ Night also took place in Braga, Coimbra and Évora.
Researchers from the following research centres took part in this year’s edition:
- Centro de Química Estrutural (CQE)
- Center for Mathematical Analysis, Geometry and Dynamical Systems (CAMGSD)
- Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences (iBB)
- Centro de Recursos Naturais e Ambiente (CERENA)
- Mechanical Engineering Institute (idMEC)
- Centre for Management Studies of Instituto Superior Técnico (CEGIST)
- Laboratory of Instrumentation and Experimental Particle Physics (LIP)
- Técnico Water Testing Laboratory (LAIST)
- Center for Astrophysics and Gravitation (CENTRA)
- Centre for Innovation in Territory, Urbanism and Architecture (CiTUA)
- Center for Nuclear Sciences and Technologies (C2TN)
- Center of Physics and Engineering of Advanced Materials (CeFEMA)
- Institute for Systems and Robotics (ISR-Lisboa)
- Instituto de Telecomunicações (IT)
- Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores: Investigação e Desenvolvimento (INESC ID)
- Civil Engineering Research and Innovation for Sustainability (CERIS)
The students’ projects “Rob-16” and “Formula Student Lisboa” were also showcased.
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