Guided tours, experiments and a comic book exhibition on Researchers´ Night at CATRIN
This year CATRIN will again take part in the biggest domestic event popularising science and research – the Researchers´ Night. Visitors will be welcomed on Friday 27 September from 5 pm. In addition to the traditional laboratory tours, fun experiments and quizzes, this year visitors can also expect an exhibition of scientific comics. Pupils and students can take part in a competition for the best scientific comic. This year’s theme is CHANGE!
“The Night of Scientists is a traditional event at CATRIN, as communicating science and disseminating our research activities and results is one of our priorities. We are very aware that research is not finished until it is communicated. I am pleased that the public can also learn in this way about how science contributes to solving some global problems. The materials and technologies we develop are designed for applications that aim to improve the quality of life and health of society, to ensure food security through sustainable agriculture, to contribute to the efficient use of energy resources including green energy, and to improve the environment,” said CATRIN Director Pavel Banáš.
Scientists will offer a number of activities at about two dozen stations, where they will present their research and some specific results to those interested. Visitors can look forward to printing sensors with nanomaterial inks, turning sugar into a rainbow, a glowing bacterium, natural pH indicators and the transformation of the insect world. Under microscopes, they will be able to observe a fascinating but invisible world to the naked eye. They will also learn how water can be transformed into hydrogen, unravel the mysteries of variable crystals, find out about the genetic transformation of barley, and enjoy fun experiments with liquid nitrogen. Full details are available on the Researchers’ Night website.
Comic book lovers will also be in for a treat. There will be a quiz for children, an exhibition and a competition for schoolchildren and high school students. “In CATRIN’s regular newsletters, we always publish the scientific comic adventures of Herman the robot and his friend Begonia, written by our colleague Patrick Trouillas. Now we have decided to show them also to the general public directly at the CATRIN exhibition. We have also launched a Competition for the best science comic for high school and university students. They can get inspiration for their comics during their visit to the Science Centre at Researchers’ Night,” explained CATRIN PR coordinator Martina Šaradínová. For more details on the competition, please visit the event website.
Palacký University and other institutions will join forces again during the Olomouc Researchers´ Night. All faculties of UP, CATRIN, but also, for example, the Science and Technology Park of UP, the UP Library and the UP Publishing House or the University Hospital Olomouc are preparing 100 items on the interactive programme.